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
55000 KES ($482 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have an additional goal that developed which was to purchase goats. I felt there was a need to have them in my compound because they reproduce very fast as compared to the other domestic animals. I am optimistic that if at all I will own them someday, I will a lot. Also, the climate of my region is very favorable for the goats. Having them will enable me to settle my daily needs anytime because I can sell some and cater to any bills.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did a perfect job in my life and I can't thank them enough. The fact that the money was sent directly into my Mpesa account, I was able to plan with my spouse what to purchase since we had all the freedom. On the other hand, I don't see any part that the organization needs to work on.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my second transfer on buying sand, forty bags of cement at a total of KES 30000, and a labor charge of KES 5000. This was purposely for the construction of a new house since the initial one was a traditional hut and in a very critical state. I never enjoyed my marriage life at all because I never had a chance to shelter with all my children under one roof. I also spent KES 20000 to boost my grocery business. I have been operating it before and it was about to collapse because I had consumed all the profits and the capital and cater for other household bills. With the remaining amount, I paid school fees of KES 5000 for my kids who are in primary schools.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($495 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was in my house relaxing after completing my morning household chores when I heard a message notification on my phone. I was with my helper who checked my cell phone and informed me that I had received my transfer. I felt so happy for receiving my transfer. We agreed with my husband on when to withdraw our transfer to improve our living standards since we had a lot of things to do with our transfer.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Seeing the different building materials laying outside my house gives me hope that I will finally be residing in a decent shelter with my family. I can not wait to relocate to my new permanent house once the construction is complete. Being happy and confident that I will finally fulfill my desire to own a proper shelter is the biggest difference in my daily life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my transfer to purchase building materials including 4 lorries of building stones and 4 lorries of sand which cost KES 46,700 in total. This was for the construction of a permanent house for my family. The one that I had earlier was about to collapse and leak a lot during the rainy season to the extent that it would be filled with water. I had to dry it by fetching the water out. In addition, I set aside the remaining amount for payment of labor charges
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means good housing and self employment. My house is in a very dilapidated condition. It is very weak, it shakes during heavy winds. This makes me feel insecure to live in it. I am planning to use the whole of the first transfer to build a new house. A house that will be strong enough to resist the strong winds. I will then use 30,000 Kenyan shillings of the second transfer to boost my shop business. I will buy more stock for the purpose of reaching more customers which will translate to more profit. For the remaining amount (25,000 Kenyan shillings), I will use it to buy 6 goats. Being a livestock farmer has also been my desire.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the morning. Waking up in the morning very healthy together with my children after a restful night makes me happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have ever faced is lack of money. I have a family of 7 children. Maintaining a family of such a big number needs alot of money. I have a small shop where I sell some goods such as flour to my neighbors. The profit I get is not enough to meet the demands of my family. This has forced me to engage in the charcoal burning business to raise more money. The money I get in this business is still not sufficient. This due to the inconsistency of the charcoal buyers. I can go for even two weeks without selling a single bag of charcoal.
