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.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
In the upcoming year and beyond, my aim is to expand my goat rearing project by adding more goats, thereby increasing my potential income. I previously owned some goats, but I had to sell them to cover my children's school fees. Furthermore, I have a desire to fence my land. To ensure the realization of these plans, I intend to utilize my third transfer to turn these aspirations into a tangible reality.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
What particularly caught my attention during the cash disbursement was its unconditional nature. I had never encountered or even heard of receiving money without any expectations attached. It was an extraordinary sensation. While GiveDirectly does an admirable job, I do believe that providing us with prior notification of their visit could prevent individuals from being caught outside their homes or potentially missing out on the assistance.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The desire to construct a respectable home for my family and improve our living conditions has always been my desire. Unfortunately, my financial circumstances, coupled with the responsibility of my children's education, hindered the realization of this aspiration. I am married and have seven children. I serve as a pastor and farmer, while my wife manages a small-scale grocery business at the market. Consequently, after receiving my second transfer, I spent $200 towards purchasing building materials for the upcoming construction of a new house. Subsequently, I used $120 to acquire essential food supplies. Lastly, I directed the remaining $130 to boost my wife's grocery business. The long-awaited dream of building a respectable dwelling will soon come to fruition within a surprisingly short timeframe, filling me with immense happiness and relief. Thanks to GiveDirectly, the future appears promising and bright.
Enrolled
access_time 7 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
My wife, Selly deals in the grocery business. She purchases the products in Eldama Ravine on market days which is Mondays and Thursdays and sells them in the village. She moves from house to house selling the products. It is a good business that has sustained us for a while now though the business suffered a major blow when part of the capital was used to pay school fees. It is for this reason that we intend to inject part of the transfers to boost her capital.We are extremely happy that this transfer will be a big enabler to breathe a new lease of life to the business which had otherwise hit on headwinds. We intend to use $ 300 to add to her capital and revamp on her business. The rest of the money will go toward purchase of a water tank and wire mesh for fencing the compound.
What is the happiest part of your day?
We have a small piece of land, approximately a half an acre in Eldama Ravine.It is an highland area and often receives adequate rainfall. We had planted maize and beans and sometime in November we harvested 5 sags of maize and 2 sags of beans. We were extremely happy because it lessen the burden of purchasing food stuffs for household consumption. We were overjoyed since it was a bumper harvest and we have been food secure unlike our neighbours who are grappling with the biting food insecurity.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
We are faced with a multitude of challenges. We have had a prolonged period of drought that has led to severe water shortage and pasture scarcity, so bad is the situation that wells and river source have dried up. As a result,our livestock have suffered because of lack of water coupled with the depleted pasture. We are forced to buy water at a high price price from vendors, it can get as high as $2 per 20 liter of water.If the situation does not change we foresee a situation where goats will be wiped by the vagaries of drought. The cost of pastures is too high and unaffordable and therefore we are just left to the mercy of fate because we have no means to salvage the situation.
