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 ($442 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?
Before GiveDirectly came into my life, I was struggling a lot to pay school fees for my two children who are in high school. I do farming as my source of income but this activity has not been reliable of late since the seasons haven't been predictable like they used to be. The crops are at times affected by rains and drought as well. After I managed to pay school fees for the whole year for both of them with the transfers received, I now plan to buy a dairy cow for milk production. I know when I got one, I will be having milk for use at home and surplus for sale. That would help me to increase my income.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
According to me, GiveDirectly did well by giving us equal money. They never gave more to those who are not well off nor less to those who are somehow better off. On the other hand, I didn't notice anything that was not done well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
As a parent, I must educate my children, and that responsibility requires a lot of money. I have two children in high school and when I got my second transfer, I spent KES 20000 on paying their school fees for the whole year. I then spent KES 28000 on buying building materials for constructing a house. I am glad that we got a better house which is more spacious. The remaining amount of KES 5000, I spent on buying a few utensils and some foodstuffs for my family.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($496 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
words cannot express the immense joy that I felt when I received my transfer, it was like a dream come true, I was busy with my house chores when I heard my phone vibrating loudly, upon checking I saw a Mpesa notification showing that I had received a sum of KES 55,000, I am so happy for the support that brought so much happiness in our lives, I knew that with the transfer I will be able to accomplish the plans that I had, I am grateful for the support that gave us hope in life.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My mind is at peace now that my children are all in school, this is because I was able to offset the school fees arrears with the transfer that I had received from GiveDirectly, unlike before where they would always waste a lot of time back and forth from school to home, GiveDirectly has put a smile in all our faces and we can afford a smile because the hope of a better tomorrow was revived. in addition to that, I bought a sofa set. I am so grateful for the support that changed our lives amazingly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The transfer came at the right time of need when I was struggling with school fees payment, I have three children in secondary school, I used to depend on the farm produce to educate them but unfortunately, the harvest is not much due to climate change, therefore when received my transfer, I used KES 20,000 to clear the school fees arrears, I then bought sofa set worth KES10,000, and lastly bought clothes and foodstuffs. I am so happy that I was able to clear the fees arrears with the transfer.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means that we will be able to pay school fees for our 3 children in secondary school on time. For the last 4 years, we have been struggling to raise their school fees. This has been a big challenge to us, sometimes they miss class since they will be at home. We feel ashamed as a parent seeing them at home and other people's children are at school studying. Hopefully we received this transfers, we will spend KES 20,000 of the first transfers paying their school fees. Since, my main source of income has been rearing livestock, God willing we will add another lactating cow in order to increase our income in the future.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am casual labourer, I carry water from near by river to people's home at a fee. My area experience prolonged drought hence most people depend on purchasing water for both domestic and animal use. Though I am using donkey to transport them, moving to and from for around 5 times a day is not a easy task. Evening is my happiest part of the day because I get time to relax after a tiresome day and also knowing that I have not failed in puting food on the table for my family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship we have faced in our daily life is lack of stable source of income. My spouse and I are casual labourers at a near large scale farmer. From this we can earn an income of around KES 5000, this is not enough to raise a family of 7 where per day we use approximately KES 300.
