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.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($478 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
check
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My new goal is to look for enough money that will enable me to take my child to the university once the results of the secondary school final examinations are out. He recently completed his secondary school studies and I would like him to join the university to further his studies. Other than that, I have a plan to till my land and plant maize and beans. I have already bought the seeds. Schools are closed for the holidays and hence the children are at home. I plan to till the land with them and plant. I am a farmer and the maize and beans that I grow, I usually supply some to the school where my child is studying. By doing so, I get to pay for his school fees.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly staff were very polite and understanding. They explained everything about the program slowly and they ensured that someone has understood everything. They also did not force anyone to get enrolled into their program. I thus do not see anything wrong with how they conducted their work.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 30000 of my recent transfer on buying another cow. I decided to buy the cow to add to the one that I have so that when one is dry, I can still have a milk supply from the other. I am a farmer and I usually some of the milk. The money that I get from the sales, usually helps me in paying school fees for my children. I also spent another KES 12000 on buying two rolls of barbed wire. I want to fence the whole of my land so that I can leave the cows to graze freely on their own. I usually have to tie them up to restrain them from going to the farm and destroying crops. I also saved KES 6000 that I plan to use in buying school bags for my two boys. With the remaining transfer, I used KES 3000 on buying a bag of maize for our consumption and another KES 3000 I used it on buying some household utensils. I am thus so much grateful for everything that GiveDirectly has done for us.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($484 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 11pm while already asleep when I heard an SMS notification on my phone. On checking, it was KES55000 from GiveDirectly and I had mixed feelings because at the time I was grieving the loss of my nephew.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is happiness because through the transfers I have paid school fees. This was quite a burden especially during long dry spells when crops and cows wouldn't do well. I can also comfortably sit in my house because through the transfers I bought modern sofasets of which I couldn't afford before and used to seat on stools.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES25000 on payment of school fees for my kids in college and high school. I usually depend on dairy and maize farming in order to pay school fees. I also spent KES 10000 on a solar lighting system, KES 5000 on food and clothing, KES 5000 on two sofa set seaters and KES 2000 on funeral expenses.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money will enable me to pay school fees for my children. I am required to pay KES 5000 every school term for my daughter in secondary school so that she can be able to learn. I cannot do so since I sell milk to a shopkeeper here and get paid KES 30 per liter which cannot sustain that. I plan to buy another cow with KES 30000 of the transfer so that I can sell more milk than I do and get more money to support my children in school and buying food for them.
What is the happiest part of your day?
This area is prone to drought and when that sets in, we cannot do any farming. I am grateful that for the last 6 months, our area has received sufficient rain and through that, we have been able to farm and also harvest food. This has given me joy because I know that I have enough food to last my household.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The greatest challenge that I am facing now is paying school fees for my children. I have 2 children, one in a technical college and the other one in secondary school, and require a lot of money. I cannot do so because I am a single parent and rely mostly on selling milk and doing any casual labor. The money that I earn cannot meet this need and also enable me to feed them comfortably.
