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.
Furaha's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Furaha received a $433 second payment.
"I'm jobless with no source of income , we depend on my husband who is also jobless , to buy basic needs in the house. I will not lie , when I received the second transfer , I had just been blessed with a new born baby . So I didn't have the strength of moving up and down . Through my husband , I bought a radio worth $60 and a television worth $140 . Previously, we would watch news from the shop at our shopping centre , I'm so grateful because I can get to watch news every day at the comfort of my house . My husband kept the remaining $330 so that he'll be buying food and basic needs for our family."
Gladys's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Gladys received a $448 initial payment.
"The biggest difference in my daily life is that I no longer sleep hungry like we could do before receiving the first payment. Things were really tough for us as a family and sometimes we could not get money to buy food. Having cleared my primary education, I was optimistic that I will proceed to do my college studies but as fate would have it, I did not get an opportunity to do that. I had to drop out of school and try and figure out what to do with my life. Getting even the oddest of casual jobs proofed hard for me. I feel so much happy and relieved knowing that I will soon clear my college studies and proceed to start my own business. This will change the story of my family completely and I thank God and Givedirectly for this. I will be in a position to support my family do much more"
Lennox's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Lennox received a $448 second payment.
"I'm a first born in my family , currently married but my wife has no job . I do 'bodaboda' business and I'm the sole bread winner of both my families . When I received this money , I felt like I had been born again , I cannot explain my excitement because you may not fully understand . On that day , I was just unusually happy even before knowing that I will receive the money . When I read the Mpesa message I just rang my wife and instructed her to slaughter a hen because this called for celebration ! My dream of constructing a bigger house was now materialising . I spent $150 for wood , $90 for iron sheets and $80 for labour . Just like that I was able to build myself a new house ! Thanks to Give Directly , I now own two houses ! I bought this motorbike on a loan of $1,700 , so I do pay in instalments . I used $110 to pay part of the loan . Although you gave me a phone , I needed a smart phone to access the internet and even apply for jobs , hence I bought a phone worth $70 , I'm glad I can now access the internet anywhere anytime . I also paid school fees for my two siblings who are in primary school , this was $30 . Finally I spent $20 on shopping for basic household items like food and soap ."
Shida's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Shida received a $433 second payment.
"I'm so grateful to Give Directly for conducting their business fairly . You have helped me to make my house better , start a business and buy good clothes for my family ! I don't what other people think but personally , I don't thing there is anywhere you should improve ."
Esha's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Esha received an initial payment.
"I felt so happy the moment I received money from GiveDirectly. It was around 3:00 pm that day when I heard my phone ring and upon checking, I was met with a pleasant surprise. It was a message from GiveDirectly confirming that I had received a sum of $550. I felt so happy and the first person that I shared this with was my husband who was not at home as at that time. I made a call and shared the good news with him. He was so elated to hear this too. We felt so happy as a family that we were finally going to be able to afford a piece of land that we had always wanted to buy and accomplish much more things. Relying on my husband's masonry work and my charcoal selling business could only provide us with just enough to feed our families and not much more to do bigger investments."
Rahel's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Rahel received a $448 second payment.
"Give Directly is clearly eradicating poverty in this country , and this is commendable . We had a lot of problems , our houses used to flood with rains , most people did not have beddings . Right now my village is shining with new houses . I do not know how to thank you . I'm so grateful that I now own a house . Please you have nothing to improve on , just continue helping people everywhere you go ."
Kamana's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Kamana received a $433 second payment.
"It was at lunchtime and I was preparing a meal for my children when my trustee informed me that Give Directly had sent me the money. I was so happy because finally you had fulfilled your promise to me. I'm a widow with five children, my eldest son who is twenty two years old had no house, and this used to stress me up a lot. So I bought ten iron sheets using $95, fifteen bags of cement worth $98 and paid $48 for labour in order to build a house for him. In that line I also spent a few dollars to renovate my own house. I 'm sorry I do not have the exact figure for this. My other four children who are in primary school had school fees balance of $30, I also cleared it using this transfer. I need to do some investment that would be beneficial in future, something that I can sell in case of an emergency, I settled on two goats and paid $60 . Since my husband passed on, my house has always been hunger stricken! So I spent $50 to buy food for my family and thanks to Give Directly we felt how it is to be fully satisfied."
Bendera's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Bendera received a $448 second payment.
"The funds from GiveDirectly allowed me to buy three lorries of construction stones for a 2-bedroom house, along with a door as well, the house will primarily be for the kids. We currently all squeeze into a similar two-bedroom house, but I'm hoping once this one is done, more space will avail itself. The majority of the balance went to food, clothes, and paying fees for 4 of my 5 kids. 3 female goats were also added to my list of purchases, with the aim of milking them and breeding them to get a flock, that can be for sale and occasional consumption by my household. If funds are left over after construction, I intend to plasta and paint the new house. As for the school fees, I only had to factor my eldest tuition fees of $1.5, as well as that of the 2nd, and 4th born as well, which equally mount to the same amount, seeing as they all attend Wetanguo Primary school and are in Grades 3, 2 and 2 respectively. My Last born is still home. We have a 2-acre farm where we have maize and trees, waiting on the trees to grow so we can sell the wood. While they will eventually pay out, a tree costs between $5 and $10, and I'm sure we'll eventually make some money off of them. GiveDirectly has given us a great buffer financially and as such, we can focus on letting them grow and making money later on. GiveDirectly has continued to be a blessing since they entered our lives and we are eternally grateful for that."
Kache's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Kache received a $433 second payment.
"GiveDirectly makes miracles happen! I was living in a thatched house before the first transfer from GiveDirectly. With the funds, I was able to build a one bedroom house and partially do the roof, and with the second transfer, I spent the funds as outlined prior. My point here you may wonder? Well, I had never imagined I'd be out of where I was then and be where I am today, but I never lost hope. GiveDirectly restores hope in humanity. Were it not for them, myself and countless others would still be walking in the wilderness of financial turmoil with no one to help. I pray GiveDirectly continues to be a blessing, now and always."
Sidi's family
access_time over 2 years ago
Sidi received a $448 second payment.
"I would love to start a grocery shop business and sell Vegetables such as cabbages, tomatoes, carrots, spinach and potatoes . That would ideally be what I would like to do .I believe this would put me in the best position to better care for my kids and secure their future by being able to educate them well."