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.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
My son had completed his high school but could not collect his certificates upon completion. He owed the school KES 60000. We tried all we could to reduce the arrears but our efforts proved futile. However, when I received my first transfer, I paid KES 40000 to reduce the balance as I look into ways of clearing the remaining amount to allow my son to collect his certificates. This money has enabled me to reduce the arrears which could otherwise have taken me a long time to raise the amount. To me, reducing this arrears makes the biggest difference in my daily life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I remember well early in the morning I received the message from GiveDirectly. It was my helper who read to me the contents that I had received KES 55000 from GiveDirectly. I felt happy since this money would help my son to clear his fee arrears.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
My son completed his high school but because of the huge fee arrears he owed the school, his certificates were withheld until the whole amount of KES 60000 is cleared. Thus when I received the first transfer, I took KES 40000 to pay so as to reduce this balance. I am hoping to clear this money for him to be issued with his certificates. He cannot even get any job right now without them. I also paid KES 4000 for another who is still in high school for him to also continue with his studies without any interruptions. I spent the remaining small portion of the transfer to cater for my household basic needs such foodstuffs and paying for other household expenses.
Enrolled
access_time almost 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
A quality education to my children has been my greatest ambition and I have always tried my best to ensure that they are in school despite the financial challenges I am experiencing. Since I was married in a polygamous household and my husband is suffering from a hernia, I decided to assume his role and do all means to keep my children schooling. I am actively engaged in charcoal burning as my reliable source to earn income that can sustain my children in school. Receiving this money means the realization of this dream because I am planning to spend 300 dollars to clear all the fees arrears of my daughter who is now doing her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education. My other plan is to spend 210 dollars on buying 7 goats of $30 each and this will act as my long term investment to aid in paying the college expenses once she advances her studies. The remaining transfer will help me to pay the fees for my 3 sons, one in form 3 and two in class 7. This will mean a better education to them and good jobs once they are through with their studies hence, a better life.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Evening is the happiest part of my day since I usually get ample time to rest my body after a busy day. Unlike in the morning and afternoon hours when I am always engaged in the bush preparing the charcoal for sell, an activity that drains much of my energy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Imagine assuming the role of providing all the basic needs for the family of 6 when the job is charcoal burning! It is a very horrible task to me but since I have no option I am forced to bear the burden. My efforts to keep my children schooling resulted in negative health effects to me since I was diagnosed with tuberculosis something that forced my son who was in form 2 to drop out. After medication, I regained my energy and I convinced myself that I can as well continue with my charcoal job in order to send my son back to school. Currently, I am always feeling weak with worries that I may be diagnosed with tuberculosis again due to the hard tasks I usually do.
