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 ($427 USD)
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?
In the coming year, I intend to outfit my children who will be starting new classes at the beginning of the school year. My attention is currently focused on my sixth-grade daughter. Because her current school is in transition, the students are expected to obtain a new school uniform as well as other school requirements. This requires more money, which I believe I will be able to raise through my current casual labor in nearby farms.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did an excellent job in our community, which everyone is proud of and grateful for. We understood all of the project's steps and did not get them mixed up. GiveDirectly's idea of allowing us to spend the money on whatever we wanted was brilliant. This project was especially beneficial for single mothers like myself, who had no one to rely on.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received the first transfer, I had a lot on my plate. Some couldn't be finished, but I wasn't concerned because I still had the second transfer coming. I had purposefully delayed building a house in order to await the second transfer, and when it arrived, building a new house was a top priority. I purchased 25 iron sheets for $85, 20 building poles and ten frames for $2 each, a door for $35, windows for $10, and labor for $57. I am relieved that the construction is completed and that my family of four can now live in a spacious home. In addition, I spent $60 on food shopping that we ate for more than a month and decided to save the rest of the money to pay school fees and a new school uniform at the start of the school year.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($501 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 9 am when I heard my phone ringing, I was at the farm tending to my crops, I was so happy and excited when I saw a message from GiveDirectly that I heard received the promised transfer, words cannot express the kind of joy that I felt, I told my husband the good news who was equally overwhelmed with joy. We were so thankful and happy at the same time.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer from GiveDirectly came as a very big relief in my life, this was a dream come true, all my life I have never received such a huge amount of money via Mpesa, I can firmly say that the transfer changed my life for the better one, My life is different now because I was able to build a spacious house for my family, they are all comfortable and happy, For the first time my kids were not sent home from school due to lack of fees, and I am happy and humbled that the support impacted my life greatly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my transfer I had already planned on how to spend the money, School fees was my major priority because I heard 2 school-going children, 1 in secondary school and the other one in college, I there used KES15,000 in clearing the arrears, my house is also small, therefore, I decided to build a better and a spacious house where I spent KES 35000, I am relieved and happy that the support made me accomplish so much.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My greatest desire for the last two years has been to build a two-roomed iron-roofed house since I currently live in a small one-roomed hut with my 3 children. My firstborn son is a teenager and culture has it that a teenage boy has to sleep in a separate house from his parents for privacy reasons, but lack of resources has forced us to share one room with him. I will therefore spend $300 of my transfer to erect another house where one of the rooms will be his. I will then use $300 to buy a milk producing cow who's earnings from selling milk will supplement my daily earnings from my casual jobs.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am a single mother of three. My usual day encompasses waking up very early in the morning to look for casual jobs to do to earn some income to sustain my family's needs. Getting such jobs has never been a guarantee, hence whenever I manage to secure one, evening pay before heading back home is my measure of success, hence the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of a sustainable source of income is the biggest hardship I face in life. My daily routine entails looking for work to do on people's farms. Getting such jobs to do for pay daily is never warrant, which has led to debt accumulation hence guilt and shame all over the neighbourhood.
