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.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($466 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
check
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Paying school fees for my daughter who is in secondary school is the new goal that I did not had before receiving the transfer. I had planned on selling my cow to settle the school fees balances. When I received the transfer I felt so happy and I decided to pay all her fees. I am so happy because she had time to study and we hope for better results compared to previous results.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The enrollment was done well and the training was well conducted, GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community as the promise. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 30,000 to pay school fees for my daughter who is in secondary school. She was so happy because she had time to study well without being disturbed. I do causal jobs in the village and the amount of money that I get is only for household basic needs. I could have sold my cow to pay the fees. I am so grateful for the support because GiveDirectly came at the right season when I needed help.I spent some amount to plough my farm and bought seeds and fertilizers. I was able to plant maize at the right season and I hope to get good harvest this time around. The rest of the money I bought food and other household items for the family. I am so happy because GiveDirectly fulfilled their promise and improved our living standards.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($500 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was with my helper feeding my livestock when my message notification ringtone rang and I requested her to help me read its content. It was at this time that I saw her smile as she informed me happily that I had received money from GiveDirectly and I was equally overjoyed. I knew that my daughter would finally resume her studies since she was at home after being sent back to collect her fee arrears.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Seeing my children through their education has been my aim since I want a bright future for them despite the financial constraints I face. Recently, my daughter had stayed at home for a week since she had been sent back home to collect school fees. This had left me devastated as I had no money at that time and I am glad since she was able to resume her studies after I cleared her fee arrears using the transfer. This has changed my life since apart from being able to continue with her studies, I am optimistic that she will no longer be sent back home again as I am planning to be using the income from milk sales to cater for her fees on time.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon receiving my transfer, I spent KES 20000 to purchase a heifer as a way of investing this money. I decided on this since it won't take long before it calves and provide us with enough milk that we have always wished for. I will be selling this milk and use the money to pay school fees for my children. Also, I used KES 5500 to pay school fees for my daughter who had been sent back home, managed to spend KES 8000 on clothes and beddings and KES 9600 on two sacks of maize for our consumption. I still have KES 10000 that I am planning to use in buying a barbed wire to use in fencing my land.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Educating my children has been the biggest dream. I have been struggling to meet the education expenses of my two school-going children. I am in the sunset age of my life and I am getting weak and feeble to fend for my family. I have 3 dairy cows which we have majorly relied on for upkeep and meet other domestic and school expenses. I normally milk an average of 3 liters a day and out of this I sell 2 liters at Ksh 30 and the remaining one liter, we use domestically. The proceeds I get from milk caters to school expenses and at times, not enough. I am planning to spend my first transfer of approximately Ksh 40,000 to buy a dairy cow and meet the school expenses without much struggle. Therefore, my ambition is to educate my children and improve their future life.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening. This is because I spend the entire day looking after my three cows. I feel happy and relaxed in the evening after my children are back from school since they assist me in household chores as they brighten my evening with their jokes.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial inadequacy has been the biggest hardship I have faced in life. I have 3 dairy cows and we milk approximately three liters a day on a normal day. The proceeds are not enough to cater to the entire family of 5. I am getting old and feeble to work and fend for my family. Having adequate funds to take care of my family has been an uphill task.
