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.
Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($457 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My goal is to buy a dairy cow so that I can get surplus milk for sale. I got one cow now and I have seen its benefit as it earns me some money through the sale of milk. I believe when I got another one, I would have more milk for sale and that would earn me more money which would help me to meet my daily expenditure with less struggle. I believe when the bull which I acquired will mature, I will sell and acquire an exotic breed heifer which I will rear until it reproduces and start producing milk.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did well by supporting us with finances which enabled us to achieve great things in our lives. I like the fact that there were no restrictions on how one can spend money. On the other hand, I didn't find anything that was not done well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
At the time we started receiving transfers from GiveDirectly, we had stopped construction of our house due to a lack of finances. We had depleted all the savings which we had made for the project. When I received the second transfer, I spent KES 30000 on buying cement for plastering the floor of our house and bought some furniture. I then spent KES 20000 on buying a young bull which I would keep until it matures and sell it so that I can buy a dairy cow for milk production. The remaining amount of KES 3000, I spent on paying fees for ploughing a piece of land for farming and purchasing maize seeds for planting.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($478 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I had my phone while in the kitchen preparing breakfast for my family when I saw a brightness on it indicating a notification alert. Upon checking it, I became so happy to realize that GiveDirectly had fulfilled its promise. I remember that I did not take tea on that day due to the excitement of fulfilling the plans that I had.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My life has started changing ever since I received the transfer. This is because I now have money to use in building a more decent modern house for my family. This had just been a dream and I am happy that I will be achieving it very soon. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for enabling me to take a step towards achieving this goal.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We have been living in a house whose walls are made of mud and finding clay nowadays has been hard and one has to buy it. When GiveDirectly came for enrollment, I saw it as an opportunity to transform our lives by building a more decent house made of timber walls. This is because I knew that we could not achieve this on our own since we have two children and we depend on subsistence farming. Life has been hard of late due to pests, diseases, and changes in climatic conditions that have affected maize production negatively. When I received my transfer, I used KES 4000 on a sack of maize for our consumption since affording even a single meal had been a challenge to us and also spent KES 2000 to buy some clothes for my children. In addition, I used KES 3000 to buy a tree that I am planning to use in making timber that I will use in building a more spacious house for my family. I still have KES 45000 that I am planning to use in buying other building materials and to pay for the labor.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am a mother of two primarily depending on farming. My children are still young with the eldest in grade four while the last born just started this year. Their fee is still manageable at the moment. I live in mud-walled houses I had built for my family. They are in good condition though it requires regular maintenance. I have a dream that I will one day plaster their walls to look needed and for them to last longer. This is so costly for me given that I rely on farming that hardly does well. To be receiving this money means a dream come true. I am planning to use KES 55000 to restructure my house. I will use it to buy timber nails and to pay for labor. Its completions assure us a decent house. This is will boost my self-esteem in society. I will also have a break and start focusing on other income-generating activities to take of my family in the future.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My life is entirely in the village practicing farming within my family land. It is always my happiness to see my farm doing better since it means food security and the ability to meet my family's needs. In the last six months, I improved my poultry farming. I bought 15 birds to make a total of 25 chickens and I also upgraded their house. This has been my joy in my life. I am certain that soon my farm will be producing a higher of eggs. I will be selling some to earn extra income and have some for my family consumption.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial instability is my biggest challenge. My husband and I do not have stable sources of income. I practice mixed farming which helps me meet my daily household needs. With the adverse weather conditions in our area, our yields are enough been enough to take through to the year. This makes us hard to save or have some products for sales to earn an income.
