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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($461 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
After utilizing the second transfer, I was thinking of starting a business once I get some money but I scraped off this idea after all my goats which I bought using the second transfer died of drought. As of now, I aim to buy goats once I get some money to replace the ones which died.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly is a life-changing organization that aims in ensuring that human beings rise and become independent. On my side, I was able to construct a house using the first transfer money from GiveDirectly, and sincerely speaking if it were not for this organization I could not be having this house. On the side of my community, people were able to construct houses too while others bought plots of land, and livestock as well as educated their beloved ones. All this was done through the aid we received from GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon withdrawing the second transfer, I first opted to buy some goats because livestock is a long-term investment because they procreate. Considering that, I bought six goats for KES 20000.00. I also bought a door for my house which I built using the first transfer. Thereafter, I had to buy some water not only for the family but also for the livestock because of the drought that affected our area. The cost of a 20 liters bucket of water was KES 100.00 and we were using an average of 8 buckets per day. Unfortunately, the goats could not withstand the prolonged drought and they died. Since it was dry everywhere I opted to save some amount for the family upkeep.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($512 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 7 am when I had just wake up. As usually, I start my morning by putting on my phone. I was surprised to learn that I had received my transfers from GiveDirectly. I was so excited to extent that I left my morning chores and went to the Mpesa shop to withdrew my money because I had already planned on how to spend it.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is I am now owning a decent shelter like other in the village . This has raised my self-esteem because I had never had lived in a iron roofed house in my life and I not worried about rains at night.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
It is the new trend in our village that people are transiting from the old grass-roofed houses to modern Iron roofed one which does not need constant maintenance which is costly. I spent my first transfer to purchase 18 iron sheets, building pole, timber, treads and nails purposely for the construction of a new house. This because the previous one was small, grass thatched and leaks, which keeps me worried about rains at night. Also, I used the remaining amount to purchase 2 pairs of dresses and I bought enough food stuffs for my family.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means building a better house for myself. For the past 10 years I have lived in a poor structure that is not fit for human life. The roof is made of grass which gets damaged easily and since the area is dry, I cannot renovate it frequently. This causes it to leak making it unbearable during rainy seasons. The walls are equally damaged and they can collapse anytime if strong winds come by. As if this is not enough, the house doesn't have a door and I use a mosquito net instead. This is quite unsafe because dangerous animals like snakes can creep inside.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am always a happy person despite all my struggles. This is because I am the pillar of my children since their father died. I have to keep a positive spirit inorder to make them happy and comfortable.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest hardship is lack of enough money to provide for myself. This is attributed to the lack of a good source of income since I burn charcoal for a living. At my age I am not so productive since it requires alot of energy. I earn around 2000 shillings a month. This amount cannot sustain me fully and it's the same reason that has made it difficult to construct a better house.
