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
53010 KES ($364 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?
Before this year concludes, my aim is to see my chicken project flourish. I'm committed to dedicating my energy, expertise, and time towards its success. My hope is to be able to comfortably educate my kids by ensuring their comfort and stability in school until they are all done.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give Directly has fostered a sense of equality in the villages, as we all received the same transfer amounts that have significantly enriched our lives in diverse ways. Additionally, household relationships have strengthened owing to improved financial management.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
With my second transfer, I chose to channel most of the funds into establishing income sources to sustain my family. Firstly, I purchased a cow for $360, envisioning a future milk business.
Additionally, I spent $12 on acquiring chicks to initiate a chicken farming venture. Lastly, I allocated $130 to provide my children with appropriate school uniforms, books, and to settle their school fees in full.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($389 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Having trouble reading was almost putting off my pleasure. Whether I heard the message tone or not is a memory I do not have. What I do know is that I overheard neighbors jubilantly announcing that they had obtained their transfer as I was returning home from the field. Given that we were both enrolled on the same day, I was interested and asked my husband to verify for me, who then confirmed that I had also gotten my transfer. I felt like a newlywed because, although the GiveDirectly personnel had assured me that I would get a significant amount of money in this case, $550 immediately, I had not anticipated doing so.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Initially, the scrabble was true-to-life. Getting some food was a big challenge since I solely relied on making and vending charcoals which was not a dependable business. I used to go up to at least two days a week without food. Currently, I am very grateful for the support I received from GiveDirectly because it has transformed my living status. I have now taken a break from going to the forest to make charcoals for sale yet I get food not like before. This could not be the case if it were not for GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Before receiving the transfer, I had already planned how to spend it. I acquired this knowledge from the civic education which we were taken through by the officers before registration. Upon receiving the transfer, I first bought a bale of maize flour for $24. I decided of buying some food to ensure that I have enough stock for my family of 6. Initially, I used to make charcoals for sale to cater to my children's education and food which was strenuous. Since I did not have a bed and I used to sleep on the floor using some empty boxes and sacks, I opted to buy a nice modern bed for $59 and two mattresses for $96. Since then, my children and I have been very happy sleeping well and comfortably, courtesy of GiveDirectly. In terms of investment, I saw it best to buy a cow for $275 and two goats for $65 which will serve as security in the future and can be converted into monetary value to sort some issues out if the need arises.
Enrolled
access_time over 1 year ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I am a farmer doing subsistence farming on small scale. Over five years the community has experience severe drought due to lack of rain. The drought changed my thoughts and I am now focused to start animal rearing. I have enough land and the climatic condition is favorable for animal farming. The drought forced my husband and I to do casual jobs to feed the family. We collectively earn $10 per month which caters for food only. My children dropped out of school due to lack of school fees. I have a family of seven members. I will use $800 to buy eight cows as an investment. This will help me infuture in case of an emergency and also pay school fees for my three children who are yet to join primary school. The first two dropped school at standard five. I will also use $150 to buy a bed and a mattress for the family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My village has lacked rain for over four years. Early March this year 2023, it rained heavily and all water pans were filled with water. The drought ended and I am seriously doing crop farming. I am happy because holding factors constant I will be harvesting my maize in July. This will make my family get enough food that will sustain them for almost sox months.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I have been suffering from waste bone problem for over five years now. This has affected my productivity at my casual job. I can not work for more than eight hours per day. This is the challenge I am currently facing.