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 ($438 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Providing enough feed to the dairy cow I bought with the second transfer has been difficult, and the maintenance cost sometimes outweighs the productivity. To deal with this, I have set a new goal of growing more feeds - both Nappier grass and other grasses - to store in anticipation of the dry seasons. I have set aside some land that is currently being prepared. This will ensure that my cow has plenty of feed throughout the season.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did an excellent job by visiting each household and speaking with the primary owners while providing them with a clear picture of the entire project. This increased our confidence and trust that the promises they made to us during our initial meetings were genuine. They were extremely disciplined and treated everyone with respect, resulting in a smooth enrollment process throughout the village. I am grateful for the great work and generous support that has transformed our way of life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Buying milk for my family of five has been extremely costly, and my dream of purchasing a cow that will produce enough milk came true when I spent $450 of my second transfer on purchasing a dairy cow. Since then, we have had a plentiful supply of milk, which has saved me the high cost of buying from the neighborhood and allowed me to spend the money on other household items. I also spent $20 on maize, which we used as a staple food with my family, $30 on cow feed, and the remainder on other household goods that we are still using today.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($466 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was at home relaxing when suddenly, I heard my phone ringing. Upon checking I realised that I had received money from GiveDirectly. The good news brightened my day because it was a financial breakthrough that I had been waiting for to build a decent house. I am grateful for the support that gave me an opportunity for me to improve my living standards.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life today is that I was able to construct a decent house for my family in a short period. It was hard for me to accomplish this goal before due to financial constraints because I depended on a rental motorcycle to earn a living. I am glad that the support from GiveDirectly impacted my life greatly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I had desired to build a decent house for my family because the one that we were living in was small but I never had the finances to accomplish the dream. Therefore, when I received my transfer opted to construct a house where I used a sum of KES 30,000. I was unable to construct one before since I am a Boda Boda rider and a casual worker and the wages are not reliable. I am married and blessed with three children. Additionally, I used the remaining amount on household items worth KES 20,000. I am so happy and grateful that I was able to construct a house with the support I got from GiveDirectly.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a lot to use in terms of reducing daily expenses, therefore, improving our livelihood. We depend on subsistence farming as the main source of income. We mostly farm maize, beans, and sweet potatoes. Our area is relatively dry, so sometimes we do not harvest any crops. At the moment, we also purchase milk from the market at KES 2,000 a month, which is very expensive. With this money, we, therefore, plan to use KES 40,000. It will mainly help us by producing milk to feed my family, therefore, reducing our daily expenditure. For the rest of the amount, we plan to purchase a water tank to help us collect rainwater.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Three months ago, I had some money that allowed me to buy three chicks. My brother had given me his motorbike to use, I used to make KES 2000 a week, which helped me meet daily needs as well as a small investment of three chicken.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The main challenge is financial constraints. Meeting daily basic needs like food, especially milk and maize flour is very expensive. We experience more dry seasons than rainy seasons, so it affects our farming. We are forced to purchase everything from the market. Even getting this food product in the market is also not easy.
