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
53150 KES ($517 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I used to sell charcoal to earn my daily revenue. This was never a guarantee hence on some days I was forced to go without food with my entire family. Since the first transfer was used entirely in house construction, I decided to invest the second one to enhance sustainability even after receiving all the transfers. I bought a motorcycle which my husband uses for the taxi business. This has helped us earn revenue daily. The remaining amount I paid school fees for my children.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly came into our village and our lives just at the right time. This was the moment we needed money in our family to sort other several important bills which were pending. In my opinion, I believe GD had done a splendid job.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
Upon receiving my second transfer, I decided to upgrade my house. I had been living in a grass-thatched house for quite a long time and I felt it was the opportune time to transition. So I spent Kes 30,000 to upgrade to an iron-roofed house. The remaining amount I paid school fees for my children and bought foodstuff fir the household.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($530 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
I was previously living in a very small house with no hopes of upgrading to a better one. I never had a reliable source of income and because I only depended on casual jobs which was not even enough to buy our daily basic needs. My desire has always been to build a decent house for my family to live in. This dream was finally fulfilled when GiveDirectly came to our village. I spent a larger portion of this transfer to purchase adequate building materials and paid the mason as well. I am now at peace living in a decent and iron-roofed house. To me, this is the biggest difference in my daily life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received my transfer notification early in that morning. I could not contain the joy after realizing it was from Give Directly indicating they had sent me the first transfers. I never expected that a day would come and get such an amount. Organizations have come and left without fulfilling their promises. I didn't put much hopes towards this help that is why I was so excited when I saw the message. I remember praying and thanking God for bringing this organization to our village
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent a larger portion of my first transfer to purchase building materials for the construction of a new house. The one that I was previously living in was in a bad state. I bought building poles, iron sheets, nails, timber and also paid for the labor cost. In addition to that, I also spent KES 10400 to purchase a goat and three sheep. I decided to save my money through livestock because they will reproduce which will help me a lot in taking care of my future financial needs. Apart from all these, I also spent KES 3000 to clear fee arrears for my children for them to be allowed back to school and continue with their studies. I am glad they are now back to school and won't be interrupted for the whole of this year. I spent the remaining amount to pay for other household expenses.
Enrolled
access_time almost 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Having no decent house can be so frustrating to any family. In our case, for instance, we haven't been able to construct a decent house due to financial constraints. At the moment, we live in an old, tiny and often congested house and given that we are a family of eleven, space herein cannot accommodate all of us forcing some of our children to seek alternative sleeping spaces from relatives' houses. This has been very devastating to them. Therefore receiving this money means I will finally be in a position to build a good house, something that I have yearned for many years. Enduring cold and sleepless nights will be something of the past.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Evening is the happiest part of my day. I wake up every morning with a lot of uncertainties on how the day will end. I have children who need to be kept in school and be fed and therefore, most parts of the day are packed with activities here and there, from attending to the household to looking for ways to bring food into the table. By the time the day ends in the evening, I am already exhausted and in need of quality rest. This is the reason I always yearn for this favorite part of the day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of sustainable sources of income has been the biggest hardship in my life. I solely depend on my husband's income to feed, educate and clothe the family, and given that the breadwinner is a taxi driver, and the family size is large, the equation, of course, can never balance and that tells the kind of frustration this has subjected us to. As a result, it has led to children dropping out of school, malnutrition, and lack of decent shelter for the family. Therefore, once I receive the transfers, my top priority is to put up a decent house that can comfortably accommodate all of us. Again I plan to seek an alternative of income, and opening up a grocery store will come in handy. This will curb the over-reliance on husband's salary and contribute to the overall wellbeing of the family. Lastly, I will invest the remaining part in livestock rearing. This is a good saving plan for future use.
