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
55000 KES ($471 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?
After building myself a house, something that I really longed for, I now have plans of starting a Mpesa shop business. The capital needed for it is KES 30000. Using the funds I received from give directly, and the savings I made from the earnings I get as a shepherd, I managed to raise KES 28000. Once I get to start the business, I will get to be self-employed and with better earnings to help in providing for my family.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give directly has done extremely well through its cash donation programs. Many in my village, many have gotten to improve their lives. As for me, I now own a house and a cow. Before, I used to live in a small room together with my sibling that my mother built for us. I felt I needed to progress so I may be ready to start a family. I believe I will now be able to accomplish this. I have not yet noted an area where the organization has not done well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After the passing of my father in 2014, my mother was left to solely fend for us. Through her farming, she managed to put me through school and keep supporting my siblings. After school, I started working as a shepherd so I could earn some money to help her out with the payments of the family bills. The job only earned me KES 5000 which quite limited me. But when I got my transfer from give directly, my life improved. This is because I used it to buy a cow for financial security. I then got to build myself a three-bedroomed house and got to move out of the 1 roomed house my mother constructed for my sibling and I.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($484 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received the money at around 10:00 pm just when I was about to retire to bed. I couldn't t believe that GiveDirectly had finally honored their promos of sending us money. I felt so happy that I was finally going to be able to start building my own house and make a step towards being independent.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the independence that I have achieved from these transfers. Having built a new house and moved close to my family has given me peace of mind and restored the dignity of life that I almost lost. Living in someone's house came with its fare share of challenges as it was even evidenced upon receiving the cash. The person in whose land I was living wanted me to give him all the money but I stood my ground and made sure that I built a new house and moved closer to my family. Right now I work for myself in our farm contrary to before when I worked for someone for very little income at the end of the month.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
GiveDirectly transfers came at a time when I had used my savings to buy building materials. I kne it would take me long before I could finish construction of a new house. I had bought a few iron sheets and was willing to sacrifice even more to buy building materials as I moved towards living an independent life. This was a major booster to me as I used almost KES 45000 to buy timber and other building materials that I had been unable to buy. Right now the house is almost complete only remaining with doors to fix before I can finally move in. I was living in someone's house and I did not know the dignity of living in my house. I always looked forward to having this feeling but the little income that I got from my casual job was hardly enough to help me put up one in a very short time. I am happy that the newly built house is a lost comote and I have also been able to buy livestock-an investment that will help me in future to meet the cost of my family's needs. We are a family of 9 but currently my two younger siblings look up to me to provide basic household needs as we help one another with my mother. We lost our father a while a go and life has been quite challenging on our on. We feel happy that GiveDirectly came in handy to hold us up and propel us to even greater heights.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have a dream of starting my own business and receiving this money will mean I'm able to accomplish that dream.I plan on using KES 50,000 of my first transfer to open an Mpesa shop. I work as a caretaker on a neighbours farm mostly taking care of the cows and milking them. But before that I was temporarily employed for 3 months as an Mpesa attendant. Because of the experience I have in Mpesa operations, I believe that I will be able to use that and generate more income to make a living for myself. For the second transfer I will purchase a dairy cow worth KES 30,000, the milk produced will aid in my household having a nutritious breakfast and I will sell some to get extra income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the last 6 months I have been able to have my own house. Although my housing structure is a small and temporarily built hut, I'm greatful that my employer was able to build it for me and I don't have to go back and forth from home and work. Before this I would sleep with my brother on the floor of our parents kitchen hut. It was extremely cold and there was no room for both of us.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I live alone but my parents and 3 siblings depend on my income of KES 6,000 for sustainability. My parents are farming on a small piece of land which is unproductive. Whenever they harvest the produce is only for household use. Sometimes my employer delays on payment of my salary because he depends on businesses which sometimes don't bring in enough income. This happens often and I'm forced to borrow cash from friends to buy food, clothes and send remittances to my parents.
