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 ($497 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Initially things were bad, our living situation was not pleasing since my husband and I relied on making and selling charcoals, selling sisal as well as herding other people’s livestock for a living. This kind of business was full of challenges such as attacks by wild animals while in the forest cutting trees. But since the day I received your support life has changed positively. My elder sons are happy have their own houses, the ones who are in school are also happy since they are now full time students unlike before when they could stay at home for almost 3 weeks because of school fees. Thank you Give Direct for having a greater positive impact in my life and family. May God bless GiveDirectly.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly is very clean. It doesn’t have any faults whatsoever. In fact I would recommend then to come back if possible only that their terms and conditions don’t allow them as we were informed that after the second transfer, they will be moving to another needy village.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a mother of seven children. The elder 2 children dropped out of secondary school due to school fees and the other five are in primary school. On receiving the 2nd transfer, my husband and I agreed on constructing a house for our second born who is 19 years old because the 1st born had a house which we constructed using the 1st transfer. This decision came as a result of the hardship he has been undergoing in seeking accommodation from friends. As at now he can they are comfortable and happy in their own houses unlike before. We also took KES 6000 to pay school fee for the primary school children since two are in boarding school program.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($508 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was preparing breakfast for my children when I heard my phone ringing. Since I am illiterate I asked one of my children to check the co9ntnet of the message notification. Upon checking, he realized that it was an Mpesa message from GiveDirectly. I had finally received my first transfer as promised. I felt so happy because I was certain I will achieve a lot through the money.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that through the t4asfer, I was able to acquire a dairy cow which I am currently keeping in my homestead. This is what I have been yearning to own for years but becasue of financial constraints I can not afford it. I used to depend on odd jobs with meager income and fending for my family was even a challenge, therefore purchasing a cow using my own cash was not possible at all. How the dream is now accomplished and I am optimistic that in few months to come I will be getting plenty of liters of milk which will be for my family consumption and the remaining liters for commercial purposes. The money that I will be getting from this business will empower me to provide for my family without straining. Also as time goes by, the cows will multiply which means I will be able to accomplish all my dreams rapidly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying livestock which includes a dairy cow at a total of KES 15 000. This will now serve as the living asset that I will lean on as my security Also I bought some building materials such as iron sheets, building poles, nails, and timber. This was for the construction of a new house specifically for my children who used to seek shelter gorm their friends. In addition, I paid school fees for my four children who are in primary schools. With the remaining amount of money, I bought enough food for my family
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Since I don't have a reliable source of income, the only way that I can save my money is through investing in livestock. By doing so, I will have the opportunity to sell and earn profit in the future when they multiply. I, therefore, intend to buy 5 goats and 2 indigenous dairy cows at $150 and $300 respectively, using my first transfer. On the other hand, I wish to smooth finish the floor of my house because sometimes our area is infested with triggers and this will prevent my family from being affected by these dangerous parasites. This will cost me the utmost $200. The remaining amount will help me construct a separate house for my children since we share the same room, yet they are big enough to have a different structure. This will bring more joy to me since my livelihood will have changed for the better.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The evening is the happiest part of my day because it is at this moment when I get enough time to rest from my strenuous work of charcoal burning. Unlike in the morning and afternoon hours when I am busy at the bush.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
As a woman of my age, I never imagined engaging myself as a charcoal burner. Due to financial instability, I have no choice but to involve myself in doing this strenuous work to earn a living. Therefore, financial instability is the biggest hardship that I have ever faced in my life.
