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.
Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly is really helpful as you can now accomplish your goals and the results will ultimately benefit you. I do not have anything in mind regarding how they can improve at the moment.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I saved both the first transfer and the second transfer as I plan on using it for farming once the rainy season starts. I normally grow maize for home and veg for sale. At the moment I'm saving for my farming plans.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was seated at home, under the palm trees with my friend enjoying the morning breeze and having a friendly banter when my phone beeped with a message coming in. I checked the notification which said I had received money from Sergovia which was an unknown number to me. My friend who is also a neighbor came by and told me that the money had indeed come in. I then put it together that it was Give directly who had sent the money. I was so happy and thankful that this was real.
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 now have hope that things are working out and we would not starve to death. I have been heartbroken these last few months as I could see everyone around me struggling to make ends meet. It has been very difficult to earn some income to put food on the table. Now things have gotten better as I know that my family will get their basic needs met.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The first thing I did with this money was to save half of the money that I put KES.900 into my savings account. I plan on saving up to KES.15000 which I can start a farming project. I plan to plant fruits and vegetables. Even in this drought with this money, I would be able to buy water enough for irrigation. This would provide food for my family as well as start a business. The rest of the money is KES.300, I spent it on food. I am thankful to Give directly for looking after us.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
It will be easy for me to go back to growing and selling vegetables like I previously did. I used to grow kales and tomatoes before the onset of this current drought. This got me good returns of up to 2000 KES per day, but currently, I'm just riding a hired motorcycle taxi that only fetches 700 KES a day except for weekends when I can make a maximum of 1500 KES. But of course, we still have to split this two ways between me and the motorcycle owner. With Givedirectly's money, I will buy a water tank and probably a water pump later on so that I can improve my scale of production and be involved in farming full-time.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I normally feel happy every morning because I get to talk to my friends and fellow riders at the motorcycle ranks before we officially start the job. But this always feels temporary, my truth is I'm longing to go back to farming where I was making twice what I can ever make with the motorcycle taxi.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Being that I'm operating a motorcycle taxis in the village where guests are not so many, it's really hard to get walk-in clients and so the work is dependent on one's clientele list. This is in the sense that you get customers strictly on call. Therefore on most days we just make 700 KES, but occasionally we can get about 1500KES before fueling and dividing returns with the motorcycle owners.
