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 ($468 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?
Despite owning a posho mill business, it is my wish to open a retail shop in a room next to the posho mill and start selling maize at the posho mill. By doing so, I will attract more customers since the ones who do not have maize and usually goes to other places looking for them can always find them at my posho mill. In addition, those people coming to the posho mill can always buy anything that they do not have in their houses at my shop instead of them visiting two different places. With this, I will be able to maximize my profits and be able to pay school fees for my daughter with much ease.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Getting a lump sum of KES 110000 without doing anything is the best thing that ever happened to us. People now have access to clean water, our children are in school and we live in decent, spacious, and modern houses. Everyone in the village including the children is happy to hear the name GiveDirectly because of their good deeds. I do not see anything that they did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I own a posho mill business in our village. I sometimes have more customers who have to stand while waiting for their turn. Because of this, I opted to spend KES 7000 from the transfer to purchase ten plastic seats so that they can be sitting on them while they await their turns. In addition, I spent KES 33000 to pay school fees for my daughter who is in secondary level since she is the only one still in school. I decided to pay for her in advance so that I can have ample time to invest in other projects. I spent the remaining KES 12000 on food and clothes.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($498 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was at home busy doing my house chores when I had my phone ringing, it was around 9 am, when I picked my phone to check, that was when I realized that I had received money from GiveDirectly, I was overwhelmed with joy, I thanked God for the support that I had received, I knew all my plans would be realized now that I had the money at hand, I am happy and grateful for this wonderful gift that brought smiles to lives.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Words cannot express how happy I was when I finally bought a water tank, I knew this would take a while if I were to buy with my savings, I am glad that I was able to achieve all this within a short time. I am now assured of harvesting the rainwater and it will not go to waste because I now have a storage tank, I am relieved that this will minimize the number of trips we make to the stream daily, GiveDirectly brought hope in my lives and I am grateful for the support that has impacted our lives.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a businesswoman in the village, I own a maize milling shop, I am a mother of four children too. With my tight schedule, I find it difficult for me to fetch water from the stream because I closed my shop very late in the evening, therefore I thought of buying a big thank so that it could make my work easier because I will be able to harvest the rainwater, hence I bought a water tank worth KES 37,000, I then used the remaining amount in buying foodstuffs and clothes.I am so happy that I was able to accomplish my goal within a short period of time.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My ambition is expand my business,I own a maize mill and a small shop where I sell house commodities such as sugar and fruits. I will use $300 to expand the shop by adding more stoke, 15,000 to cement the maize mill and give my customers a seat they can seat while waiting for my services. The remaining transfer will aid my family in sustaining our basic needs such as clothing, savings and food.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Each day I wake at 6 in the morning, take breakfast then go to my shop, it's mostly busy in the morning since school children come for snacks and stationary. While the maize mill brings in more customers in the afternoon and evening. The happiest part of my day is during the day when I'm at work knowing I will get some income from it to support my family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest hardship is financial constraints, my husband is employed but earns around $200 that we use for our 4 children school expenses. I opened a small business but it has not picked up to bring in profit that can help my family in purchasing food, clothing or even expansion of the business itself
