GiveDirectly: Send money directly to the extreme poor

2nd Payment

Transfer Amount

53150 KES ($524 USD)

over 4 years ago

How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?

My life as changed since I got to benefit from GiveDirectly's transfers since I have two huge capacity water tanks to the courtesy of GiveDirectly. Today ,I do harvest rainwater in this rainy season that usually went to waste before. This water will reduce the workload especially for my family who used to make several trips to and from the water point, which was quite a distance away, And because the water here is in high demand since its a semi arid area. I intend to sell few litters to my neighbors at a small fee as another source of income hence I am hopeful that these proceeds will boost me in terms of providing for my family .

In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?

In my opinion , the idea of giving out 110,000 KES to the less unfortunate households in my community was very thoughtful to GiveDirectly because the ecomonic status of my village has increased . This is very evident , looking around number of small business has doubled in numbers and school drop -out rate has reduced as well .

What did you spend your second transfer on?

Almost every coin of my second transfer I have used in buying water tank 5 liters and constructed a cemented area to place it to enhance its sustainability . This will act as a reservoir for my family since we'll redirect water from the roofs during rainy seasons into the tank. With this tank , it will helpful a lot during dry seasons since we'll be having a reserve full of clean water hence accessibility to water has seized to be a problem from today on . I also paid school arrears for my two children who are in primary school for this term.

Initial Payment

Transfer Amount

55000 KES ($532 USD)

over 4 years ago

Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.

Having a huge capacity water tank has really changed my life. I consider this the best gift in my life. Once the water tank has been set up, I will be able to harvest the rainwater that usually goes to waste. This water will reduce the workload especially for my children who used to make several trips to and from the water point, which was quite a distance away. And because the water here is in high demand, I can sell it to my neighbors at a small fee as another source of income and since I am planning to start a small retail business, I hope these proceeds will boost me.

Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?

I heard my phone vibrate at around 4 am notifying me that I received a text message. This made me wonder who would send me a text message at such an hour. Upon checking, I was amazed when I confirmed that GiveDirectly had sent me the money they had promised. Initially thought they were promising us something they wouldn't do especially with the experience of other NGOs before. I was so excited!

What did you spend your first transfer on?

I spent part of the first transfer received from GiveDirectly on a plastic water tank. I made this decision because we have a perennial water shortage in our village and the nearest water point is quite a distance away. Fetching water enough for the whole household was such a labor-some activity. I am glad that now I do not need to make several trips to the water point any longer now that I have a reservoir. I used part of the transfer to buy building materials such as cement and bricks to put up a water tank support. I used the rest of the transfer to buy enough foodstuff and other essential household items that would take us till the next harvesting season.

Enrolled

almost 5 years ago

What does receiving this money mean to you?

Water shortage has been a major challenge in this region. With the inadequate rainfall evident here, we normally depend on water pans which are kilometers away. In some instances during prolonged drought, the water pans dry up again leaving us with no options other than to hire motorcycles to help in ferrying water every day. It is very expensive and time-consuming. It has also been a limiting factor for farmers who raise livestock. This has particularly affected me before because I had to dispose of some cattle due to lack of adequate water and pasture. As a result, I intend to use a huge portion of my transfers in putting up water reservoirs that will help in collecting enough water whenever it rains. This will save me a lot of money that can be channeled into other pressing needs like education and food. Subsequently, I plan to revive livestock rearing now that water will no longer be a problem. This venture has a high return on investment rate and that is what receiving this money means to me.

What is the happiest part of your day?

Morning in the happiest part of my day. Waking up to a new day feeling refreshed and healthy is a good feeling. It is also in the morning where I do most of my household chores before heading to a nearby kindergarten where I am a volunteer teacher.

What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?

Unfavorable climatic conditions have been the biggest hardship in my life. Fresh water is a precious commodity, and lack of it can pose unimaginable consequences. At the moment, we receive dismal amounts of rainfall year in year out. This has led to poor crop production, unproductive livestock farming and wastage of resources in purchasing food and water. This has been a great hurt to our already struggling economic stability. The baskets of needs keep enlarging every day and with no reliable sources of income, that explains the extent of constraining we are faced with as a family. With these transfers coming our way, it is a sign of relief because the issue of water shortage will be addressed once I successfully build water reservoirs and it will lead to economic growth. Hopefully, I will be able to venture into agriculture with much ease and I believe the question food insecurity will be ultimately addressed.