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.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Yes, I have a new plan for this money. That is, to use portions of the money to buy one more bunch of zinc to add up to the previous ones making it the total of three bundles for my new house. I paid my children's school fees with the balance money
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
All of the works GiveDirectly has done are marvelous. Many thanks God to GiveDirectly for helping my family and I. Everything about GiveDirectly is good.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I bought a bunch of zinc with some of the money and I paid my children's school fees with the balance money.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
40375 LRD ($285 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was on my way to Dwala when I got an alert. I checked my phone as soon as I reached Dwala and I saw that Givedirectly had sent me money. I was happy; I crossed the road and withdrew my money right awayand later came home to share the good news with my wife.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I firstly want to tell God thank you for making Givedirectly to locate my community. Due to the many problems I have, I usually felt bad daily before Givedirectly came. But there is the fine feeling I have had since I got my first transfer. I have peace of mind and my wife makes me happy because I gave her money.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I was owing the Village Saving group in my community, I used part of my money to pay my debt. I've planned to buy one bundle of zinc along with one cartoon of nails to build a new house as my wife and I agreed, but the house materials will be kept until we complete them using up coming transfers.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
When I receive this cash transfer, I will use some to establish a business and use some for my children education and the balance will be used to recondition my house.
I am a farmer, the only source of income I depend on is burning charcoal from which sell and pay my children school fees and sustain my family. Sometimes my earnings from the sale of the charcoal doesn't meet or cover all of my expenses and many times my children I are send back home from class for school fees. My spouse started a small business to feed the family but it collapsed due to less customers influx and high cost of transportation to get additional goods, we had no option but to spend the little we had to get food for the family. The house (two bedrooms) I currently live in was built by my brother and I. My family occupy one room and his family has one, sometimes it's embarrassing when strangers or some family members comes to visit, we will have ask a neighbor to assist us with a room for our stranger or family member to stay or pass the night. If I receive this cash transfer I am sure it's going to greatly help improve lots for me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
What has brought joy or happiness to my life in the last six months is seeing my family and I healthy everyday and my children doing well in school keeps me happy, because I struggle a lot to earn money for the family by burning charcoal to sell. The presence of Givedirectly and choosing to come to our village today October 28, 2021 has brought more Joy and happiness to me because I am sure the program will greatly improve my lots for my family and our endeavors.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The challenges I am currently faced with is access to finance and food security.
A cup of rice in this village is 50 LRD (fifty Liberian dollars), I will have to burn charcoal and sell to get some for my family, many times like this week (Oct. 25-28, 2021) I had to trade or exchange two bags of charcoal for ten cups of rice to help us have food for the week. The farm we had this year didn't yielded as expected and birds damaged part of it, our harvest was very low. Charcoal business is the only thing now my family is solely depending on this year to have food and finance. I will really appreciate assistance that will improve my livelihood.
