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
53150 KES ($443 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?
The new goat that I had before receiving the transfer to build a better kitchen house. I had a small grass thatched house that was leaking from inside. This was so demoralizing, especially during the rainy season. Currently, I am so grateful because I have built a better house. I no longer get worried like before. GiveDirectly has changed our living standard to be much better than before.
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 a better houses, and pay school fees for their children in various schools beside this some have purchased water tanks for storing clean water for drink and domestic use. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well because The enrollment was done well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 20,000 on building a better and more spacious kitchen. I had a small grass thatched house that was leaking from the inside. Currently, I have a better kitchen house and I am so grateful. I spent KES 6,000 on purchasing one sack of maize to feed the family members beside that I paid KES 5000 school fees for my children in primary school. They are now studying well without being sent home like before. I spent KES 3,000 on plowing my farm and planting maize. Finally, I bought a goat at KES 2500 and the remaining amount of money I spent on household items.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($485 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 11pm when we had just retired to bed when I heard two SMS alerts on my phone. Upon checking, it was KES55000 from GiveDirectly and I was very happy and my wife was pertubed because we hadn't received such a lump sum before. We could hardly sleep that night because of excitement.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is purchase of heifer because it will be source of milk and future investment for my family.I also have adequate food for my family which I couldn't afford before because I worked as a herdsboy and the income couldn't sustain my family well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES30000 on a heifer because I didn't have one before and had been buying milk for the past three years.I also spent KES6000 on two bags of maize and KES12000 on a hoofer and a solar lighting system for news entertainment purposes because we only had a local radio.I also spent KES5000 on my daughters school fees because initially I relied on casual labor as a herdsboy in order to pay school fees.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
We have been struggling to make ends meet through casual labor (weeding, planting, fencing) which is hectic and tiresome yet it is hard to get. I have been thinking about how to improve my life using other means which is not exhaustive but in vain. I was super excited when I heard that GiveDirectly was coming and I couldn't hide my joy. I knew that we are on the verge of making a difference in the family through having a stable source of income without much struggle. At an estimated cost of KES 30,000, I intend to purchase a dairy cow and my projection is to milk at least 8 liters a day. Out of this, we will consume 3 liters and sell the remaining at KES 40 a liter and better the life of my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the last 6 months, none of my family members has fallen sick yet we are facing tough economic times and the coronavirus pandemic. We have no stable source of income as a family with no savings and I have been worrying about where to get money in case of an emergency. Being healthy, free from sickness has brought happiness to my life.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
For the past 10 years, we have been unable to harvest surplus maize in our farms due to maize necrosis disease. I feel saddened that nothing has been done to curb this issue by the government. We have been relying on maize as stable food but due to the disease, our farm produce has greatly reduced forcing us to spend a lot on food. In our 0.1 acres of land, we barely harvest one 90 kg bag of it unlike in the past where we used to harvest up to 5 bags. This maize disease is the biggest challenge we are currently facing.