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 ($521 USD)
access_time 4 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 so different it would have been if I ever received the transfers. I used to sleep on an old mattress which was so uncomfortable, the house we were living in was old and grass-thatched, and I struggled to raise school fees for my children. But now I am reading from a different script. I have managed to build a better house, I bought a high-density mattress, and as a family, we own a motorcycle which generates revenue and school fees is no longer an issue. We are one happy family thanks to GD's unconditional cash transfers.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The person behind GD thought well to come up with this project. I think it is impactful and beneficial to most of the people who have received the cash. Living standards have improved and many have been empowered to reach their goals. I sincerely cannot record any bad intention all I see is goodness.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I used to sell charcoal to earn my daily revenue. This was never a guarantee hence on some days I was forced to go without food with my entire family. Since the first transfer was used entirely in house construction, I decided to invest the second one to enhance sustainability even after receiving all the transfers. I bought a motorcycle which my husband uses for the taxi business. This has helped us earn revenue daily. The remaining amount I paid school fees for my children.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($545 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my life is the certainty that I have of acquiring a new spacious house that would fit my family so well. This will guarantee their privacy as compared to the as small squeezed house that we are staying in with my children. Secondly, I now have enough rest that enables me to do my household chores and work on our own farm without getting exhausted so fast because I no longer sleep on sacks like before after buying a mattress.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I had over heard my neighbor saying that they had received their money while I was fetching water at a nearby borehole . I just left what I was doing and hurriedly went to my house . Then ask my husband to check whether GiveDirectly had sent us money because I do not know how to use Mpesa . After he had confirmed that ; I was very and laughed out of joy since I was certain that the money will be very helpful in changing our life .
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent my first transfer to buy building materials such as 30 pieces of iron sheets , timbers , building nails and paid workers . This will facilitate the construction of my new house . I paid medical bills for my child who was sick . I bought a piece of mattress and food for my family's consumption . With the remaining amount I paid school fees for my four children who are in primary school .
Enrolled
access_time over 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
For over a decade now, my husband and I have been depending on charcoal burning as the main source of income, and given the nature of this job and the dismal returns we get from it, it has been extremely difficult to sustain the ever bulging needs of the family. Receiving this money, therefore, means financial stability to us. And to achieve this, we intend to invest part of our transfers ($70) in a motorcycle taxi. This will generate a daily income and through saving, we are sure of a better future. Hopefully, our children will no longer have to stay home due to lack of school fees. Additionally, goat rearing has been our desire and achieving this will be a dream come true. Therefore we purpose to use the remaining cash in purchase them and clearing arrears in school.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Morning is the happiest part of my day. As a mother, waking up to a healthy family is what makes me deliver in my day-to-day chores with much ease. On a normal day, once I'm up, I prepare breakfast for the family then afterward embark on household chores. This usually consumes most of my morning hours. In the afternoon is when I join my husband in charcoal burning.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of a reliable source of income has been the biggest hardship in life. At the moment, we struggle a lot to meet the basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, and education for the family. The only readily available source of income for everyone here is charcoal burning, and since almost everyone depends on, it is a big hustle to gain meaningfully from it. The thought of receiving transfers is the only hope we have at the moment. At least such huge money will give us a choice to better our lives in our own different ways.
