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 ($509 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different than it would have been if I never received my transfer. In that I am sleeping in a decent shelter with proper beddings. Back in the days I was using traditional bed and mats which was not comfortable and non durable. Also, I was able to purchase enough food for my family. Before I was depending on casual labor charcoal vending which is very tiresome and drains a lot of energy. In addition, I was able to start livestock rearing which is a future investment for my family.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well for sending cash transfer to the poor households in the community. Personally, it assisted in building a new house. I don't see anything that it does not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my transfer to purchase two lorries of building stone for $350, cement, and water this was for the construction of a new house since the one I had collapsed while repairing it. I was forced to seek refused from the neighbour's house something that has deprived my privacy.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($502 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was with my family taking breakfast when the phone started ringing. Since I was curious, I decided to check what it might be. I couldn't believe what I saw, It was the Mpesa message that I had anxiously been waiting for from GiveDirectly. I felt so happy and without wasting time, I started planning on how best I could utilize it
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 have a dairy cow that I am currently keeping in my compound. I have been yearning to own it for years but I could not afford it and I ended up admiring those of my neighbors. I settle on purchasing it becasue it becasue it is the living assets that have numerous benefits as compared to the rest. I am now very sure that my children will start enjoying getting the milk very soon. This will be a surplus to their daily meals. Previously i used to buy the milk from my neighbors and sometimes I could not afford it. Also with the remaing liters, I will be selling them to the neighboring markets and generate an income. I will use this money to support my children in their further studies. I am also hopeful that as time goes by the cows will increase in number making me wealthier and ambitious.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying a dairy cow worthy of KES 15000. This has been a long time dream to purchase it but they were very expensive. Also, I am planning to purchase iron sheets, several building poles, nails, and timber. This is for the construction of a new house since the previous one was in critical condition and very small. With the remaining amount of money, I am using it in buying sufficient foodstuff for my family.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a source of income for me. It will be a big boost because I'll use 200 dollars to buy an indigenous dairy cow that can provide me with milk for domestic consumption and for sale. This will serve a big boost both to my nutritional needs and income. I'm also planning to spend around 250 dollars to expand my house so that my grandchildren can get a place to sleep.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of the day is during the afternoon because this is the time I share sweet moments with my friends and relatives within the village . I don't have peace at night given that immediately I retire to bed, that's the time I start thinking of my late son who was of help to me during his days in the world.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of finances has been the hardest part of my life. After loosing my husband, life has been miserable as I am the only one to take care of the children he left behind. This has made me unable to access the basic health care services for my high blood pressure condition. Coupled with the lack of a sustainable source of income, attending to the basic needs of my family such as food and school fees has been very difficult.
