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 ($519 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I didn't have any livestock in my compound. However, I now own a pair of oxen and a heifer. Had it not been GiveDirectly, then I would not be owning these livestock. These are living assets which I know will help me in meeting my future financial goals.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has done really well in improving our living standards by giving us the transfer to plan on our own. Thus our lives are changed since we are now enjoying decent shelter and meeting the basic needs for our families. I do not see anything that GiveDirectly does not do well.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent part of my second transfer on buying a heifer that I am keeping in my homestead. I will be getting milk from it and beside, it will reproduce and have a herd. In addition to this, the transfer also enabled me to pay for my medical expenses since I was sick. I spent the remaining amount cater for my household expenses and buying daily foodstuffs.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($542 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have managed to buy my own bulls. I have already started seeing the benefits of these bulls. I do have to go to the water point by myself. Considering how far the water point is, I must admit that they have saved me a great deal since they carry a lot of water at once. In due time, I will also train them on how to do the ploughing. This will be my joy because I will also rest from the tiresome work of cultivating the farm by myself.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I had been sleeping when I heard a message on my phone. When I picked the phone to check what it was all about, I found out that Give directly had sent me the first transfers. I was very excited and I clearly remember not going back to sleep because of the joy that I felt in my heart. I knew that with that amount, my life was going to change. I knew that I was going to accomplish most of my goals
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent part of my transfer on buying two bulls. The bulls will help me to plough my piece of land and carry water from the water point. I have been tilling the parcel of my land by myself which was hectic and also been fetching water from a water point that is miles away. I am glad that the bulls have relieved me from the hard work that took a lot of my energy and time. I also completed building my business premises in Mombasa using the transfers. I had started building it and left it half way due to lack of money but I thank God because the money I got from Give Directly has helped to me reach my goal of having a well-finished business premise. Apart from that, I also paid hospital bills for my child who was feeling unwell. The remaining amount was spent on buying food that would push us for a couple of months
Enrolled
access_time almost 6 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
For a very long time,I have wished to own a cereals business within our village but I have not been able to due to financial constrains.This business is very lucrative in our community because grinded maize and beans are more of staple foods for our community.The challenge that most of us have is that the recurrent droughts have really affected harvesting and people can no longer rely on farms to produce these precious commodities. As a result most locals source for them in shops located far away from the village at very high prices. I am sure that if I set up the business within the village, I will generate sufficient income to enable me feed and educate my children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I wake up in the morning at around 7:00am and prepare breakfast for my family. Thereafter,I do the general cleaning of the household then head out to the stream to fetch water.By noon,i cook lunch then head out to the fields to herd my goats until around 6:00 pm.All this tasks are very tiring especially in my expectant condition and thus I can say, evening hours is my most happiest time because it is the only moment that I get to rest.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial constrain is by far the biggest hardship that my family is faced with on a daily basis.I do not have any job and my husband's income from vending water in Mombasa is hardly enough to meet all the family needs.The most that he manages to earn on a daily basis is Ksh.200 and not on a regularly.As a result of the little income,on more than one night,we have been forced to go to bed hungry. It pains me a lot to see my child crying when she is hungry yet I can not afford to cook for her anything because I do not have money to buy any food.
