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?
I was busy weeding maize when I heard an SMS notification in my phone at around 11am. Immediately, I checked the phone and there it was KES55000 from GiveDirectly. I was elated because I knew that my school fees burdens were no more.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is payment of school fees for my daughter which was quite a burden for me as I also have other kids in high school.For me through these transfers God made a way for me where there was no way and I am very grateful.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 30000 on payment of school fees for my daughter in college.In order to pay fees I normally rely on maize, beans and onion farming. I also spent KES 30,000 on a dairy cow because when it gives birth can be sold for school fees.The rest was spent on food and household items.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My last-born daughter joined technical college two years ago to pursue a diploma course in catering. I want her to study well and progress to the next level which is undergraduate studies. I usually pay KES 55,000 per year as school fees. Since I do not have a reliable source of income, raising this amount has not been easy. Receiving this money means a bright future for her. It will enable me to buy two dairy cows at an expense of KES 70,000 to help me fulfill this plan. I expect that in the next two years I will get milk for commercial purposes, thus making me afford quality education for my daughter. The rest of the transfer I will use to clear the outstanding fee balance amounting to KES 20,000.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The rains have poured continuously for the last 5 months. This has brought me happiness in my life because it has been 2 good years without a successful harvest. I have put 3 acres of land under cultivation where I have planted maize and beans. I will harvest 10 bags of maize and 1 bag of beans at the end of the season and my family will get enough food supply for the whole year and the surplus I can sell to get money for other uses such as school fees.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Educating my children has been a priority to me. Paying for their school fees is an uphill task. My husband went on retirement three years ago while I am a businesswoman. The little profit of about KES 150 per day that I get from selling vegetables in the shopping center is hardly enough to cater to all the basic needs including education costs. Due to that, we sold one cow to be able to get money to partially offset school fees. Being unable to settle these costs even after selling livestock sums up the biggest challenge I am currently facing.
