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.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion I enjoy the fact that GiveDirectly is giving us this funds for the next 5years.i think the only thing that GiveDirectly doesn't do well is when you miss the transfers and you had already planned for it.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My biggest hardship is education and food for my children. I have four children in both secondary and primary school .when I received my first transfer I spent kes 600 in school fees and kes 600 on food which lasted for only 5 days.My second transfer was spent in paying debt for a school loan had taken in our sacco. I took a loan of 15000 to pay for my two secondary children and paid kshs 2800 towards the loan and spent kes 200 on soft drinks for my children during Christmas period. I still owe the sacco but am hopeful I will be able to pay off the debt.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I had left earlier that day at around six in the morning in search of water and I managed to get back at around nine because water is scarce in our area and in order to find some I need to walk and fetch it which is quite a distance from where I stay. On arriving that is when I heard the message and I gave my daughter to read since I cannot and she informed me what it entailed. I was so happy because my kids could finally go back to school at last and what a coincidence it arrived when I could actually use the financial assistance.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Through this money I receive I have genuinely gained stability economic wise, because at times things get tough. I run a small business of selling coconuts while my husband does manual labour for construction when he happens to stumble upon some work and sometimes we get food and other days we miss out. So indeed this funds are playing a huge role in our day to day life because now we can get food and pay our bills.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon receiving the transfers I instantly opted to first contact the school administration and pay school fees to my kids education. Actually two of them had been sent home like four days earlier due to unfinished balances and so I paid KES 500 for three of them splitting KES 200 each between the eldest two who had been home and as for the youngest who was in kindergarten I paid the remaining KES 100. I also bought five bags of maize flour for nutrition of my family which cost me KES 500 plus sugar and bread to have breakfast with which was a total of KES 200.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am a mother, blessed with seven children, with two in secondary school. I am glad that the boy (one of the two in secondary school) was awarded 4-year sponsorship by the government. However, the fee payment for the girl is what gives me a headache. She cannot put up with school for a whole term. The transfers will help me pay at least 2500KES per month so that she can fulfill her educational dreams.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am not joyful anymore. The pain of suffering from ulcers denies me happiness.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
In 2008, I was diagnosed with ulcers, a condition that has so far worsened. It causes difficulty in my eyesight and lots of headaches. To this far, I cannot continue with my casual jobs, something that has made me be a housewife. It pains me not to be able to support my husband in providing for our big family.
