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
55000 KES ($453 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have a new goal of buying my own dairy cow. With the payment of school fees, I was forced to spend everything that I had including selling all the livestock that we had. I now have dairy cows that belongs to someone else and which I keep in my compound just to get milk. This is so discouraging and I am looking forward towards buying one soon. It may not be so soon because I still have children in school that calls for my concentration in looking for their school fees and hence I may not be able to buy any livestock yet. This goal will be achieved after two years or so but I am determined to buy my o n livestock and change the living standards of my family.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does very well by giving aid in form of cash. This, coupled with the fact that there are no conditions given on the use of the funds makes it very easy for different people to make decisions depending on the prevailing needs.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used the entire amount of $530 to complete the construction of a house that had been built halfway. The building had stalled for more than five years since I could not get enough money to continue with its contruction. I had successfully started the construction of this house just before school fee payment took a toll on me. The house was constructed more than five years a go when my children had not started their secondary and tertiary level of education. When I received the first transfer of $550, I used almost the entire amount to purchase building materials including sand, cement and gravel. These materials were meant to be used to cement the floor. The second to transfer was used to purchase other building materials including cement and to meet labour costs that came with it. I am a widow and having been left a lone to fend for my family, made it quite difficult for me to do all these things at once. I had to choose one struggle and I chose to assemble every resource and use it to educate my children. I am delighted that some of them are already done with their education and looking forward to seeing all of them graduate successfully. What I normally rely on as a parent to make money is dairy keeping which earns me a total of $2 per day. This is the amount I have been saving and which has helped me educate my children.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($471 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
8 am. When I heard a message
When I checked it out
Felf so happy
I have never received such amount
My family felt so happy
Withdrew the money the same day
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
49k Construction of a new house
It has stopped due to lack of money
I lacked money for additional materials
I depend on farming work. Vegetable and milk
Saving from merry go round group
I am waiting for the second transfer to complete the construction and moved in
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
49k on the construction of the house that I had started. Bought materials cement and sand. The construction is on going
5k goat
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My eldest son had completed high school in 2019 and I could not afford to take him to collage because his brother is still in highschool. He has been insisting that he wants to continue with his college education. Now that we I'm going to receive the Give Directly money I will be able to fullfil his dream and and also fullfil my dream as a parent in providing his school fees. I will also use the remaining money buy my own cow since the one that was providing milk for the family belonged to a neighbor.
What is the happiest part of your day?
When my daughter performed well in her end year exams in 2021 by getting a grade of C +. This was her best performance ever and it was a prove that my efforts of insisting on her improving her performance was bearing fruits.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Life has been difficult since my children joined highschool in 2019, since their school fees is unaffordable and high. I'm struggling to raise their school fees is ksh 32,000 a year. This is too high for me to raise from my small vegetables farming. Farming has been difficult too because for the last 5 years there has been crop (maize)failure which is making our lives difficult. We depend mostly on maize farming for consumption.
