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 ($528 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Today, my husband owns a motorcycle that serves as our source of income. He operates it on his own which makes it an advantage because we get all the money as compared to hiring someone. I am happy that nowadays he does not depend on commissions from riding his employer's motorcycle and in the end get a meager wage. I also bought a bed. I no longer sleep on the floor which used to make our bedding cold and uncomfortable.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Early sensitization with the aim of mitigating household conflicts , fraud and crime case which might be attributed with the money was what GiveDirectly did well .This lead to the beneficiaries being careful after receiving their money that they were promised. I do not see what GiveDirectly did wrong .
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent my second transfer to enroll my child into nursery school. As a parent , I am now happy seeing her go to school to better her life for the future since I have always believed that education is the key to success. I settled the remaining installments for the motorcycle which I bought on deposit . I also bought three goats and food.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($542 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
Since I was married six years ago, I have been sleeping on the floor. I normally use old mats s my bedding. Having a spacious bed and a mattress has made my life to be totally different. Life used to be tough during the periods that I had to sleep on the floor. I was always attacked by some jiggers and some other harmful insects. My children would get sick every now and then as a result of this. Secondly, my children were always complaining about the back pains because of the uncomfortable mats that we slept on. Again there was no privacy because my family was big and we were sharing the same mat. The coming of GiveDirectly has transformed everything because we are now sleeping comfortably. My family and I are all happy because were it not for the help I got from this organization, we would still be living a miserable life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 5 am I was deep asleep. Bt the phone rang continuously and I had to wake up to check who the caller was. Upon checking, I realized it was from GiveDirectly. They had debited my first transfer as they had promised. I was overwhelmed with joy. I knew all my troubles would come to an end with this money.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying a bed and a mattress. Initially, I used to sleep some on old mats which were very uncomfortable. I later bought an ox. Previously I used to have one ox but then, I had to hire the other one from a friend which was a bit expensive. I had to buy another one and completely stop the borrowing. I then gave a portion of the money to my spouse to buy a motorbike. Previously he had been employed by a friend and he was paid on commission. The money he was paid was too little to cater to our needs. I know that once he gets him, our income will increase. I then took a portion of the money and hired someone to help me in weeding my crops. The money came during the planting season. It really helped me because I was able to do the work on time. The remaining cash, I bought sufficient foodstuffs for my family.
Enrolled
access_time 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
In 2015 I undertook a tailoring course and ever since I haven't been able to fully utilize the skills I acquired due to lack of adequate capital to purchase the requisite equipment and materials. At the moment I rely on a friend's sewing machine but since it is her sole source of income, it is usually hard to get a chance to expertise my skills. Receiving this money will enable me to establish a tailoring business. Therefore, I intend to use my first transfers in putting up the whole thing; from buying a machine, renting a working space to buying materials and other requirements. Having this up and running will not only enable me to sharpen my skills but also a source of income to the family. This will be a relief to my husband who at the moment is a motorcycle taxi driver in Mombasa. Though the nature of his work is strenuous, he has worked tirelessly to sustain the family. For the second transfers, we will invest in livestock raising. This will serve as our long term investment plan.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Morning is the happiest part of my day. Waking up to a new day is always a nice feeling to me. In the morning, I usually engage in my routine chores in the household, - like cleaning the house, compound and drawing water, thereafter, I embark on looking for food especially vegetables with are hard to find given the prolonged dry seasons witnessed here year in year out. Afternoon is a bit relaxed all through to the evening, but I don't enjoy that much because by that time, I am already exhausted and all I need is rest.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of adequate finances has been the biggest hardship in life. At the moment, we survive on the husband's daily wage, which is hardly enough to meet our needs - ranging from food, education to other basic necessities. This has made it almost difficult to venture in any meaningful income-generating activity, - raising the required capital. Like for my case, for instance, it has been extremely hard to save enough money to purchase a sewing machine after completing a tailoring course 4 years ago. As a result, it has made me fully dependant on him, and for me to do anything, I have to wait for him to send money, something that has made us lag behind in developments.
