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
53150 KES ($492 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 how it would have been if I never received the transfers in that I have build a better and spacious house. We used to live in a small mud house which could not host all my family members comfortably. I had always wished to build another house but I didn't had money to buy the building material. I depend on small scale farming and the harvest that we get is only for consumption. We rarely sell the surplus , I am so happy because GiveDirectly has enabled us live in a better house than before. We are no longer exposed to dust particles which might caused respiratory related diseases. My children are so happy because they live in a decent house. I no longer get stress up on where to host visitors. I am so grateful for the support.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community to build better houses. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent all the second transfer on completing the construction of a house that I started using the previous transfer. I bought cements and iron sheet. We used to live in a small mud house which could not host all the family comfortably. I had always wished to own a better house but I didn't had money to buy building materials. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed our living standard.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($500 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 1.18pm while cooking lunch when my kid arrived from school. Because she normally uses my phone to study, upon checking it she found out that I had received GiveDirectly transfers and she gladly relayed the good news to me. I was very happy and even lost appetite for lunch. I in turn relayed the good news to my husband who was still in the farm and we celebrated for joy.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is purchase of additional building materials for putting up a modern brick house. This is because the project had stalled after Covid19 outbreak, my husband who's the family breadwinner lost his job as driver. But through the transfers, we have now acquired enough materials to start building the house and soon our dream we become a reality.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my transfer on additional building materials for a new three roomed modern house that I intend to build because we had already bought some building materials at KES 40,000. Initially, we had a two roomed semi permanent house which requires special attention of which is quite tricky due to nature of my job. I also spent KES 5000 on latest clothing fashion because GiveDirectly transfers came during the festive season when everyone dresses decently and my family couldn't be left out because before we could only afford second hand clothes. I also spent KES 2000 on food and household items for Christmas celebration.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been working as a driver for the last 15 years and that's what has been sustaining my family. When COVID-19 struck Kenya in March 2020, my employer couldn't travel anymore because of the restrictions that came with the pandemic and therefore he didn't need a driver anymore. I lost my job just like that and to make matters worse is that two of my children are set to join high school next year. The amount of school fees that's needed is not less than US$600 for them to successfully join high school. I have been worried that they might be forced to leave school and come home to do farming with me but now that Give Directly have come am sure that come next year they'll be in school.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is usually in the evening. This is the time I get to relax after a hard day in the farm. This time also gives me a chance to stay together with my family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
This COVID-19 pandemic has made me face the biggest hardship in my life. I was fully dependent on my job to provide for this family but since then we have had to adjust a lot to fit in a different life we were not used to. We have had to go without food something which we had never experienced before as a family.
