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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There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($519 USD)
access_time over 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 currently different in that I now have a bigger house than I had before receiving this transfer. We were living in a very small iron roofed house that made it quite difficult for us to live comfortably throughout and was even worse whenever we had visitors at home. It brought a very awkward moment or situation to us to an extent that we felt they should go back to their places soon enough and avoid further embarrassments. I now have enough courage and self esteem to welcome visitors at my home and life has just been so good to us.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly did so well in their unconditional support to families in my village. I also loved the kind of education that they offered during barazas before we were even enrolled to receive this transfers. This education nudged us on the various ways that we could put the money into good use and reap maximum benefits from it. On the other hand, I did not find anything with GiveDirectly that I thought they should change or improve on. They were simply amazing in their own ways.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I used KES 35000 to buy a dairy cow and used KES 10000 to buy goats while the remaining KES 8000 was used to pay school fees. I made a deliberate decision to buy one dairy cow as an additional to the one that I already owned so as to boost milk production at home and earn more income for the family. This was also an investment that I thought was best to do as a constant reminder going forward of the support that I received from GiveDirectly and which will help me henceforth in paying school fees for my children and assuring them of better days ahead.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($541 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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The recipient was not asked any questions as part of this follow up.
Enrolled
access_time 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My boys have grown big and I need to build them their own house.According to our culture,they need to sleep separately from the main house.The money from Give Directly will help me build the house at a cost of Ksh 30,000(300 USD).I also have plan of buying a dairy cow to add to the one that I have.Dairy farming is advantageous to me because I spend most of the time around the compound.For now I cannot manage other activities like business because I have small children.It is therefore a good source of income that I can manage.Through the sale of milk I am able to save money and pay school fees for my children.The cow will cost me approximately Ksh 30,000(30 USD).I also want to expand my poultry farm with part of the money.I will buy more chicken and improve the structures.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I spend most of the time around my compound feeding the cows and doing the house chores.In enjoy my afternoons because I am usually through with most of the day's work.I spend most of the time relaxing and bonding with my younger children.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I lost my child 9 years ago.This was my lowest moment of my life.He had a brain tumor which he battled for one year.He passed on at the age 7 in 2010.Getting him through medication was a big challenge.This is because of the expenses we incurred.At first we never took him for proper medication due to lack of money.We were referred to a referral hospital far away from our county when the condition got worse.We had to sell 0.3 acres of our land for medication but it was too late and he did not make it.He was admitted for six months in the hospital and at some point at the ICU.The medical bill alone at this hospital was Ksh200,000 (2000USD).What we went through was a big setback financially not to mention the emotional stress that I went through.
