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.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
We of course felt very happy as a family after receiving the transfers from GiveDirectly as earlier promised by their officers. It was around 9:00 pm when we received the message from them.The thought that I would be able to help one of our sons buy his own piece of land and pay school fees for the other resally made us happy.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
We of course felt very happy as a family after receiving the transfers from GiveDirectly as earlier promised by their officers. It was around 9:00 pm when we received the message from them.The thought that I would be able to help one of our sons buy his own piece of land and pay school fees for the other resally made us happy.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We used KES 32000 to buy 1 dairy cow and used another KES 15000 to help one of our sons pay for and acquire piece of land. The remaining amount was used to buy food and other basic household needs for our family. The desire to buy our son a piece of land that he had identified was informed by the fact that we only have a small piece of land for the entire family. The other son who is pursuing his tertiary education got his education boosted and this will definitely have an impact in his life in future. We feel so much grateful to GiveDirectly for the timely support
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My last born son is in form four in Siongiroi Day Secondary School and his national exams are due in March next year. This means that he needs ample time in school to adequately prepare. Raising his school fees has been a nightmare to me and as we talk I have arrears to a tune of KES 7000. I have tried to explain to the school principal that I am not in a position to raise the required amount but that has fallen on deaf ears. Now and again he is out of school and this is lowering his morale. Receiving this money will help me clear outstanding school fees arrears as well as give my son a conducive environment to prepare for his examinations.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Three months ago my homestead was connected to electricity and this was a government-sponsored project. I did not pay even a shilling to have it in place. The presence of electricity in my house has reduced the cost of having to buy kerosene and that made me very happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial instability is the biggest challenge that I currently face. I depend on casual jobs like planting, weeding, and harvesting on other people's farms to meet the basic needs of my family. Because of prolonged drought, farmers are not willing to plant anything for fear of losses and this renders me jobless. This situation can sometimes be worse to a point of going for three months without money.
