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
53010 KES ($399 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Since I already have my piece of land, I hope to build a house to settle in with my family of 3. I will gladly utilize the profits from the grocery business to expand the business and also aid in the construction. From this, my family will have a house to settle in peacefully and thus be independent and away from my parents.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Givedirectly has made life easier through the transfers. In my community, for instance, people have acquired wealth, paid school fees for their children and also constructed houses in which they live comfortably with their families. I am happy that change is evident and hopeful that such a legacy may live on.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my transfers, I topped up the $300 I had saved to purchase 1 acre of land at Madamani. I am a single mother of 2 and depend on the grocery business to support them. However, the profits I earn from the business are not sufficient to pay for the school fees as well as run other family investments such as land ownership. I am excited that the transfers made it easy for me to own this land and now I wil move away from my mother's land to settle on a place of my own.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($440 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 4 pm while I had gone to see a tailor how far she was from sewing my clothes when I received a message on my phone at around. I did not haste to check since the phone was in my hands. Upon checking, the first glance of the eye hit the figure of $550. I became keener and I realized that I had received the money from GiveDirectly. My heart melted at thanksgiving for receiving such a huge amount of money at once. Due to the happiness that engulfed my heart, I told the tailor that I would visit her the next day for the same and I left for home.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The main distinction, which I can confirm, was that, before the transfer, going to bed hungry was practically the norm. Even two days a week I used to go without food, but after the transfer, my song of hunger altered. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for their assistance. I haven't gone without food as I used to since I got the first transfer. Additionally, as a result of the savings I made to purchase a piece of land, I am assured of respect from the people around me who used to see me as a burden to my aged parents. If GiveDirectly hadn't existed, none of these things would have been possible.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I had been living with my biological parents for some years after divorcing my husband. I lacked independence and respect, therefore this did not make me feel at ease. When I received the transfer, I only spent $200 to buy food for $100. I took this action because it was extremely challenging for me to make charcoals for sale though I struggled. After all, I had no alternative way of putting some food on my table. Thereafter, I bought some clothes for $50 and paid $50 for school fees for my primary children. I kept the remaining $300 to buy a one-acre piece of land to start my home. Since the plot costs $750, I opted to wait for the second transfer so that I combine it with the $300 so that I purchase the plot. I'm overjoyed to have taken the first step in acquiring a piece of land by saving some amount and also getting in touch with the seller.
Enrolled
access_time almost 2 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
When I get this grant, I would like to start a business that offers foodstuffs anywhere around this area that I can get clients. I'm mostly thinking of running a cafe either in Matanomanne or Kilifi town. Reason being that I have immense experience with hotel industry as I had several of such jobs between the time I left school at form three till I got married around 2015. This kind of business requires about $700 to set up including the costs of paying for a premise, equipment and other operational costs. I believe this way I'll be able to create employment for myself and for others too.
What is the happiest part of your day?
When I came in the year 2020, my son couldn't even walk, and I didn't have money to take him to the hospital to get some diagnosis. He couldn't walk at two years which was a little weird and so I know something was wrong with him. I started looking for help which led me to approach one of the politicians around. He agreed to help and paid for around eight sessions of physio therapy at once. These were really helpful because right after the forth one my son could walk and do a little more with his limbs. It totally melted my heart to see this. It was by God's grace.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Our main source of pain here in the village is getting a meaningful employment opportunity. I separated with my husband in the year 2020 and that marked the beginning of my struggles as a single mother with a special child. I two sons to take care of but the eldest one has a condition where he's not able to properly coordinate his body. This was the source of friction in my marriage and I knew we had to eventually part ways because my then husband wasn't ready to be part of this. The boy can't even lift a mug of porridge to his mouth, he should be getting some therapy sessions to improve but I'm not able to afford it. Since then I have tried my luck severally but nothing is coming forth, until I just decided to be burning charcoal and supplying to Kilifi town. I started this with $350 I got from table banking which I used to secure a motorcycle from a credit society at a deposit of $200. The rest of the money was spent on paying people to burn charcoal for me then my brother ferries using the motorcycle. But again I realized that the cost was extremely high that I couldn't get a good margin.
