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
access_time almost 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I was not lucky to buy cattle with this transfer due to my pressing need of building a new home for my family. We are buying milk expensively and this is making our cost of living high. I am planning to start saving money to enable me to buy a dairy cow for my family. This will save us a lot as we produce milk for domestic use.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I am impressed with how GiveDirectly Empowers the recipients how to spend money wisely and even mobile money security. This prompts recipients to make the best decision and maximize their transfers. However, GiveDirectly should also consider programs that target those households that never qualified for the program.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I can not believe that we are now living in a newly built house. My plans of saving money to build a better house for my family bore no fruit until when GiveDirectly visited our village and gave us a helping hand. When I received my second transfer I spend KES 30000 to build a spacious three-roomed house for my family. I also prioritized building a granary with KES 10000 to enable us to store our food well and avoid food wastage. To cushion my family from the scorching effect of hunger, I bought two bags of maize which will last us two months.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment my transfer came, I can recall that I was at home relaxing after a busy day of running up and down in the field. I was startled by a Mpesa notification on my screen showing that I had received a sum of KES 55,000 from GiveDirectly. My phone was on silent mode that's why I never heard the notification tone. I was so happy and grateful to have received the transfer from GiveDirectly because I knew that I would be able to accomplish my goals in real-time. I am grateful for the transfer that gave me the opportunity for me to uplift my living standards.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Building a decent house for my wife and me is the most significant difference in our daily life. The place that we were living in was old and we never had the funds to renovate, I am forever grateful for the unconditional cash that impacted our lives greatly and filled our hearts with joy and happiness. Additionally, I was able to purchase sufficient foodstuffs to last us for a long period.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon the receipt of my initial transfer, I knew that I would be able to construct a decent house for my family. This is because the house that I was living in was small and old. Therefore I used KES 30,000 on constructing the house. I was unable to construct one before due to financial constraints. Additionally, I used the remaining amount on foodstuffs. I am grateful that I was able to realise my dream in a short period.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
We are elderly parents of 6 children living in an old dusty , and leaking roofed house. Renovating the roofing of the house has been a big challenge to us due to limited income.We own 0.6 acre land where our 4 sons and us have established their homes.These land is too small for us to practice farming and hence we have been forced to depend on casual work for survival. Our wish has been to be a large scale maize farmer ,this is because maize production does well in our neighboring county of Transmara. We are happy that with KES 32000 we will be able to rent 2 acres of land in Transmara for maize production for the next two years.This will enhance food security and financial stability in our family. With the remaining amount we will be able to buy 22 iron sheets for renovating the roofs hence more leakages during rains.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the past two months, my elder son bought a 0.1-acre piece of land. He sold a heifer worth KES 32000 and secured this land. This has brought joy into my life because he has earned an additional asset as well as has his place to live in.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food shortage is the biggest challenge we are currently facing in my household. We own a 0.6 acres of land which is subdivided among 4 households.Therefore practicing subsistence farming has been a challenge because whatever we plant is harvested and consumed within a month atmost.The lack and inadequacy of food within my household has been rampant for the past 10 years.We work as casual laborers but because of our old age we do minimal work which earns us an approximate amount of KES 200 daily.Whenever we are exhausted or do not find any job we have to depend on borrowed food stuffs from our children or neighbors and this hurts me a lot.
