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 ($421 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My goal this year is to open a green groceries shop in the nearby market. Since I am a dairy farmer, I am planning to save some money that I earn from selling milk towards this project. Achieving this means more financial independence and a better life for my family.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
What GiveDirectly does well is uplifting the living standards of the poor through giving them unconditional cash transfers. The transformation in the village is very evident that even poor people understand their priority of needs.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a local dairy farmer while my husband is a local farmer who grows maize for both family consumption and for sell in the neighborhood.Since our five acres piece is not enough for both farming and growing napier for the cows, I decided to buy a half an acre piece of land that I can plant the grass. The piece of land was going for $550 and because I had paid $250 from my first transfer, I spend $300 of my second transfer to settle the balance. I spend the balance to buy household utensils and food that lasted us for two months. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for the financial support as I would not have achieved this and many more were it not for the transfers.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($483 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was 5 pm and I had just arrived home from the farm. I had my phone with me and I was eagerly waiting for the M-Pesa SMS. While at the farm, my brother-in-law who was passing by had asked me if I had received the transfer. I hence kept checking my phone hoping that I will receive it too just like my neighbors. As I was still resting at my compound, my phone suddenly rang and I immediately checked it. I was so happy on seeing that I had received the promised transfer of KES 55000 from GiveDirectly. I thanked God and GiveDirectly for it.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer has brought a very big difference in our lives as a family. We are now happy since life has changed for the better. We now have another cow and we managed to finish the construction of our house.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We spent most of the recent transfer money on buying a cow. We bought it at KES 38000. We decided to buy the cow to add to the one that we had so that it can help us in getting more milk that will be enough for the children to consume and we can sell some to get money for buying small household items such as sugar, tea leaves, etc. We had tried our best before and constructed a house but we had not managed to complete it. We had not placed the ceiling boards because we had not gotten the money to do so. I am a small scale subsistence mixed farmer while my husband has a business of selling maize at the nearby center. The money that he makes from the business is what we usually use in paying school fees for our three children and buying food. We hence spent KES 8000 of the transfer money on doing so. We are thus glad that the house is now complete and ready to settle in. With the remaining amount that was around KES 7000, we used it in buying clothes and some maize for our consumption. Thank you so much GiveDirectly for your support.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
With my family of 5, I live in a single-roomed grass-thatched house, that serves as both the kitchen, living room and bedroom. To restore my sanity and privacy, I built a 2 roomed iron-roofed house in November 2021 that is yet to be completed. I look forward to moving to this house soonest for receiving this money means comfortable housing to my family. My husband opened up a grocery business at Chebunyo that has been a constant source of income for my family of 5 . Unfortunately, there has not been a surplus to assist in furnishing the house. With the help of Givedirectly, I intend to use KES 20000 to complete constructing the house as well as furnish it. I will also be glad to support my husband in boosting the grocery business with the rest of the transfers.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Being a supportive wife, I have always wished for my husband's business to flourish. I am glad to have supported him enough to an extent that the grocery business is at its peak at the moment. We have had the profits increase by 50% from 2020 to date. This brings joy to my life as my family has a constant supply of basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Depending on someone else to give you money for upkeep is always traumatizing and shameful. Since my husband is the breadwinner of my family of 5, I have fully depended on him from the time I got married in April 2017. Albeit, there are times when he does not have the money upon request and I feel like a burden to him. This has in most circumstances frustrated me and I have always felt the need to rear chicken to support him but unfortunately, acquiring capital has been a challenge.
