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.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($485 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?
Goats five goats.. Investment
Casual jobs rarely save on merry go round
Food and clothes
Any emergency
Dairy cow.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community to build better houses and to buy dairy cows. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Five goats -33400
Food and clothes
Furniture, tables and sofa set seats
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($511 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The great doubt I was having before receiving the transfer completely disappeared the moment I received the transfer. I was emotionally overwhelmed and shedding tears was the least I could do. I had to close myself in the room, and on my knees, I thanked God for fulfilling this one promise that we had. It was really hard to believe that I was finally receiving such a huge amount of money neither from a friend, family nor even after completing some task. It was such a wonderful moment and this will remain a testimony even to the coming generation.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my sailing life after receiving the transfer is the rejuvenated status of our productivity. It is unbelievable that I am now back on the road making some money with my old motorbike with also six sheep back hope which is great hope for our future. I am forever grateful that as this was happening to my neighbors, it also happened to me.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
On receiving the transfer, I spent 22,700KES on buying six sheep, 14000KES on repairing an old motorcycle I had, also paid school fees for my wife, and used the remaining on buying household foodstuff. This transfer was a great opportunity to revive the initial sources of income I had. Buying six sheep is an accomplishment of the wish that we had as a household - it is an investment in assets that have been proven to appreciate within a short period of time. I also needed a daily income source and the old motorbike which needed new spare parts was the only option we had. It is currently functional and has been earning us not less than 300 KES a day.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I recently graduated from university in 2017 where I got certified in accounting. I haven't been able to get any formal job contrary to my wish. I do casual jobs at a near by farm and get paid 400 shillings daily when I work. I also have two donkeys that help in carrying water to residents from far distances and I get paid. I am passionate about poultry farming business, I had saved some cash and decided to buy 3 turkeys which are in demand and very profitable. My market target has been Chinese foreigners who live within the village working on road construction. Receiving this money will mean a lot to me because I will invest it in my wife's education, she is in school taking a course in library studies, I will also use the transfer to invest more into my poultry business by buying about 30 broiler chickens, I will be selling both the eggs and the chicken and get income from that.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Each day I wake up at 6 in the morning, take breakfast, ensure my poultry has enough water and food to eat during the day, then leave for work. I work on different farms in ploughing and harvesting till evening. I head back home,have dinner and sleep. I would say I am mostly happy in the evening when I get paid for my hard work and I get an assurance of being called for work the next.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Unemployment has been the biggest hardship in my life. I graduated from the university and thought that it would be easy getting a job with my undergraduate degree, I have really applied for jobs but haven't been successful. I had to resort to casual labour but the income I get from it is not sustainable, it barely provides for my households basic needs.
