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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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($467 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I am still a student and it is my goal to buy my own piece of land and build a house since our family land is small and we are a big family. Since I have been able to acquire more education than my siblings, it is not my wish to fight with them over something that I can afford. I will be saving part of my income once am through with my education so that I can later use it to achieve this.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly officers spoke to people in a friendly manner and even repeated whenever people did not understand what they were explaining. The organization has also made the poorest people be at the same level as others in society. I do not see anything that they did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a student taking a course in building, construction, and technology and I have been depending on any available casual work after classes so that I can get some money to use in supporting myself in terms of basic needs and school fees. Life had never been easy to me since I would sometimes go to bed on an empty stomach. Upon receiving the transfer, I spent KES 15000 to pay for my examination fee since it was nearly approaching and I had no money and used the remaining KES 33000 to buy a second-hand motorcycle and to service it. I am glad that I have been able to meet my immediate needs on time unlike before since I usually use the motorcycle to offer taxi services to people whenever I am not in class.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($491 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 9 am and I was at school studying. My phone was off and I had plugged it in a socket within the lecture hall to charge. I then decided to go switch it on after leaving it there for a while. As soon as I had switched it on, I received an SMS. I read it and I could not believe what I saw, the SMS was saying that I had received a lump sum of KES 55000 in my mobile money account. I was filled with so much happiness that I could not continue studying. I decided to go home to go tell my family because I could not keep the good news to myself.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer has brought a very big difference in my life. I was able to clear paying for my first-year college tuition fees. I am hence no longer being sent home for failure to pay the fee. I was also able to buy a calf that I plan to sell soon when it grows up and use the money on paying for my tuition fee for my second year. All this has only been possible because of GiveDirectly. Thank you so much.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent most of the money that I got on paying for my tuition fee at college. I was able to clear my first-year tuition fees after struggling for a while to raise the needed amount of KES 53000. I usually go out to look for casual jobs at construction sites so that I can raise money for my upkeep and tuition fees. These jobs are not always available and when I get lucky to get one, I am paid a maximum of between KES 200 to 300. I usually use half of this money to buy food and the rest of it I save so that I can use it in paying for my college fee. I am thus so much grateful to GiveDirectly for the great help that they have offered me.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a continued Education for me. As an eldest Son in a family of 9 siblings, thing's have been so hard on me. I completed my secondary education in 2019, Since then I have never had a chance to join collage because my parents can not afford to pay the collage fee since I have other siblings in secondary school. My wish was to join collage and do course in building and construction technology. I have been doing casual jobs so as to save for my school fee's but it has been so hard to achieve my dreams. When I receive the transfer, I will pay KES 56,000 collage fee for 3 years that will enable me graduate successful for the program. The remaining amount I will build a two bedroom house and foodstuffs for myself.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening. this is the time I get a chance to rest after a tiresome day in the farm and plan on what is coming up for me the next day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have ever faced is financial constraints. As a first born in a family of 9 and having no one to depend on and since my seedlings production work is seasonal due to less rainfall, I have been struggling to pay my college fees. Sometimes I am forced to stay home for a all semister hence missing a lot in school. This makes me almost giving up in life.
