Give Directly does an excellent job of providing unconditional cash transfers to the neediest members of the society. The organization enrolls people and sends them money with no strings attached, proving generosity of the highest order. I have found no flaws with Give Directly.

During the time of the transfer, we had lost one of our relatives. We were required to contribute KES 90 each to the burial arrangements as a family. Unfortunately, I lacked the funds, so one of my neighbors lent me money with the understanding that I would repay it later. So, as soon as I received the transfer, my priority was to pay off the debt. In addition, I saved KES 1,740 through two different self-help groups in our compound. I intend to ultimately withdraw at least KES 6,000 from my savings to purchase goats for rearing and to increase my income streams as they multiply. Finally, the visitors who had come to the funeral expected us to feed them, and we did not have enough food at home. So I used the rest of the money to buy food and sanitary supplies, such as washing powder, for the household. 

My son came rushing to me in the farm that day to inform me that he had heard rumors going around that GiveDirectly had already sent the transfers out. I could not read so I handed my phone over to my boy to check whether I too was lucky. It took less than two seconds for him to confirm that I had indeed received the funds as well. I gave him a huge hug from the excitement I felt in that moment. All I had imagined waking up that morning was we were probably going to sleep hungry and spend the next day hungry as well. The funds were literally my saving grace because they could not have come at a better moment.

On most occasions I depended on my older children to help provide for me and their younger siblings. This was because I had no job and I could not rely on the farm either due to drought. But now with the funds that i received and will keep receiving I will ensure I be less reliant to my older kids and take care of our necessities all by myself while they look after their families as well.

Before receiving the money from GiveDirectly can you imagine that there was hardly any food in the house that day and I was as sure as day that my family and I would be going to bed hungry that evening. But then again whoever said you can never be too certain about life definitely knew what they were talking about because later on that day the transfers from GiveDirectly came in. I immediately went ahead and bought sugar worth KES 70, beans worth KES 70, two packets of maize flour worth KES 240 and sardines worth KES 60. I was grateful I would not have had to go to bed hungry as I had thought I would initially. Then I went ahead and decided to buy poultry so that after they produced I could manage to sell and cater for my day to day needs especially nutrition. I bought two ducks at KES 500 and two hens for KES 200.