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 ($435 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?
Since I have some few cows, I want to start a business of selling and buying livestock with what I have now. I am hopeful that the business will grow overtime and I will therefore be able to pay school fees for my children without much struggle like it has been. It will earn me some better income compered to what I have been earning as a casual worker.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
What GiveDirectly does well is empowering people living in poverty by giving unconditional cash transfers. I couldn't imagine my live without the cash transfers some few years to come. It has changed my life in so many ways than I can imagine and the same applies to many more. We are so grateful for the support, continue doing the great work.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spend $100 to pay school fees balance for my children who had been send home and they were able to go back to school. I spend the balance to build a semi permanent two bedroom house for my family who we have been living in a muddy one bedroom grassy thatched house. First of all the, the space was so small and could not accommodate the ten of us(husband and eight children) we were really scrambling for the small space and live was never comfortable there as it also served as the kitchen. Now that I was able another house, my older sons have their separate bedroom in the older house and the young ones have their separate bedroom. I only imaged this kind of life and GiveDirectly made it possible for me to live it, I could not be more grateful than I am.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($462 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was very happy when I first received a message from GiveDirectly that confirmed the receipt of my first transfer. I was in town that evening watching the news with my friends in a social hall and could not stay there any longer since I wanted to show my family what we had received. My spouse and children were very excited when they got the news, and we all thanked God for the promises kept by GiveDirectly.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
A plentiful supply of milk for my family has saved a lot I would have spent. This is the biggest difference in my daily life. I used to do a lot of casual labor to buy milk, and even though unreliable work, I have always considered it the better means of earning an income that sorted the household bills.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After spending a lot on daily liters of milk for my family of 10, it was a relief when I received the first transfer and bought a lactating dairy cow at KES 45000. So far, we have constantly enjoyed enough supply of milk and less spending since I am no longer buying from the neighborhood. I also bought enough foodstuff worth KES 8000 that we are currently using and spent the remaining amount on buying new pairs of clothes for my eight children. I am grateful t GiveDirectly for the support and the general transformation I have witnessed in my household.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
In our culture we value cow for money and milk and at the moment we do not have one. To get milk for family use we purchase from vendors at KES 50 per liter and this is dependant on availability of money since we depend on casual jobs, weeding people's farms. So when I receive this transfer I will spend KES 40000 to purchase a dairy cow. This cow will be our source of milk for family use and the surplus will be our source of income when we sell. I am glad that my children's nutritional status will improve when they get the milk.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Maize is our staple food and for the last 5 years the yield has not been good due to onset of Lethal Necrosis. We tried new variety of the maize and we planted in 0.4 acres of land and the yield was good we harvested 2 sacs. This saved us from purchasing from vendors and we managed to pay school fees for our children in various schools from the savings we made. This brought joy and happiness into our lives.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest challenge is food insecurity. We depend on casual jobs to get money for purchasing food whereby we are paid KES 400 depending on the amount of work done, however, these jobs are not consistent too and sometimes my family is forced to have one meal per day on the days we did not get work and I am worried that my children will get malnutrition.
