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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0th Payment
Transfer Amount
0
access_time 4 months ago
attach_money
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My mud house was in very bad condition and was no longer fit for shelter. The grass-thatched roof had been destroyed by pests, and during the rainy season, we would always get rained on. I decided to prioritize building a proper shelter for my family. I spent $440 to buy materials and pay for labor to build a two-roomed mud house. I used $45 to buy a sack of maize because we had no food at all. With the remaining $65, I added it to some of my savings to buy a cow that was being sold around the village. I had been interested in investing in livestock rearing for a while.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My life was very hard and of a low standard before receiving the cash. Getting the cash has honestly changed my life a lot, as I was able to improve my living standards. The biggest difference I have experienced is being able to build a proper shelter for my family. I have already moved into the new house.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was sitting with my children at around 3:00 p.m. when I received a transfer alert on my phone. I immediately checked the message and confirmed that it was the cash transfer. I was super excited and hugged my children out of happiness. I felt so thankful that I had finally received the money. My first thought was to build a house because my current one was in bad condition.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($425 USD)
access_time 4 months ago
attach_money
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My mud house was in very bad condition and was no longer fit for shelter. The grass-thatched roof had been destroyed by pests, and during the rainy season, we would always get rained on. I decided to prioritize building a proper shelter for my family. I spent $440 to buy materials and pay for labor to build a two-roomed mud house. I used $45 to buy a sack of maize because we had no food at all. With the remaining $65, I added it to some of my savings to buy a cow that was being sold around the village. I had been interested in investing in livestock rearing for a while.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My life was very hard and of a low standard before receiving the cash. Getting the cash has honestly changed my life a lot, as I was able to improve my living standards. The biggest difference I have experienced is being able to build a proper shelter for my family. I have already moved into the new house.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was sitting with my children at around 3:00 p.m. when I received a transfer alert on my phone. I immediately checked the message and confirmed that it was the cash transfer. I was super excited and hugged my children out of happiness. I felt so thankful that I had finally received the money. My first thought was to build a house because my current one was in bad condition.
Enrolled
access_time 6 months ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Life has currently become so tough as compared to my first years in marriage back in 2012. By then, my husband's income from his casual jobs could sustain us with our basic needs. As our family grow, currently six in the house, we are facing financial constraints. This is because, I do not have a job, a situation that has forced us to purely rely on the little income from my husband. In a month, he is sending us $30.8, an amount that we spend on food and school fees. With this financial instability, life has become worse since we can not afford to own a decent house. This has robbed away my joy because I feel so ashamed to live such a kind of life as a young family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
What I feel proud of in my life over the last six month, is the good health that my family have had. It could have been so tough because of the finacial instability that I am currently facing. Seeing my four children happy and healthy is what gives me joy as a mother.
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
A grass-thatched house at this era in our village resembles a state of poverty. Looking at our area, most people have transformed from roofing their houses with grasses or coconut tree leaves. Most of them use iron sheets, but this has never been possible to me due to financial crisis. Receiving this money means graduating my social status to a level that befit a young family like mine. My intention is to spend a big portion of this money to have the housing problem offset. Hence, $461.5 will help me to make this a possibility. Also, I will buy decent beddings which include one modern bed and two mattresses. This will add an extra cost of $138.5. The remaining amount will help me to add stock to my livestock, moreso goats which multiply faster. This will support in paying school fees for my children in the future.
