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
55000 KES ($406 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?
I have a small business where I sell charcoal and firewood to the villagers, and one goal that I would like to achieve is to own a kiosk. I live along the main road, and having a kiosk will benefit me because everyone in the village passes by, attracting a large number of customers. Also, with the kiosk business, I would have saved myself the effort of gathering firewood in the forest just to come and sell it at a low price. The kiosk will outperform both the charcoal and firewood businesses.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has provided tremendous assistance to many people who have become disoriented as a result of a variety of unfortunate circumstances. And mine is to express my gratitude on behalf of the village, for which we are grateful and satisfied. I never saw anything difficult throughout the process, and with the satisfaction I received, I don't see any areas for improvement.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I built a larger house with three rooms and a balcony after receiving the second transfer. I started out in a one-room house with my three children and husband. Living in such a house felt very uneasy because the children were growing up and we needed our own space. This situation bothered us excessively. We were so relieved to know that our main problem had been solved after receiving the transfer from GiveDirectly. For $42.5, I purchased all of the materials required to complete the construction. On the other hand, I was fortunate to have my husband do the construction work himself because he had the skills up until the point of installing the roof, when I had to hire someone and pay $6. The house is now finished, and we are enjoying our stay there. It feels great, and I'm grateful to GiveDirectly for making it possible. I also paid the third-grade school fees for one of my children. It had always been her custom to be sent home on a regular basis to collect school fee arrears. This time, I was able to pay her school fees for the entire term, allowing her to catch up with the other children who are always in school full-time.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($442 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The money from GiveDirectly came at an unexpected time. I recall being on my way home from the stream where I had gone to fetch water. when I heard my phone start to ring. When I checked to see what the message was about, I discovered that I had received $550 from GiveDirectly. I was overcome with joy and excitement. I am so grateful for the help that has brought so much joy into our lives.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I was able to build a decent house thanks to the financial assistance I received. Due to financial constraints, this was not previously possible. I'll be eternally grateful for the gift that completely transformed my life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My main priority was to build a decent house. This is because I live in a small house that we used to live in. I had previously been unable to construct one due to unreliable sources of income. My husband is a Boda Boda taxi driver, and I sell charcoal. We have three children. As a result, when I received my transfer, I spent at least $500 on house construction. Finally, I spent $20 on school fees. I am overjoyed that my children and I now have a decent place to live. I am grateful for the assistance that has improved my standard of living.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I currently live in a single room with a flat roof that was just built as per the resources that we had back them. With my three children and a husband, it's really hard to fit in when it's bed time. Some of us have to spread a mat and sleep on the floor so that we fit given that I do not even have an external kitchen as traditionally expected. Again there's also no privacy at all because it's just a single room. Therefore when I get this money, I would like to first build a two roomed house to serve as our bed rooms while we turn the old one into a kitchen-cum-sitting room. This will cost me around $500. Suppose I'll remain with some money after that, I would also like to keep some goats that I can always sell when there's a need like when for a reason we're not able to raise school fees.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I have a lot of challenges with family income which is always hardly enough to take care of our needs like I have explained to you. But I can remember in the month of July I managed to burn charcoal and got six sacs that my husband took and sold for me in Kilifi town where they could attract better prices. Here in the village at the moment a sac goes for $2 while over there it's $5. So I got a total of $30 that really boosted that month's budget. I was genuinely happy because I could comfortably feed my children throughout the month.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I do not have any reliable sources of income at the moment. My husband is a motorcycle taxi rider at Kilifi town while I take care of our three children who're attending a local grade school right here in the village. I pay school fees totaling to $60 each academic term. Alongside that I also need around $50 monthly to be able to get family supplies like cooking oil, sugar, soaps among other things. My husband sends me around $10 weekly which isn't enough according to the needs of this family. I sometimes have to burn charcoal and sell to be able to supplement.
