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.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($478 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
check
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Since I have savings accumulated in the village savings group. Once I receive my contributions I intend to buy an additional piece of land.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well to advise on how to spend the money before the arrival of the transfers.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After I completed my tailoring course, I opened my tailoring shop about 14 years ago. On a good day, I normally get KES 1,000 and KES 500 on a bad day. These earnings I normally invest in the village savings group. I also do small-scale maize and beans farming which is a source of food for my family.
Formerly, I had only two dairy cows of low quality which I used to get up to 8 liters a day. So when I received my second transfer I saw it wise to purchase a high-quality dairy cow. I, therefore, spent KES 30,000 on a Guernsey dairy cow breed that produces up to 12 liters a day. This will be a long-term investment to aid in school fees payment soon when my kids join high school.
Additionally, I topped up part of my first transfer and spent KES 50,000 on building a 45 Iron roofed two-roomed timber walled house with a veranda. Initially, I had a 20 Iron roofed mud-walled house and grass-thatched kitchen which I demolished when I received my transfers.
Furthermore, I spent KES 7,000 on two bags of maize which has sustained us for the past two months. For the remainder, I spent KES 3,000 on two 210 water liters containers, and right now I have access to adequate clean rainwater.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($484 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was early in the morning when I was working in the farm with one of my in laws when I heard my phone ring. It was just about that time that my in law too received hers. We felt so happy together and I took time to call my husband and share the good news with him. He was so overjoyed too
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in the investments that we made as a family. The airy cow bought is a source of income and a sure long term investment that will greatly help us in meeting our families pressing needs like payment of school fees in future. Our two children who are still pursuing their secondary education shall surely be able to study well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used part of my recent transfer of say KES 25000 to buy a dairy cow and used the remaining amount to buy timber meant to improve our house soon.The dairy cow bought was meant to empower us financially now and in future and be able to pay school fees for our children. We also stay in a rather small and mud walled house making it needful to improve our house to a timber wall and make it easier to maintain it. The transfers have brought tremendous change to my family and I am so grateful for this.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I usually run a barber shop to earn a living. The earnings I make in a day is KES. 100 which is usually spent fully on food. I'm always worried about the future because I can only make what's enough for a day, no investments and any other thing to secure my children's future. With these transfers I would like to spend half of it to expand my barber shop and also buy a bigger solar so that I will be able to serve more customers in a day. I approximate the earnings to be five times more than it is right now. I will also invest the other half of the money in 5 calves. In three years time when my son will be joining high school the money I will get from the sale of these cattle will be enough to pay all the school fees required for high school.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In May this year, a customer in my barber shop suggested to me an idea that I should start moving from house to house looking for customers and sometimes going to nearby schools to offer my services. I tried it out and it has really worked for me. Initially I would even go without earning anything but since when I started implementing his idea I have seen a lot of changes in my business and this has given me joy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I have so little income at the moment from the barber shop. Sometimes I don't even meet the needs of my family because mostly we prioritize food to anything else. We have no enough clothing or any other investment.
