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 ($461 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?
Yes, I have a new goal that I did not have before receiving my transfers which is to start a business. There are some factors that I have considered for this type of business that I am yearning to start. In my village, no one sells fish and they are always in high demand since currently there is a prolonged drought, there are no vegetables honor farms. This will be helpful not only to me but to the entire village.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly has been doing well in my region by empowering each needy house financially. Currently, 80% of my village mates have started businesses which have already boosted their living standards. Initially, we have been relying on farming activities which were not lucrative. Therefore, I do not see anything that GiveDirectly is not doing well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my second transfer on buying pieces of iron sheets, the building poles, and the labor charges which cost a total of KES 23000. I had planned to construct a new house for my son who has been sleeping at his grandmother's house which he was comfortable with. Our house was very small to accommodate us all, besides he is now a teenager and according to our culture it is a taboo to share the same roof with them. Also, I cleared fees for my daughter who is in her third year in secondary school. With the remaining amount of money, I bought foodstuffs and decent clothing for my six children. For now, they no longer skip or go without food as it was before.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($495 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 9 when I was about to prepare breakfast for my children early in the morning when I heard my phone ringing in such a way that it was an alert of a message. I then decided to check the contents, I didn't believe what I saw. It was an Mpesa message from GiveDirectly. due to the excitement that I had, I couldnt continue with the cooking. I shared the news with my family and we both celebrated this fortune. I was certain I would send all my children to school.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life that I can mention is that the cash transfers have empowered me to pay fees and send all my children to school. It has always been my joy to see them waking up and rushing to catch their lessons without missing any. My spouse is the sole breadwinner who depends on a casual job with a low income of KES 200 a day. With a family of ten members, the money was too little to cater to our basic needs, he, therefore, could not consistently pay the fees on time. This kept my children out of school because of the huge arrears. I however decided to pay the fees to enable my children to be literate and this is a promise of a bright future together with their generations. I feel so grateful and happy for this support because they are all school studying without hiccups like before.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying sevral building materials such as twenty-four pieces of iron at KES 18000, building poles KES 3000, nails and timber, and the labor at a total charge of at KES 4000. This was purposely for the construction of a new house for my children who have been seeking shelter every evening to friends house becasue our family house was very small. I also bought a door since I felt fixing a metal door was important for security purposes. I later paid school fees of KES 7000 for my five children who were both about to sit for their exams. With the remaining amount of money, I bought enough foodstuffs and clothes for my children.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means decent housing and good education for my kids. I have 5 school going children. One is in secondary school and the other four in primary school. Paying their school fees is a very big challenge for me. I will use the whole of the first transfer to clear all the school fee arrears. I will then use 20,000 shillings of the second transfer to repair my house. My house is very weak, and considered the strong winds in this area, there is a chance my house will fall. Finally, I will use 30,000 Kenyan shillings to buy two cows and an ox drawn plough. I will use the cows to cultivate my land and cultivate for other people thus earning an income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening. I spend my whole day doing house chores and burning charcoal. In the evening, my children come back from school and help me with the evening chores. As they do that, I get time to rest.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of money is the biggest challenge I have ever faced. I am not employed for me to get a constant income. I always burn charcoal to earn an income. The income I get is not enough to sustain our family of 6 children. The charcoal burning business is also not consistent. You can stay for a month without getting people to buy the charcoal.My husband on the other works as a watchman, he is paid 8,000 Kenyan shillings per month.The salary he gets is still not enough. Sometimes my children are forced to skip school due to lack of school fees.
