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 ($442 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
At the moment, I have a new goal to start a small business that will support my family alongside my husband's salary. My household depends on my husband, who is currently working in a security firm for all purchases and bills payment. Even though he earns an appreciable amount, we sometimes struggle to meet and clear household bills in time. My business will solve the minor bills while my husband concentrates on school fees and other emergencies. Opening a cereal shop will come in handy and attracts more customers who buy maize, beans, and millet for their families' foodstuff.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
We welcomed GiveDirectly into the village with great happiness and can attest that our expectations of their delivery did not disappoint. I believe everyone concurs with a great job done in every household with no bias or discrimination. I have no complaints since the monetary support I received met most of the family needs I had planned.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
During the peak season, after calving down, we enjoy maximum productivity from the only dairy cow we have on our farm. During the dry seasons, I have been spending a lot to buy milk for my family of five. On receiving the second transfer, I brought in another heifer at KES 24000 that will increase milk production in the future. This Increase will not only cut the cost of buying milk but also be an additional income-generating source when I sell the surplus. I also bought a tenth of an acre worth KES 21000 from my neighbor, who was raising money to fund his father's medical bill. I am glad that the land is just adjacent to our land, and fencing around it was so easy. I spent the last bit of the transfer buying household foodstuff, an extra piece of furniture, and kitchenwares that were missing in our home. I am grateful for the support from GiveDirectly and hope to keep improving the few projects we started.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($477 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was at home early that morning and I was having breakfast with my family. I received a notification message on my phone and upon confirming, it was indeed the first transfer from Givedirectly. We all celebrated the goods news and thank God together for the provision we had received.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the acquisition of a heifer and food. I am grateful for the support I received from Givedirectly that gave me hope of having an adequate milk supply and also enough food that can sustain us for a couple of months.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
With my family of five, I had been spending a lot of money on buying milk every day. Buying a liter of milk for 50 shillings in a day was strenuous financially. I spent KES 17,000 on buying a heifer that is about to calf in a few months.This has kept me in the hope of soon getting enough milk both for household use and also for sale.I also bought three sheep for KES 15,000 which is an investment that can multiply and reproduce easily and can cater for any emergencies. With KES 8,000 I purchased two sacs of maize which will sustain us for a couple of months as we wait for the harvest season. With the remaining part of the transfer, I bought clothing for my household members.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means that the future education of my children is secured. I have been a worried lot over the recent past because in 2 years to come my firstborn child is set to join high school and close to KES.30,000 will be required at a go. That's an amount of money I have never touched or seen since I was born. We usually get an average of KES. 3,000 monthly from my husband's employment and that is enough to cater for our household needs like food and clothing only. I have a plan now to invest this money in buying 5 calves at an average of KES. 20,000 each. I shall come and keep them and by the time my daughter will be joining high school, we shall only sell one of the five to pay for her school fees. The rest of the cattle will give us money that we can use to expand the house because by then these children will have grown and we'll need a bigger house to accommodate all of us.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My husband is a casual worker in a security company and last year he was getting a salary of KES. 5,000 a month. From January 2022, his pay was increased to KES. 7,000 a month which gave me a lot of happiness because it shall allow us to save some money for future use.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
An inadequate source of income is a challenge to our family right now. What we get is not enough to meet our daily needs and also to invest or save. I find that future investment is very important because the needs of our household keep growing every year. The amount of money we make at the moment am so sure will not be adequate to sustain us in 2 years to come. It calls that we look for more sources of income which is kind of impossible. I hope that with these transfers things will ease up a little because am very hopeful.
