GDLive Newsfeed
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.
Lesebet's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Lesebet received a $499 initial payment.
"Upon receiving my transfer, I purchased a water tank worth KES 19400 so that I can be using it to harvest rainwater for domestic use during the dry season. I have a leg problem that does not allow me to walk for a long-distance or do something that will strain it. Because of this, I usually hire a motorcycle to help me in ferrying water from the river and this is costly. Also, I purchased a barbed wire worth KES 7000 that I am planning to use in fencing a part of my land where I am planning to plant some animal feeds and a Kukunet worth KES 2600 to use in building a bigger feeding ground for my chicken as I am planning on expanding my poultry project. In addition to this, I managed to spend KES 10300 on clothes, KES 6000 to purchase two sacks of maize, KES 1000 on utensils after saving KES 3000."
Nelson's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Nelson received a $499 initial payment.
"It was still early in the morning when I had just woken up when I received a life-changing opportunity from GiveDirectly. Upon reading the Mpesa message, I became so happy and thanked God and GiveDirectly for sending the cash at the moment when I needed it most. I called out my spouse, informed her about the good news and that we were not going to take a loan to use in paying school fees for our daughter anymore."
Karichwa's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Karichwa enrolled.
"Financial instability is the biggest hardship that I have ever faced in my life. This is because I am doing casual jobs in charcoal vending that earns me a little of KES 600 per week. Due to this, I have been struggling to provide for my family and sometimes I fail even to put food on the table."
Cynthia's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Cynthia enrolled.
"Lack of reliable sources of income has been the biggest hardship we have faced in life. My husband works as a house construction person within and outside the village. He earns approximately KES 300 a day as a wage yet the job itself is unreliable because he rarely gets one. With that meager amount of wage, it is hard to cater to a family of four yet we have a school-going child who is in kindergarten. Give directly's entry into our village is a stepping stone into creating a golden age in our lives."
Dama's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Dama enrolled.
"Receiving this money means food security for my family. I have been tilling my farm using a hoe and this has made me manage to till one acre only giving me two 90kg bags of maize. The two bags cannot sustain my family. Therefore, I am planning to use 50,000KES from the GiveDirectly transfer to buy two indigenous cows and an ox-plough for subsistence farming to boost my maize productivity. I will be able to till six acres of land which translate to 12 bags of maize which can serve my family for a whole year. I will use the balance to cater for my grandchildren school fees."
Vincent's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Vincent enrolled.
"The reason as to why I want to buy a piece of land far from my home is because of the disagreement my mother has with my wife. My wife has undergone so much tribulation by living next to my mother. This has been a challenge and I fear that one day my wife will decide to go back home and leave me alone. I desire to have a stable family and therefore buying a piece of land somewhere will be of great help."
Kazungu's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Kazungu enrolled.
"Receiving this money means a decent house for my family. This is because I am living in a one-bedroom house whose roof is old and is leaking during the rainy season. I am planning to spend 50,000 KES to build a two-roomed house which is acceptable. I will also use 30,000 of the second transfer to start a shop which will contribute to my family income. The remaining amount will help me cater to other basic needs such as food."
Dama's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Dama enrolled.
"Receiving this money means building a new house. I have been living in a temporary structure after my house collapsed two and half years ago. I have a family of six children who sleep in the same structure. What worries me most is the condition of the house we currently live in. The iron sheets we recovered from the collapsed house were used for roofing and as a wall at the same time. This makes it very difficult to sleep in the house especially during cold weather. My children are exposed to disease like pneumonia but since I have no money, I cannot achieve my dream of building a two bedroom house. This is because, I depend on my livestock to milk the cows and sell in the village to earn an income. However, this has not been possible due to the persistent drought in our village. Upon receiving this money, I will be able to build my own house which will cost me 50000KES. I will then use the remaining amount to buy goats which survive in harsh weather conditions like drought."
Loveness's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Loveness received a $382 initial payment.
"The moment I received the money I was so happy this is because I knew how much it was going to help me."
Esnart's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Esnart received a $369 second payment.
"I have no complaint in the manner Givedirectly conducts its activities, i especially love the fact that we have been given a huge amount of money which I have never received before in my whole life."