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
55000 KES ($458 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have a new goal that I did not have before which is to build a rental house on my new piece of land. Currently, I do not have any reliable source of income which has been affecting my whole family. We have been depending on my spouse for all our needs and the money he could bring to the table was not enough. Therefore I believe having the rental will empower me enough to accomplish a lot including opening new businesses through the rent collected.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly has done well by ensuring that they visited every household in my entire village. Apart from that, the enrolment process was free and fair to everyone. No one was left out provided he or she was the president of the particular village. Therefore I can not point out any area that deserves improvement.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my second transfer on buying pieces of iron sheets and building poles which cost a total of KES 4500. I had intended to renovate my house by putting up an extra room. My house had a single room and I felt there was a need for changing the size since my family was growing. Also for privacy purposes, it was not right to share a room with my kids who were teenagers. I also bought a new piece of land which I am planning to relocate to soon since I feel there are no job opportunities in my village. Apart from that, the initial piece of land is no longer productive. Additionally, I paid fees for my son who is in grade one and he was able to sit for his exams with the rest. Finally, I have been using the remaining amount of money, to buy food for my family and other household basic needs.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($475 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was at 6a.m and I had just woken up. I heard my phone ring and upon checking, it was a message from Givedirectly bearing the good news. Receiving my first transfer brought a lot of joy to my house. I went later in the day to withdraw the transfer ready to initiate my plans.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My biggest difference is the achievements that I have so far. I am grateful for the transformation that I have seen in my household.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon withdrawal of my first transfer, I bought iron sheets worth KES 10,000 which I used in expanding a two-roomed house. I am happy since my visitors have a place to stay whenever they come. I also bought two sheep for KES 8,000 this is additional to my livestock and can sell them whenever I have an emergency. I bought four chicken at KES 6,000 which will provide us with eggs for consumption and later when they multiply we can sell them to earn an income. With KES 12,000 I bought a water tank which I use to store water, especially during dry seasons hence saving me from walking distances in search of water. With the remaining amount, I bought food and clothing for my family members.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a sustainable source of income for me. I intend to use my transfer to buy a cow and three goats at a cost of 40000KES. The fact that my children are still young and they have not started school, by the time they start going to school the goats will have multiplied so I will sell some and pay for my children school fees.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I have a son who is the last, last month he got sick which really deteriorated his health. In that note, I said if he gets better I will buy him a chicken. I prayed so much and eventual in that week he got better and started eating well. Last week, I bought him the chicken so that he can start owning some assets. So it was a very happy moment for me.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Currently, I do experience a hard challenge of food insecurity. With the prolonged drought that has been seen, it was hard to get enough from farming which is our only source of food. So my family have had some instances of going to bed without taking a meal. For the last three months it has been a painful time because my husband is a casual labourer so sometimes he could go for a whole week without any work.
