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 ($467 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My new goal is to start a small shop business of selling maize flour, sugar, soap and other items in the village. The villagers are forced to walk a long distance to the next village in order to buy these commodities. With the readily available market after doing research, I will be able to earn enough income to support my basic needs like food without much struggle.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well for coming up with a cash transfer program instead of material things. In addition, every household was enrolled in the program. I do not see anything that went wrong.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 5000 to start a small grocery business selling kales, tomatoes, and dry fish. This is an alternative source of income for me. Previously, I was doing charcoal vending which is a tiresome activity and earns me very little income. I also used KES 20,000 to support the education of my child who is in college studying an electrical engineering course, with huge fee arrears of KES 30,000. In addition, I used KES 4,000 to start poultry rearing a future investment for myself. I will be able to sell some to get money whenever face any challenge. I bought a solar panel on hire purchase by depositing KES 3000 and expected to pay the remaining in installments. I also spent the remaining amount of money to buy enough food for the family.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($492 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Receiving money that you hadn’t seen or received before has a special feeling that can’t be explained. It was around 9am in one of the fine mornings when I received a message in my phone while in the bush making charcoal for sale. I quickly checked since I wasn’t used to receiving messages in my phone. I was filled with joy after seeing KES 55000.00 which I had been sent from GiveDirectly. The joy overpowered my work of making charcoals and I left for home.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My family rearing a cow is a miracle. Sincerely, we were not able even to buy some goats on our own but GiveDirectly empowered us and we moved from goats to a cow which is a greater achievement to us. The second difference in my life is sleeping on a standard modern bed and a mattress. I hadn’t seen this one coming though it was my will to have comfortable sleep.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The first thing I did after withdrawing the money was to pay school fees for my college child KES 11000.00. I did this so as to avoid my child from missing exams. I also bought a pregnant cow for KES 16000.00, a bed and a mattress for KES 10000.00. The reason for buying the bed and a mattress is that I was having a small traditional bed with a torn mat. My desire was to have a nice resting place at night after the day’s activities. I also took KES 5000.00nand paid a debt which I took from a ‘Chama’ small money lending groups in the society. As of now I am using the rest in buying some food for the family plus any emerging issue of the family.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am a widow with a family of six children. One of these children is currently in college studying electrical engineering. He depends on me to meet his educational costs. It has not been easy educating this child because I have been depending on his elder brothers to meet his academic costs. However, this is not possible at the moment because they lost their jobs as a result of covid 19. I am now forced to engage in charcoal burning business to raise his school fees and other academic costs. This business is not reliable and earns me less than 2000 KES a month, which is not enough to sustain my needs. I intend to use the first cash transfers to clear college fee balances for my child. I will use the second transfer to but a bed and a mattress that will cost 20000 KES. I will also use the remaining amount to buy food and three goats as an investment for my future.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Evening is the happiest part of my day. This is because, I usually leave at 6am for charcoal burning in the forest. It takes me three hours walking to the forest. I spend the whole day collecting logs and cutting down trees for charcoal burning. I then come back home very late at 7pm tired and worn out. During this time, I cook, eat and have time to rest. During this time I have an opportunity to refresh myself and prepare for the next day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of a stable source of income is the biggest hardship that I have ever faced in my life. Imagine being a jobless widow with a child in college who needs at least 40000 KES a year to cater for his academic costs. This is the current situation that stresses me up. Since my spouse died, life without him has never been easy as he was the breadwinner for my family. His demise made me to assume his responsibility as the sole breadwinner for the family. I am an illiterate woman who do not have a better job. The only job I have is charcoal burning business which is not reliable and earns me less than 2000 KES a month. With the burden on me as the sole breadwinner, this money is not enough to sustain all the basic needs for me and my children. This has contributed to us living a miserable life in the village. Upon receiving the cash transfers, my life will take a different direction as I will be able to cater for all the basic needs and start livestock farming as an investment for my family.
