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 ($493 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Now I have a good structure for my family and I have restored my privacy since I use to sleep in the same room with my big boys. Sometimes my boys could seek refuge from my neighbor something that has lowered my self-esteem as a parent.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, Givedirectly has helped me to improve my nutrition for my children since I can now afford to get their daily meals. This is because sometimes they use to sleep without any food, also I was able to build better house.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my second transfer to complete the construction of my house which I had already started with my first transfer. I purchased 23 iron sheets at Ksh 900 each ,building pole and timber. The remaining amount assisted me in paying fees for my 4 children who are in primary school and one has just is about to join secondary school.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($494 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
My phone was off by the time GiveDirectly sent the transfer. When I turned it on, I received the message that I had been anxiously waiting for, I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I felt happy because at least I could now provide for my family without struggle.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I have never lacked food to feed my children ever since I received my first transfer unlike before GiveDirectly visited us. Providing for my family has not been easy being that I am a single mother mainly depending on menial jobs to earn a living. Sometimes getting these jobs is unpredictable thus we could skip meals due to lack of money to buy foodstuffs. I am grateful to GiveDirectly because through the transfer, we have had enough food daily as well as meeting some other basic needs without struggle.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The transfer has greatly helped me to provide adequately for my family. I am a single mother and providing for my family has not been easy. The little income from menial jobs is not enough to take care of my family's basic needs like food. When I received this transfer, I did enough shopping on foodstuffs that can take us for a whole month. I also spent part of the transfer on my son's medication. He was suffering from a pancreatic disorder. I also bought some iron sheets to build a house for my children. They are currently sheltering in their friends' house at night since my living house is not spacious to accommodate them. I am planning to buy the remaining materials to build a house for them.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My husband passed away at a time when I had 7 young children. during that time I had nothing to depend on because he was the only breadwinner. I was forced to do some casual jobs like the vending of charcoal. This job brings an income of 3,000 shillings per month which is not enough to feed my family as well as paying school fees for my children. Therefore when I receive the cash I will use 30,000 shillings to build 3 roomed house for my children because it is difficult to share with them in 1 roomed house even there is no privacy. 20,000 shillings will be used to buy bed and mattresses, the remaining amount I will use to pay school fees and use in our daily needs such as food.
What is the happiest part of your day?
As a charcoal vendor, I usually move around selling charcoal. The job always becomes tiresome because I walk to the sunshine. However, the evening is always the happiest part of my day because this is the time I relax and sharing meals with my household from the income I got.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial problem is the biggest hardship I have faced in my life. As a charcoal vendor sometimes the market demand becomes very low and it forces me to get small income. It becomes very difficult to feed my family as well as paying the children school fees. This Financial problem has also led us to squeeze in our small house with my 7 children even there is no privacy because I do not have the finance to build a spacious house for the family.
