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 almost 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
At the moment, I don't have any new plans, this is because I wanted to focus first on the ongoing goals that I had initiated, I am grateful for the support that changed our living standards to a higher level in society,
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDrectly has empowered individuals like me from casual labourers to self-employment, my life will never be the same again because I now have a reliable source of income, thus I am so happy for the great milestone that I have achieved in a short time. Throughout my interaction with the GiveDirectly staff, I have not witnessed any form of malpractices.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a motorcycle taxi rider, am blessed with a wife and three children, I used to work on a rented bike before, where I would pay the owner at least KES 300 per day, this was so difficult because a time I would be left with nothing to take home afterwards. upon receiving my transfer, I prioritised purchasing a second-hand motorcycle so that I would have a reliable source of income, therefore I used KES 40,000, I then used KES 5000 on farming, lastly, I used the remaining amount in buying foodstuffs and clothes for my family. I am happy and relieved that I now have a reliable source of income, with my bike I am optimistic that I would be able to see my children through school.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($494 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was about 9 a.m, and I was preparing to leave the house when I heard a beep on my phone. I immediately felt excited because one of my neighbours had informed me a few minutes before that that he had received his cash transfer from GD. I checked my phone to confirm, and I cannot explain how happy I was when I saw that I had received KES 55,000.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Since receiving this transfer, my family's lives have transformed positively. I ferry passengers on a motorbike to earn a living. On a good day, I earn just KES 150. This amount is not enough to cater for food, clothing and education for my three children. We had to have just two meals a day, even though my children wanted to eat more. You can imagine how painful this was for me as a father.
I am grateful that all this has changed. We have bought enough food for us and can afford to have three meals a day. It's amazing how much GD has done for us.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I needed to buy a dairy cow that could supply my family with milk. Previously, we had to buy milk every morning, which was so costly, because I earn KES 150 a day only. So I was glad to spend KES 40,000 to acquire one. I then spent KES 10,000 on buying foodstuff including maize, beans and rice to ensure we had enough food for all five of us.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means that our family shall avoid the cost of acquiring milk since we shall buy a lactating cow. We usually spend 0.5 USD daily on purchasing milk for consumption. The relatively little daily income of about 3.5 USD from my motorcycle business is barely enough to sustain us. Hence, we have never afforded to buy a cow. If some of the transfer remains, we shall use it on purchasing a donkey for carrying water. A perennial river that we rely on for freshwater is situated about 3 kilometers away. Hence, having a donkey will relieve my wife of the tiresome task of carrying jerricans of water on her back daily.
What is the happiest part of your day?
As a motorcycle operator, the happiest part of my day is in the evening when I return home to reunite with my happy and healthy family. This is because I usually rise at dawn to embark on my job, an activity that runs throughout the day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The relatively many motorcycles in our area offering taxi services have rendered the industry less profitable. This acts as the biggest hardship we have faced as a family because we depend primarily on the motorcycle business. Precisely, clients have become scarce, something that negatively impacts our daily income.
