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.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($466 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
check
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I intend to focus more on husbandry to generate more income. This will not only help in school fees payment but also be a source of food for my family.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly enrolled us transparently without favoritism. From the meeting, I was taught how to spend the transfers.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Before GiveDirectly, I had a dairy cow which was the main source of livelihood for my family. During the cow's dry spell I was forced to buy a liter of milk each day for KES 50. This was quite costly because as a cattle broker I have been getting KES 2000 each week for the past 10 years. Therefore, when GiveDirectly came I spent KES 35,000 on a dairy cow as an additional source of income.
Secondly, I have one and a half acres of land where I normally do subsistence farming of maize and beans only. Every day I used to spend KES120 on a kilo of maize flour. But with the arrival of GiveDirectly transfers, I used KES 6000 on two bags of maize. This will sustain us for a longer period and the money usually spent on food is directed to school fees payment.
Thirdly, I used to rely on cattle selling to pay school fees. But this was quite unreliable because the income was only KES 8,000 a month. Lucky enough, when I received my second transfer from GiveDirectly. I used KES 5000 on school fees payment for my son in high school.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($492 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was out in the fields herding my cows when I heard my phone ringing in my pocket to notify me of an incoming message. I pulled it out to check it and I could not believe my eyes when I read the SMS which was saying that I had received KES 55000 from GiveDirectly. I was so happy on seeing this that I couldn't hide my joy, I quickly went home to inform my wife what had transpired. She was so happy on learning about the wonderful blessing and we celebrated together.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
There has been a very big difference in our lives ever since we got the transfer from GiveDirectly. We have had some peace of mind because we no longer have to think of where we are going to get a big sum of money to construct another house. Other than that, we were also able to pay school fees for our four children who are in school. The children are thus happy because they no longer have to worry about being sent home due to school fees arrears. Thank you so much GiveDirectly for what you have done to us.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We spent most of the money that we got from GiveDirectly on constructing another house. We have been having a small kitchen which was grass-thatched and it had grown old. We have always wanted to construct another one but we have not been able to due to the lack of a lump sum amount that is needed to do such kind of development. I am engaged in a small business of brokering cows while my wife is a small-scale farmer. The money that we raise from our small income-earning activities is only enough to cater for food and pay part of the school fees for our children. So when we got the money that GiveDirectly had promised, we saw the opportunity to achieve what we've always planned. We demolished the old kitchen and we constructed another one using wooden planks and we roofed it using iron sheets. We are so grateful to GiveDirectly for making this happen.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means I'll finally be able to stand on my own in my business. Currently, I'm doing a business of buying and selling livestock/farm animals. I get loans as capital, purchase some animals, sell at a profit and repay the loan. Sometimes I sell at a loss meaning I will have to look elsewhere to pay up the loan and the interest. Sometimes I do not get a partner to loan meaning I will not have the capital to do business. I plan to put all this money as capital because it usually gives me good returns on KES 2000 per day.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening. This is when I'm back from work. My children are also back from school. I get to spend time with them as I ask about their day in school. It makes me happy when I come back with shopping or foodstuffs as I know my family will have dinner that day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship has been 10 years when crops started doing badly or unproductive which affected us as it was our main source of income. Since then I have had to divert and look for other ways to earn income. It has been hard to get capital to start me off in the business. As time goes by too I have children to meet their needs, responsibilities get much every day, and it's getting harder and harder.
