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 ($492 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different than how it used to be because I managed to buy livestock which includes a pair of oxen and a dairy cow. I opted to invest in these kinds of domestic animals because they normally have numerous benefits. Currently, the dairy cow is providing us with plenty milk and this is basically for my family consumption which is a surplus to their daily meals and they are now even healthier. Also, the remaining liters will be for commercial purposes, I will be supplying them to the dairy shops in the nearby town and generate an income. Also with the pair of oxen, they will be of great help specifically for my agricultural activities. I have been hiring those of my friends for years and they were relatively expensive. Most of the time I couldn't afford it, and I ended up getting low yields since I couldn't utilize the whole farm. I am glad that I will no longer strain like before courtesy of GiveDirectly.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Generally, GiveDirectly had been doing well in my village and even the entire region. We all recived the transfers directly into our Mpesa accounts after being offered necessary teachings concerning the transfers. Through that, we all ended up utilizing our cash transfers appropriately. In other words, I do not see anything that GiveDirectly failed us.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my second transfer on buying one dairy cow at KES 30000. It has been my long-time dream to practice dairy farming as an investment but because of my low wages, I could not afford it. . Also I paid cleared fees arrears for my children who are still in primary school. On top of that, I bought new school uniforms and stationery for them since they were lacking. With the remaining amount, I bought enough foodstuff for my family
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($502 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was at a funeral on that day and it was around 1300Hrs that I heard a message come into my phone. When I checked my phone, it was the Mpesa message. I was very very happy and I thanked God for he had remembered me.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I was able to buy a ploughing hoe and two cows to assist me with ploughing and tiling my land. I will not have to struggle so much to plough the farm on my own, I feel I now have a helper. I am very grateful.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my transfers to purchase two cows, to pay school fees for my two children, to buy a bed and a mattress, and to purchase a ploughing hoe. I have two children aged four years and five years and I work at my farm for a living. My husband works at the port. My children and I both slept on mats on the floor and we had no bed. I am happy we can now sleep on comfortable beds. I bought the two cows to assist me with ploughing my farm, together with the ploughing hoe. I am truly grateful to GiveDirectly.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
As a family we primarily depend on subsistence farming to meet our both daily and future goals. In our home area, hiring man power and farm machinery is so expensive. This so demoralizing and straining for small scale farmers like me. To me receiving this money means a steady income and better farm produce. I am planning to invest part of it to buy oxen that will greatly help me in my farm and also will hire out to source in an extra income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
As a young mother my happiest part of the day is in the afternoon when I have brought back home my nursery school child. This is the time I relax and do small cleanings before I get back to my kitchen in the evening to prepare my family a supper.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
In the year 2016, we were faced with long drought that led to lose of vegetation and water in our area. As a newly married woman, this was the biggest hardship I have ever faced in my life. It is still vivid in my mind how far, the much time I used to spend fetching water. I almost gave up in my marriage out of this.
