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 ($492 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?
In my life I have never lived in an iron-roofed house. Through this transfer, I was able to construct a decent one-roomed house for myself. Currently I spent my nights comfortable shelter without having to shift my beddings from one corner to the other because of the leaking roof. In addition, I was able to start a livestock rearing activity which will assist me in educating my kids, all this makes my life different than if I never received the transfer.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did well for coming up with the the cash transfer program unlike other organizations which decide on behalf of their beneficiaries. Likewise,I was given the opportunity to use the transfer the way it choose.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For many years, I have been living in grass-thatched house which leaks during the rain season. Furthermore, it had collapsed on one side and very risky to our life. After receiving my transfer, my first priority was to construct a new house. I spent bigger part of the transfer to construct a better shelter. I also used $100 to educate my children who is in secondary school by clearing the fee arrears. The remaining amount I bought enough food for the family since there is drought and famine in our village.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($494 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I had left my phone to charge in the morning as I was going to my farm. I met a neighbour along the way who asked whether I had received any money from GiveDirectly, since she had received hers. I was delighted by the news and went back to my house. When I turned on my phone, the first message was Mpesa notification. Indeed it was true that I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I felt happy and thanked them for the money.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that the transfer has enabled me to buy two heifers which are assets to me. I am a single mother and raising fees for my children might be difficult in some years to come. My children are still young and I am expecting to rely on these livestock to educate them. I am expecting these heifers to reproduce and increase in number. I will be able to sell the offsprings to cater for my financial needs. I will also be getting milk which I can sell and earn an income.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 31000 of my first transfer on buying two heifers. My aim is to keep them so that as they reproduce and increase in number, they will be helpful in sorting out my future financial needs. I can easily sell them and get some cash. In addition to the heifers, I spent the remaining amount on purchasing iron sheets to build a new house. My current house is not spacious enough to accommodate my children. I am still gathering enough materials to facilitate this. I am planning to start the construction soon once I have enough materials to build the new house.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have ever yearned to own an iron-roofed house for my family but this has never been possible due to a lack of money. Considering me being the breadwinner for the family, a house has not been a priority since all my income goes to food. I am a happy person now after learning that, soon I will have the opportunity to build a new house that I intend to cost me $350. On the other hand, I also plan to upscale my farming, and to achieve this, I will spend $300 to buy oxen plus the ox plough. This will enable me to have early land preparation during planting seasons and this will ensure food security for my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My day starts at 7 in the morning when I go to fetch water from a water pan that takes me 1 hour before I come back. Thereafter, I take my ax ready to go to the bush for my charcoal work. I usually spend the better part of my afternoon hours in the bush and I only come back home at around 2 o'clock when I am fully exhausted. It is in the evening when I have maximum time to relax and share our meal with the children, a moment that I find myself so happy. Therefore, the evening becomes the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My current source of income is charcoal burning, a job that most people in our area have depended on. This job comes with many challenges like time-consuming and low paying. With all these challenges, I am still forced to work extra hard to get the money that can cater to some of our very basic needs mostly the food. This means other basic needs like good housing and paying school fees are not fully met and this has affected my children's school performance and health-wise too. Therefore, financial instability is generally the biggest hardship that I have ever faced.
