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 ($530 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I bought a piece of land two years ago with the aim of putting up a rental house on it. I had planned to take a loan to help finance the building. Unfortunately, when I applied for the loan, it was not approved. I did not have any other plan for how to get the money to put up the house. I was stranded and left the land unattended to. At some point last year, I had to look for money to fence it to avoid land grabbing cases from my villagers. Someone would have easily taken advantage of it because it was left fallow. When I heard the news of GD giving us the transfers, I was happy because I knew I would be able to finally put up the house I have been looking forward to. In as much as I have not been able to finish it, I am glad the step I made is significant and now I the loan I can get can enable me to finish building.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GD did well in giving the transfers unconditionally. It was the best idea because everyone used the transfer in the best way he/she found beneficial. Had it been conditional, then most of us would have not seen the benefit of the transfer. GD did well as for me and there is nothing I see wrong with the whole process.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent my second transfer on buying building materials such as blocks, cement and sand. I am in the process of using these building materials to put up a rental house. I had a piece of land I bought and it has been idle for two years because I did not have the resources to use it actively. This is why when I received my transfer, I used my transfers to buy the materials so that I can finish this investment. From the rent, I will be collecting on a monthly basis, I will have an income which will help me meet other needs and even start another income-generating activity to help me meet all my needs. I Know very soon the building will be accomplished and it will be rented in no time.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($543 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I now have a rental house. I have been longing to have one but I could not afford due to my poor financial status. Through these houses, I will be receiving some money every months from my tenants and this will be a source of income to me. I will be able to pay schools fees for my children without any struggles. Secondly, I will cater for all the basic needs for my family well. Finally, from the rent will be getting on monthly basis, I will use as capital to start food stuff business hence uplifting my living standard from the profits.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 7 am when I heard the message notification. When I checked what the message was all about, I found out it was an Mpesa message from the GiveDirectly informing me that they had sent me my first transfer. I was so happy knowing my dream of constructing a rental house is now achievable.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent the whole of my first transfer on buying building materials like sand, cement, iron sheets which I will use to construct a rental house. This is because I already had a piece of land and I had wished to build a rental house but I did not have sufficient money due to my low income. This will be my source of income to help me support my family well even for the future.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have always wished to pursue a teaching course but due to financial constraints, this wish has always remained to be a dream. I have tried all manner of jobs to raise income to pay for my tuition but all efforts have been in vain. My husband does not earn much and so the little that we get, we contribute towards taking care of our children. From the experience that I have had and the large amount required to complete the whole course, I plan to invest my transfer first so that It may continuously generate income to sustain not only my education but also other household needs. We have a parcel of land in Bandari centre and with the transfer, we plan to construct rental rooms whose front yard will double up as a general shop that I will be managing for starters. The center is a central point hosting students and teachers who rent rooms to be nearer to the institution hence the reassurance of getting readily available market to boost my investment thus enabling me to accomplish my life time dream without any more financial struggles.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Morning hours marks the happiest part of my day. It is the only free time that I have to perform household chores peacefully while my two children who are very troublesome are still sleeping. It is also the only time that we come together as an extended family to share breakfast before everyone heads out to tend to various individual tasks which lasts for the better part of the day. By the time everyone returns in the evening, they are usually very tired and everyone just wishes to retire to their individual houses to rest in readiness for the next day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Deficiency of financial resources stands to be the biggest hardship that I face in life. All through my life, I have always desired to be a teacher. My parents struggled to educate me until I completed my secondary schooling but due to lack of finances, they could not stretch themselves further. After several months of hopelessness, I thought that my luck had changed when I got married and my husband promised to see me through college. However as bad luck would have it, he too ended up losing his well paying job before fulfilling his promise and from that time, my greatest desire has remained to be a dream. At times I feel so frustrated with our financial situation because I know that had I managed to go to college, I would be employed and I would be comfortably assisting him with the expenses, but the reality is that there is nothing I can do except to be optimistic that a another chance will present itself for me to still realise my dream.