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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3rd Payment
Transfer Amount
45000 KES ($334 USD)
access_time 8 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My mind is right now thinking about channelling clean drinking water to my compound. I have been relying on supply of this important commodity from a neighbour who stays far from me. It has been tough for me because of my age and I do not have anyone that can help me out. Sometimes I have had to use money to get the water which has proven to be quite expensive. I plan to use the $80 that remained to accomplish this. It shall be a great relief to me and my family and I look forward to achieving it.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does very well by giving us the cash unconditionally. I have made decisions that have left me happy. GiveDirectly has literally given me and my family life and I am so grateful for that. Once I achieve my goal of getting piped water in my compound, I will be the happiest person. It shall be a constant reminder of the support that we received from GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I had used the second transfer to purchase building posts which costed me a lot of money. This is because we had to look for these fencing materials from far. I am glad that I was able to buy enough chain links and now I can plant some maize in my farm. At least it will not be attacked by my own goats and goats from my neighbours. During this period I was also able to buy enough maize that we have been consuming with my family. I still have $80 that I use to meet my daily needs at all times. I have been able to use the transfers that I got to gain stability within my family albeit for sometime. I am happy that I will be able to have memories from the things that I have been able to accomplish.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
45000 KES ($295 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
In the coming year and beyond, my goal is to establish a connection for piped water to my home, ensuring access to clean water for consumption, especially considering the distance to the stream. To achieve this, I intend to use my third transfer. I am immensely grateful for the support that has facilitated a transformative change in our lives.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The support provided by GiveDirectly has profoundly and positively influenced the quality of our lives, resulting in transformative change. The program's unconditional approach empowered us to allocate the funds based on our individual needs without any restrictions. We are deeply grateful for the positive impact it has had on our lives. Personally, I haven't identified any shortcomings in the program's implementation.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon receiving the assurance of financial support from GiveDirectly, I anticipated a significant positive impact on my life. As planned, I used $200 to acquire a parcel of land, aiming to expand my farming activities. Additionally, I invested in fencing the land, utilizing chain link, nails, and barbed wire totaling $210 to enhance security and prevent intruders. The remaining $30 was wisely saved. All this was not possible because I rely on my children to earn an a livehood. I am genuinely satisfied with the decisions I made, and we express everlasting gratitude for the incredible gesture that has brought improvement into our lives.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
18010 KES ($124 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I recall it was approximately 3 p.m., and I was in the midst of a peaceful moment at home when I caught wind of my neighbors discussing the arrival of their unconditional transfer. Without delay, I urged my son to verify if I had received a similar notification. To my astonishment, he informed me that a substantial sum of money from GiveDirectly had indeed been deposited into my account. This moment was nothing short of the greatest blessing I had ever received, and I was overwhelmed with happiness, knowing that my long-cherished dream was about to become a reality. I promptly shared the news with my spouse, who shared in my joy and gratitude.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I can now connect piped water to my home, which seemed impossible due to financial constraints. This would imply that we would be able to cultivate and also have clean water for our domestic use, which was a huge relief to us. We are extremely grateful for the help that has brought us so much joy.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon receiving our first transfer, my children and I made a collective decision to have piped water installed in our home. This was essential not only for our daily water needs but also to support our farming activities, as the nearest stream was quite a distance away. Our inability to connect to a water source had been due to our unstable income, primarily reliant on my children's support. As a widow with grown children, I earn my livelihood through farming. We allocated $90 from the transfer to cover the costs of the water connection, and the remaining portion was used to purchase essential food supplies and clothing. We will forever be indebted to the organization for significantly elevating our quality of life.
Enrolled
access_time over 1 year ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
There is a water project that was done for the community recently and it came as a major reprieve for the villagers although I am not able to go for it because of my health situation. I have been buying water from the water vendors when I have money or paying someone to carry it for me. The borehole is not far from my house, it's barely 200 meters. I have always wanted to connect it with water pipes to my compound for easy access and to irrigate my garden so that I can be able to plant enough food crops to cushion me against the biting food insecurity. It is for this reason that I intend to use $ 250 for the water connection and use the other money to do fencing for my garden and purchase foodstuffs. I will be extremely happy when I receive the transfers.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I enjoy the grace and peace of mind that I have. My children give me the needed support and we live in harmony and peace and I tend to my goats for livelihood. I enjoy the relative calm and climate of this area, hot climate is favorable for me. I don't like cold weather. Sometimes I had visited my son who lives in Kabarak and I did not like the place because it is so cold unlike here. For older people, we are not into so many things, it is just the peace of mind and the availability of food that we need. That's all I need.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My health is failing me a lot, it could be due to old age. I am having constant chest pain and also my knee has some problems that make walking hard sometimes because of the pain. I hardly walk for long distances and so it has disrupted my normal life. Fetching water is a great deal because of the difficulty in trekking for long distances and also my chest does not allow me to carry water in my back. I stay alone and therefore life is hard to do household chores.
