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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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($428 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?
I hope to enlarge my farming business so that I can be able to cultivate more vegetables and supply to more school. I need to raise $500 to be able to achieve this by April this year. I'm currently saving with a sacco so that I can later borrow a loan for this purpose I hope I'll make it.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give Directly is doing so well by helping people financially. Were it not for your money, I wouldn't be where I'am right now. Your transparency is also top notch hence you do not discriminate anyone, may God bless you exceedingly. I actually find nothing to improve on.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I'm a community health worker but with little income. I do not want to lie, my wife is also employed but both our incomes can not sustain us. I had start an agriculture project where by I do irrigation farming of all types of vegetables including tomatoes, then supply them to nearby schools. So I bought a generator for this project on hire purchase and I was left with a balance of $200 which I cleared using this transfer. I also paid $180 school fees for my daughter who is in secondary school, she is so happy because she cleared school fees for a whole year. Before I used to depend on bursaries and well wishers to raise school fees for my daughter. I then spent $110 to rent and cultivate a 2 acre piece of land where I planted vegetables for sale. This has really helped me to raise money for food and school fees. Finally, I used the remaining $35 to buy 1 bag of maize.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($480 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
This came as a surprise as I did not expect to be awarded with a welcoming incentive from GiveDirectly. I received a notification on my phone as I was heading home from the shop. On checking, I was met with a wonderful MPESA message of KES 55000. I was more than happy and hastened my steps home in order to tell my wife of the good news. After careful planning, I was able to withdraw the funds the following day.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The GiveDirectly project has come in handy as now I am in a position to do farming and well enough provide a better lifestyle for my family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The amount received has well been put to good use as I have been able to rent a farm at KES 47000 to improve my farming skills for both commercial and personal use. The amount was also inclusive of drip pipe sprinklers and a generator to power the sprinklers ensuring the plants are well watered. An additional KES 2000 was used to pay for my child’s fare home as he was closing school at the end of the term. The balance of KES 6000 bought food supplements to sustain my wife and kids through the month.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
In my area, we have a water pan where people lease land to cultivate and irrigate using the water nearby. It has always been my ambition of acquiring that place and start my irrigation farm. Receiving this money means, goal accomplished. Leasing that land amounts to KES 4000 for three months, I will use 12,000 to acquire it for one year. Water must be pumped to your land, the pumping machine goes by KES 20,000. This will help me easily irrigate my crops, I aim to grow spinach, tomatoes, kales, and onions to supply to the two nearby secondary schools and the market day which is on Friday. Revenue from this scheme will help me pay school fees and buy food for my 3 children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am a committee member for my village football team as the secretary. Last year, in November my team was promoted from the sub-county league to the county league. This brought joy to my life knowing talents are well utilized in my community and we will have exposure to a more competitive league in the future.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am a casual worker for my community, I clean the government offices for KES 300 per day which only comes occasionally. This can not sustain my family's needs, buying food and paying school fees. I shifted to mining and this made me have some breathing problems up to date. This has made me go every week for medical checkups at a private hospital for
KES 1500 per visit. I am worried about my family what will happen if I do not get this medical checkup.
