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 ($525 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have a huge piece of land which had been lying fallow for over two years because I could not raise the money to pay for the labour services as the farm is too large for me to work on alone. With the help of these transfers, I have managed to buy all the requirements and even hire labour to help out on the farm. I am happy that this year will be a different year because I am going to have a huge harvest which I can later sell to raise more money. The transfer also helped me buy decent seats in my house which I would not afford before due to low income.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I am amazed at how straight -forward GD staff are, despite the fact that the organization gives us a huge amount of money,they never ask for anything in return as is mostly witnessed in our country.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I had built a new house just before I received the transfers from GD but I had not fixed the windows and the doors due to financial difficulties. Since I had some emergencies to take care of using the first transfer, I was not able to buy the required materials, that is why I used part of the second transfer to buy and fix new steel doors and windows. I used the rest of the money on my farm projects by hiring labour and buying seeds.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($539 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I'm proud and happy. This is because I didn't know I would enroll my child in college because I didn't have a reliable source of income but after receiving the money I paid 30000 KES for his college fees, and he is in college studying.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 9 in the morning when I was from the farm so exhausted then all over sudden I heard my phone ring. Upon checking the phone, I was amazed to receive a confirmation message that I had received money from GiveDirectly. I felt so happy and at that point, I regained my strength.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
My son sat for the national examination last year but I didn't have any money to take him to college. The moment when I received the first transfer I used a larger portion of it to enroll him in college so that he can proceed with his studies. A portion of the money I used to renovate the house because it didn't have windows and this was risky because there wasn't enough air circulation in the house thus we risked contracting respiration infections. Aside from that the doors too were broken and this wasn't safe.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been longing to improve the condition of my house by making it to look better and capable to withstand the flood phenomenon, which we always face during long rainy seasons. I shall, therefore, spend this money to cement the floor as well as cementing its walls. This will make my house more durable as opposed to leaving it with earthed floor and muddy walls which cannot withstand even little rains.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest of my day is the mid morning when I have weeded my farm, and I am back home to take a rest before I embark on other household chores. At this moment, I always feel refreshed with hot porridge prepared from my farm's produce. This makes me to strongly believe that my labour in the farm is not always in vain, but bound to always yield me better rewards.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I face is difficulty in paying school fees for my children and more so for a son who is waiting to join college. I am a peasant farmer and I do not have any reliable source of income. As a result, I always struggle to educate my children especially those who are intelligent and are capable to advance their studies to the middle level colleges.
