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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($465 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
As of now, the main goal that I developed and I would like to see it coming to fulfillment is my children's education. Once get money; something that I am struggling for I would like to see my children moving well in their academics. As of now, I have one of my children who just completed his primary education and is waiting to join secondary school. My desire is not to disappoint him but ensure he proceeds to the secondary school level.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did a commendable job of empowering our people in the community. Initially, we lived pathetically; we had no good houses while others had no houses at all. Getting the basic needs was a major challenge for most of the community members due to poverty and lack of defined sources of income. But, since the time we started receiving the transfers, things changed and we are now living a better life than before.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon receiving and withdrawing the money, I first paid KES 15000.00 school fees for my children; two are in secondary school and five are in primary school. The reason for making the school fee payment the first agenda to settle is because I wanted my children to have a good time in school without being sent home for fees as they were used to before GiveDirectly came. Thereafter I bought some livestock; three goats for KES 12000.00 and a cow for KES 10000.00. I bought these livestock as assets and they can be converted to monetary value anytime the need arises. I also bought four pieces of iron sheets for KES 2400.00 to renovate a leaking part of the roof of my house.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($486 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
As I was on my way from making charcoal in the field, I received a message in my phone. Since I do not know how to read I didn’t bother till I reached home is when I asked my children to check what the message was all about. In appreciation I received the wonderful message from GiveDirectly about the first transfer. I was excited and thankful for the support which I didn’t think it would happen to me.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference that I can attest in my life about GiveDirectly transfer is that, it enabled me to pay school fees for my children. Initially I was known to lobbying with the head teachers in their various schools so that they could retain my children as I source for some money to pay for them but this time, I was able to pay full amounts for the whole year something that I hadn’t dream of; thanks to GiveDirectly for enabling me.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Since I had no stable source of income, I was just struggling to make ends meet. When I withdrew the money the first thing I thought of was my children education. I have 2 children who are in secondary school and 5 who are in primary school. I paid school fees for them all so that I get rid of the fee pressures. I paid KES 20000.00 for the secondary school children and KES 5000.00 for the primary school children. Thereafter I bought a solar panel to serve us with some light at night for KES 2000.00 and invested the remaining amount to my charcoal business.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
For the past two years I have been living in a house which is incomplete it leaks during rain seasons. When it rains we have to seek shelter from neighbours house.Though I have been working hard to ensure it is complete, my efforts has been in vain. Receiving this money means fulfilling it. I am planning to spend KES 40,000 to finish the roofing and renovate some parts of the walls so that I with my family of 11 members can leave in a decent house. Other than that, I will invest the remaining amount on school fees to settle fee balances for my 2 children who are in secondary school level.
What is the happiest part of your day?
A month ago, I managed to purchase 8 sacks of charcoal at ago and I received KES 2800. This was a miracle to me because it was has been a while before making such sales. I used the money to pay for my children's school fees who by that time did not have a meal card in school. This brought happiness to my family because they could get meal cards that can sustain them for some period before being sent home.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial instability is the biggest hardship I am experiencing currently. I work as a charcoal vendor in the village this job earns me little coins of KES 300 per 1 sack which sometimes it takes me 3 days for it to be ready. The amount is insufficient to sustain all my family needs such as school fees my children are not in school right now due to the arrears.
