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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3rd Payment
Transfer Amount
45000 KES ($349 USD)
access_time 2 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Looking ahead, I am excited about the future and my plans to start a poultry business. I used to have some chickens, but now I want to focus on raising improved kienyeji chickens more seriously. My goal is to purchase 300 chickens. The income from selling the chickens, along with the earnings from my kitchen garden, will help me build a house. We plan to construct a permanent home made of bricks, which will give my family a safe and comfortable place to live.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has done an excellent job by treating everyone in our village with respect and fairness. We appreciate that you do not discriminate and that your support reaches all members of the community, not just the poorest. This inclusive approach makes your project feel special, and we are very grateful for it. From my experience, everything was handled well, and I didn’t see anything negative in how the program was run.However, there were some people who were left out and not enrolled in the program, and we are unsure why that happened. It would be helpful if there could be clearer communication about the enrollment process to ensure that everyone who needs help has the opportunity to receive it. Overall, we are very happy with GiveDirectly's work and hope to see even more improvements in the future.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my unconditional cash transfer, I saw it as a lifeline for my family's future. With $170, I invested in agriculture by harvesting maize and bringing it home. This was crucial because my husband, a police officer, uses his salary to pay for our children’s school fees and buy food, leaving little for our farming needs. With the extra $80, I prepared the land again and bought bean seeds to plant. Before this support, I struggled to find money for farming, but now I feel empowered to grow our own food. After using part of the funds for farming, I focused on another important issue: our water supply. We had been facing a shortage of water, which affected our daily lives and my plans for a kitchen garden. With the remaining $200, I bought pipes and a meter to bring tap water to our home. This change has been life-changing, as having water available means I can finally pursue my passion for farming without the worry of water scarcity.Now, my dream is to create a thriving kitchen garden where I can grow vegetables and even plant mango trees. With my three children and two grandchildren, we have a big family to feed, and I want to ensure they have fresh produce. Thanks to GiveDirectly for their incredible support, I can now invest in my family's future and cultivate the land I love. The transformation I’ve experienced is beyond words, and I feel hopeful about what lies ahead.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
45000 KES ($354 USD)
access_time 5 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Currently, I am living in a house made of iron sheets, but my plan is to build a better home made of bricks to have a permanent residence. Despite my husband's lack of involvement in development, I am determined to improve our living conditions on my own. I already have 600 bricks, and when I harvest my tomatoes, I will sell them to start constructing my house.At home, I have a small garden where I plant vegetables like kale, ensuring we have fresh produce from our own farming, along with mangoes. Thanks to the support from GiveDirectly, I have been able to achieve all of this. It’s a dream come true with your help.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I really appreciate your efforts in doing this. My life has not been easy because I used to depend so much on farming, and sometimes we couldn't harvest anything due to drought. Thankfully, you provided us with unconditional cash at the right time. The way you carry out your work without discrimination amazes me. Other organizations come and give us food, but food may not be the primary need for everyone. GiveDirectly provided money, allowing us to make our own decisions based on our individual needs.When you visit other villages, please continue with the same spirit. I pray that God gives you strength and good health to enable you to perform your work effectively.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Thank you so much, GiveDirectly, for your support in agriculture. I have a passion for farming, and it's always been my work, but before receiving this cash, I struggled a lot to get enough capital. My husband is a police officer, but he's not very involved in development projects. With five children depending on me for everything they need, I work hard in agriculture to ensure they live a comfortable life.With the support, my children now have stable food at home with the maize I grow. The grass I cultivate feeds my goats and cows, and the tomatoes I grow provide income to buy other necessities, like building a better home.After receiving $450, I invested it all in farming. I have three farms: one for tomatoes, another for maize, and a third for oxalis grass. With the money, I purchased fertilizer for both the maize and tomatoes and bought a knapsack sprayer for treating them. With the remaining $150, I harvested my grass, yielding around 10 bags of 10kg each, and made 120 bundles of hay. I plan to store the hay and grass seeds to sell in the future when prices are higher.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
20000 KES ($151 USD)
access_time 6 months ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
When I received my first transfer, I had just finished a casual job of clearing the school compound nearby. It was around 1 pm, and I was about to leave when a message came in confirming that I had received $200 from GiveDirectly. I was filled with happiness, but I kept it to myself because there were many people around. Instantly, The plans I had longed to fulfill but couldn't due to lack of finances came to my mind. Now, it seemed like my dream was finally going to come true. Thank you GiveDirectly for fulfilling your promise.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My kitchen garden has always been open, and I had never planted anything until now due to exposure to livestock roaming around. After fencing it, I started by planting millet and am planning to plant vegetables and fruits next. My other piece of land, which used to be bare and bushy, is now filled with green fodder crops. I planted grass there, fulfilling my long-term dream. This would not have been possible without GiveDirectly's support. Thank you, GiveDirectly!
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent $105 from my first transfer to fulfill my long-term plan of fencing my quarter-acre land. Fencing had always been my dream because, without it, I couldn't utilize my kitchen garden. It was open, and livestock roamed freely, preventing me from planting fruits or vegetables. Additionally, I had a two-acre piece of land that I had wanted to plant with fodder crops. This land had been unused and bushy for a long time, but the money allowed me to clear it and start planting using $70. With the remaining money, I bought food. I am a poultry farmer with about seventy chicks, and my initial plan was to sell them upon maturity to fund these projects. However, thanks to GiveDirectly, I was able to achieve these goals without selling my chickens. I sustain myself through poultry and crop farming, although crops can be unreliable due to lack of capital and occasional crop failure due to climate shocks hence poultry farming serves as an alternative source of income.
Enrolled
access_time 8 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
When I receive my transfers, I am eager to invest in fencing my 1/8 acre plot for kitchen gardening. Since I already rear goats, obtaining manure will not be an issue, as I plan to utilize their droppings for fertilizer. I will spend $130 for this purpose, alongside $300 for a water tank to store irrigation water. Additionally, I intend to spend $400 on expanding my poultry house, as I am keen on scaling up poultry farming. It is gratifying to contribute to our household income, supporting my husband, who serves as an administrative police officer. This investment aligns with our goal of securing our financial future through diversified farming activities as well as improving the food security for the family of seven.
What is the happiest part of your day?
It is fulfilling being a farmer, especially when I cultivated animal feeds on my 3-acre plot to not only sell the seeds but also provide for my family of seven. Four months back, I had a good harvest, yielding 50 bales of hay and 20 bags of seeds. Selling 16 bags brought in $640, a significant contribution to our finances. Additionally, storing the bales as feed for our two cows ensured their nourishment. This cycle of harvesting and selling not only generates income but also secures seeds for the next season, making it a reliable source of support for my family's financial and food security needs. I was excited about the financial breakthrough that this venture brought to my life.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Running our poultry and goat-rearing business here in Marigat has been quite the challenge. Despite the climate being perfect for our animals, expanding the venture has been hindered by financial limitations. With my husband's administrative police job and a family of seven relying on this income, the pressure is immense. Dealing with disease outbreaks is especially disheartening, often leading to premature sales and financial losses due to the inability to afford treatment.