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 ($428 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
We do not have our own land and therefore, we have build a temporary house on my father in-law's compound. Our goal this year as a family is to buy a land and build a permanent house. This means that we will have somewhere to proudly call home and we will now shift our focus to saving towards our children's school fees who will be joining high school next year.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
What GiveDirectly does well is uplifting communities who live in poverty. This has enables them transform their lives in various ways with some of them gaining financial independence. Since I did not notice an area that you need to improve on, I will urge you to continue doing the great work that you always do.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Although both my husband and I are teacher, he is the only only who was lucky to be employed by the government and that makes him the only breadwinner of the family. With the salary that he earns of about $200, he has not been able to purchase good quality household items like beds, mattresses and seats and thus, I spend all my second transfer to buy two bed and mattresses worth $250, one for us and another one for our child and the balance to buy a five-seaters couch for our sitting area.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($474 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was on Thursday around 7.30a.m and was taking breakfast with my family. I saw a message pop up on my phone. When I opened it, it was a message from Givedirectly bearing good news about my first transfer. Together with my family, we celebrated the good news.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life after receiving my transfer is the huge investment in a dairy cow.The dairy cow has brought a great impact on the provision of enough milk.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
On receiving my first transfer, we agreed with my spouse to purchase a dairy cow. The cost of buying milk had been straining us a lot since we had other bills to cater for. I spent KES 40,000 on purchasing a dairy cow which is currently providing us with a liter of milk. I also spent KES 5000 in paying a debt that I had held for a long time. With the remaining amount I spent on buying clothes and foodstuff for my family members.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I got married in they year 2020 and my family is still young and lacking essential items like enough utensils, bedding and even a spacious house. I live in a small single-roomed house with grass thatched roof where I cook and sleep at the same time. I use firewood for cooking and this gets the whole house smoky during cooking time to a point of getting my 11-month baby out of her sleep. I have desired to build a better house but I cannot afford. My husband who is a teacher is our bread winner and his monthly salary is KES 5000. The whole of this money is spent on buying food and clothing leaving us with nothing at the end of the month. I plan to spend KES 30000 to build a 30-iron sheet house that is spacious enough for my young family. Receiving this money will enable my family to have a decent house to call home
What is the happiest part of your day?
In December last year, a friend of mine visited me gave me a business idea that has begun to bore fruits. She introduced me to chicken farming and this has been an eye-opener to me and it is one thing that I am happy about.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food insecurity is the biggest challenge that I face at the moment. My homestead sits on a 0.2-acre piece of land and that means I do not have space to even plant vegetables. The situation has forced me to buy every food item making it expensive for me to afford. My husband who is a teacher earns KES 5000 but our monthly expenditure is KES 6500-7000. We have been forced to borrow money to sustain our lives but it has reached unsustainable levels where we cannot take it anymore
