We check in with people at each stage of the cash transfer process to see how things are going. Take a look at some of their stories as they appear here in real-time.
Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($526 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different than it would have been if I never received the transfer in that I could not have paid the school fees for my daughter on time. I depend on casual jobs in the village and the money I could get was so small and could not gather for all the basic needs.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly does well by giving out money to the poor to improve their standard of living. There is nothing that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spend my second transfer on paying school fees for my daughter in secondary school. My daughter used to be sent home to collect the school fees and this was affecting their performance. I also bought food and the rest of the money I used it to build a poultry house and bought six hens.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($549 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
Ever since I received this transfer, I have experienced a very big difference in my life. My kids can now eat to a full stomach, this has never happened in their 15 years of life. we have always had a bad drought in our region hence very little food. I'm even happier since I can do a business I have a passion for.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Receiving this transfer was the happiest moment of my life. I have never received such an amount since childhood. This transfer came through at the moment I was really I need. i had alot of debt from school and my only hope was to sell my only cow.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent my transfer on school fees for my child who is almost completing secondary school. The school wanted a huge sum of money for my child to be boarding and I had no idea where to get the money. I also spent it on chicken, chicken mesh,food, and clothing for my children.
Enrolled
access_time almost 6 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
We have been living in an incomplete structure which we started building some two years ago. Completing the construction of the roof and the floor have been a problem since we have never gotten enough money. We have been struggling to settle the payment of the school fees which have been taking most of our money and receiving the transfers from GiveDirectly means completion and settling in a complete house.
What is the happiest part of your day?
We have been living a hard life where we rely fully on the casual labor. In the past it was so easy to secure one within the village which was an assurance that one will take something home at the end of the day but nowadays it is really hard. Finding someone who is willing to pay you within the village for a work is very rare and we have to walk abit longer looking for one. Securing one has been the happiest thing to happen in my day since that generally means my children will be having something to eat in completion of the task.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My family had been living in a small piece of land which is a quarter of an acre. This is the land which we inherited from my father in-law after the whole piece being subdivided among his seven sons. Cultivating it and trying to provide foodstuff to the family have been my biggest worry since drought had been so frequent in our region. The size of the land had also been wanting since it can not allow a space for other investements. At least GiveDirectly money will give us a chance to purchase a plot along the road so that we can establish a small business.
