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 ($477 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I recently connected tap water to my homestead after one of my children applied for it. Due to regulation rules, we usually have water twice a week and I am forced to go to the river to fetch water during the other days. It is not my wish to continue with this norm hence I have decided to buy a water tank very soon. I will use the savings that I will get from the group I was once a member though it has been dissolved. This will enable me to collect tap water that can be used when the tap runs dry.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly uplifted our living standards through the cash transfer that we received as we were able to do some developments like buying livestock and building decent houses. Giving people a chance to decide how they can spend the cash is what they did best according to me and I do not see anything that they do not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I had started building a more decent house for my family using my first transfer but left it incomplete. Upon receiving the second one, I used KES 35000 to complete it. I cemented the floors, bought glass windows and a door, and also paid the full cost of labor. Using the remaining KES 15000 I bought food to last us for some weeks, clothes, and beddings for my family.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($500 USD)
access_time almost 4 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 1pm while eating lunch when my kids informed me that they had received the transfers and inquired if I had. On checking my phone, there was the KES 55000 from GiveDirectly I had eagerly waited for. I was very happy and grateful because I hadn't received such a lump sum before.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily is that my two year dream of building a semi permanent house is soon coming true because I have already bought building materials using GiveDirectly transfers. I am also happy because in a few months time I will be in my house. I majorly depend on maize farming but the money obtained from farming would only suffice to feed my family and nothing more.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 30,000 on buying building materials for building a new semi permanent house.This is because my current house is old, worn out, has leaking grass-thatched roof and the walls have started falling. I also spent KES 5000 on latest clothing fashion for my family because we could only afford second hand clothes. I also spent KES 2500 on a sack of maize because my maize stock was depleted and we normally rely on dairy farming for food. I have saved the rest for building my house.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means that I will finally be able to raise medical cost that is required to treat an injury on my left hand. If I settle this, I will be in a position to perform several other duties that the pain has previously limited me from doing. I will also buy a dairy cow at shillings 20,000 which I know that once it calves will be a constant source of income for my family through the sales of milk.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I spend most of my day weeding at a neighboring farm. Doing this often wears me out especially at my age and coupled up with the persistent pain on the left hand. In the evening, as I go back home am usually very happy because I will eventually get some rest after a tiresome day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I had once fall when I was fetching water. Which led to an injury on my left hand. Since then, I have never fully recovered from it because I did not get the required medical attention due to lack of money to cover these costs. What is even worse is that I have to do manual jobs like tilling and weeding to meet the needs of my family. Doing these activities makes the pain worse. But since I do not have any other source of income, I am forced to engage in this to earn as little as shillings 250 at the end of each day. Without this injury, am sure that I would be more productive and may earn a little more. This is the biggest hardship I have faced.
