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 ($485 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different than how it would have been if I never received the transfers in that I have paid school fees for my grandchildren. I have three grandchildren who are in secondary school. Their mother passed on and I was left with the responsibility of taking care of them. I depend on small scale farming. I plant beans and vegetables. I sell this produce at the market and earn an income to pay the school fees. Sometimes I take this produce to school as a form of paying the school fees. My grandchildren sometimes are sent home for school fees. Due to the fact that I did not have ready cash they could stay home for quite some time and this was affecting their performance. This was making me worried. When I received the second transfer I decided to pay school fees for this academic year. They were not sent home this time. They were able to study weell and improve in their performance. I have enough time to save some money for next academic term. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has enabled me to educate my grandchildren and I also have peace of mind to do my daily activities at home.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community to build better houses and to buy dairy cows. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 13,000 to pay school fees for my two grandchildren who are in secondary school. Their mother passed on and I was left with the responsibility of taking care of them. I bought a heifer at KES 20,000. This is an investment because I will get milk when it reproduce. I also bought school uniform and food for my family. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed my living standard.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($510 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was a great feeling receiving the transfer from GiveDirectly. This is one fortune I had been looking forward to after enrolment as I had a lot of plans for my grandchildren. I really thanked God when I received and ensured that every coin counted in the project I had.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is seeing my grandchildren wake up every morning with bright smiles having that assurance that all their school fees have been cleared. This has given me peace of mind and it is ample time for them to also settle and study in their classes for the whole term.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Living with my three grandchildren in the single house I had has never been that easy to them as they had been growing older and privacy for them is of great value. After their mother passed on 10 years ago, I have seen them grow in my house. I have always given them the best treatment I could as I try to remove the orphans feeling in them. On receiving the transfer, I spent approximately 35000KES in the construction of a spacious house enough for them to be reading in and also sleeping after. With the remaining amount, I spent 15000KES to clear the school fees areas and used the last remaining amount on buying them new school uniforms.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My ambition while growing up was to finish my education and a be a teacher, but since I wasn't fortunate enough I had to drop out in class 3. I live with my 3 orphaned grandchildren who are all in school. I try my best to get income and support their education by selling my farm produce which is in small scale. I see myself in them and I want to ensure they get to finish high school. That is why I will use most of my transfer in paying for their school fees and the rest in providing basic needs such us clothing and food.
What is the happiest part of your day?
On my usual day I wake up at 5 in the morning and prepare breakfast for my grandchildren on days they go to school. Then I head to the farm where I spend most of my day until evening. In the evening I get to spend time with my grand children and that is when I'm mostly happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest hardship has been financial strains. I'm obliged to take care of my orphaned grandchildren and support their education yet I am elderly. 2 of them are in secondary school while one is in primary and their school fees and school expenses has been a major struggle for me. Since their parents died they have been staying with me, but their school uniforms are torn to an extent of unwearable.
