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 ($520 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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What did you spend your second transfer on?
I didn't have any livestock but I have always considered them as a way of investment. Since I come from an arid area is arid with poor pasture and shortage I, therefore, bought ten goats for rearing because they are easy and cheap to manage. At the same time, goats reproduce twice a year and in most cases, they give birth to more than one young one hence I believe by next year I'll a number of goats. Secondly, I had started constructing a house with the first transfer but I didn't complete because I ran out of cash. The first house was almost falling. This was so risky because I feared that it could fall on us at any time. I, therefore, spent part of the second transfer on both some of the building materials and on building labor. In addition to that my business collapsed almost a year ago because I couldn't sustain it since it was the only source of income thus I consumed most of the profits, I earned from it. I, therefore, used part of the money to revive the business and I'm glad it has picked. Part of the money I have saved for future use in case of an emergency.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GD does well by giving people cash and letting them decide on how spent it. This has brought a lot of improvements in the living standards of most people in the village because everyone was able to meet most of their pressing needs. On the other hand, GD doesn't do anything wrong.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Previously, having three meals in a day was a luxury to me. This is because my harvest was meager and it could not last us up to the next harvesting season as a result of inadequate money to buy the required farm inputs. In addition, I did till my neighbor's farm for pay which could barely sustain most of my basic needs. Therefore, with all these struggles I was weak and thin which portrayed the levels of hunger and frustrations I was facing. Today, I'm happy and so proud of myself because currently I'm healthy and doing well because through the GiveDirectly transfers I am able to meet a lot of the needs that I lacked which includes; constructing a decent house, clearing school fee arrears for my children and most important acquisition of daily meals with ease.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($544 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent the larger part of my transfer in starting construction of a two-roomed house which is still under construction by buying building materials. Looking at this house, I am still under disbelieve. This is because before I used to toil the whole day from harvesting olive oil leaves to vending charcoal which I could burn by myself and the income was little. That alone could not sustain my family's basic needs hence getting a decent home seemed achievable. Staying in cracked walls house which was almost collapsing was the only option I had. The remaining transfer I used to buy two sheep, paid school fees for my children who had been sent home and bought food for my family's consumption since we did not have enough in the house.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I woke up early in the morning to go fetch water as usual and on coming back as I approached the entrance of my house, I saw my child running towards me with a happy face. When they got next to me, the eldest child among them told me GiveDirectly had sent money this morning at 3:00 AM. Upon getting the news, I felt very happy and laughed as I rejoiced with my children as the assisted me to carry the bucket that I had. Surely, that was a day I will never forget.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
Previously, before the transfers, having a well-balanced meal was not easy as we had one meal or none in a day. The biggest difference in my life is that my family and I are able to have a decent meal on a daily basis. I am honoured to see my children go to school without being sent home for school fees arrears. Anytime they were sent home, they would stay home for two weeks as I was still looking for the money to pay. Now, I have been able to disapprove my neighbours who used to mock me that I couldn't afford to educate my children.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Our biggest hardship is financial constraint. Life in our village is quite challenging.The two major economic activities that we engage in here are charcoal burning and alovera extraction. These jobs are tedious and pay very little. One kilogram of alovera goes for only one hundred and eighty shillings. Therefore, the income we get is not sufficient to support us in paying school fees and other family needs.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My day starts very early in the morning. I usually prepare my children to school and then leave to fetch water from a pan which is almost ten kilometers from my village. In the afternoon, I do my usual job of making charcoal and so by the time I come back home, I am very tired. Therefore, evening is the happiest part of my day because that is when I get to rest.
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Since I was born, I have never slept in an iron roofed house. I was married with the hope of living a nice life with my husband but desire has never materialized. My husband and I have been staying in an old fashioned grass thatched house because of the hardship we are facing. Receiving this money will mean constructing a spacious and decent iron roofed house for my family. We will also use part of the transfers to buy livestock and support our children's education.