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 ($421 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I wish to continue with my livestock rearing project. Ensure that I have the best breads and even get higher quantity of milk both for consumption and for sales.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirecty does well in that they conduct training and makes everyone aware of the program before the actual enrolment takes place I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent the money I received from GiveDirectly on purchasing a heifer. Sometimes back i used to purchase milk and it was so costly for me. When it reproduces I will be able to get enough milk and cut the daily cost of buying milk. I will save the money to spent on meeting other household items. Secondly I purchased sofa set seats, I did not have decent seats in my house, currently whenever I have visitors I am so happy because they get a decent seats to sit on. The remaining amount of money I spent on food and household items that we were lacking at that particular time.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($481 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 6 pm while relaxing outside my house. That's when I heard a message alert on my phone. Immediately, I gave out my phone to my helper who confirmed that I had received KES 55,000 from GiveDirectly. I was very happy at the arrival of the good news and we withdrew the money the next day.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily is good health due to the availability of enough food. Earlier on, I used to sleep all the time due to hunger because I used to eat little food which made me weak. But after the arrival of GiveDirectly transfers, I eat three meals a day and I am stress-free. As we speak I am now energetic and decently dressed.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My major issue before the transfers was hunger because I used to do maize, beans, and sweet potatoes on small scale. Therefore, when I received the transfers, I spent KES 12,000 on three bags of maize which can sustain my family for the next four months.
Secondly, I spent KES 6,000 on two sofa seats and KES 1,500 on a table. This is because earlier I used to sit on old chairs made from hides. But with GiveDirectly transfers, I can sit comfortably.
Thirdly, I spent KES 4,000 on a mattress and a blanket and can now sleep well. I also spent KES 4,000 on the latest clothing fashion which has made me look smarter unlike before when I could afford only second-hand clothes.
Lastly, I spent KES 1, 200 on a bag of rice, KES 200 on two kilos of beans, and KES 200 on two kilos of millet. I also spent KES 800 on five liters of cooking oil. Through this, I eat more than three meals a day unlike before when I used a meal due to lack of money.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I can say that this is one of the best moments in my life because it is the first time I am being considered for a cash gift. I started living here 45 years ago, and it has been a life full of struggles because I have never had a stable source of income. I was initially depending mostly on livestock keeping but when my 5 children were in high school I sold most of the livestock and I have since then remained with only one cow which does not provide me enough milk for consumption and sale. I am however thankful to you for enrolling me in your program because I shall be able to regain a stable source of income. I will buy 4 dairy cows and from this, I expect to earn at least KES. 5,000 monthly from the sale of milk. This will enable me also a few months down the line to complete building this house am currently living in, at the moment it is too cold at night and I keep coughing at night.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The local church here visited the old people living in this village during the festive season donating foodstuff and warm clothing and I was one of the people who were visited. This brought me a lot of happiness because I got to have food which sustained me for almost ten days.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am at the moment experiencing the challenge of inadequate food to sustain a good diet for an old person like me. I usually buy food sometimes when I get remittances of about KES. 300 monthly from my children but it is usually too little to last me even for a week. The rest of the time I have to depend on one food type or even sometimes I sleep hungry. This has weakened my body to a great extent over the past two years.
