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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53200 KES ($482 USD)
access_time over 2 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 how it would have been if I never received the transfers in that I have build a better and spacious house for my family. We used to live in a small house which could not host all the family well. I had always wished to build a better house but I didn't had money to start. I depend on small scale farming. We plant maize and beans every season.The harvest is so small, I was not in a position to sell the produce to earn an income to buy building materials. Whenever I had visitors it was so stressful because I had no extra space to host them. I could host them outside the house. This was so demoralizing. When I received the second transfer I found it wise to invest on building a better and spacious house for my family. Currently I have a decent home. I do not shy off to welcome visitors to my house because I have enough space. Whenever my extended family visited me there is a smile on my face because I know they will have a room to sleep. GiveDirectly has changed our living standard to be much better than before. We are so grateful for the support.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community to build better houses and to buy dairy cows. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of the second transfer on building a better and spacious house for my family. We used to live in a small house which could not host all the family members comfortably. Whenever we have visitors it was so stressful because we didn't had enough space, we were hosting them outside. I build a poultry house and bought Six hens for start. This is my source of income because I sell the eggs. The rest of the money I bought food and clothes for my children.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($508 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment I received my transfer I was at home relaxing together with my family, when I saw the message I was so excited and happy.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference is that we now live in a spacious house,unlike before when my 4 children, my husband and I were all squeezed in a one-bedroom house, we can comfortably welcome our neighbours and visitors with no worries about what they say or think about our living status, we are all grateful for the support because it improved our living standards.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used to live in a very small house, I had plans to build myself a spacious house because of the size of my family that was growing but I had no money at hand, when I received my money I bought building material in order to enable me build a new house,
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Being a young couple with dreams of having a family, I have always hoped that I will get funds to build a better house and also to purchase a dairy cow. Receiving this money will not only enable me to build a house but it will also enable me to buy a dairy cow for my children. For the past 1 year, I have been relying on my parents to give me a litre of milk which I sometimes miss. Receiving this money therefore is a big relief to me and my family
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when I spend time with my husband narrating the events of the day. As a housewife, my main duties include doing house chores in the morning and then going to weed maize in our garden. Its in the evening when I get time to rest after a long days work that makes me happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of finances as a result of no formal employment is my biggest hardship. I solely rely on my husband to provide for the basic needs of the family. I left school in class seven and so I cannot get any employment opportunities. My husband on the other hand also goes out to look for casual labor that earns him approximately KES 400 - 500 which is not enough for us to meet our basic needs because he doesn't get any job on several occasions.
