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 home that evening when I received a notification message from Give directly. Upon checking, it was a receipt of Ksh.55,000 that we had been promised in the past weeks. I couldn't hide the good news from my family. They were so happy and advised me to go and withdraw the transfer the next day early in the morning.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the clearance of school fees arrears for my children. It has given me satisfaction and I can now sleep in peace without worrying that they can be sent home anytime. I am grateful to God and Give directly for this support that has brought a lot of changes in my family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Payment of school fees had proven to be a challenge for my three children since I depended on selling vegetables to cater for their school fees hence could not meet the school's expectations. With the first transfer, I spent Kshs 50,000 in clearing balances for two who are in university and one in secondary school. I am now happy they are faring on well without being sent home at all. With the remaining amount, I spent on buying foodstuff for my household.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means quality education for my school-going children. We have been struggling to make ends meet and we entirely depend on my husband for upkeep who is a cook in the nearby school. My husband earns a meager salary of KES 4,000 a month which is not enough to cater to a family of 7. We have 5 school-going children; 1 in primary level, 2 in secondary, and the other 2 in University level. We have a huge burden of settling their school expenses yet my husband's job is unsustainable. We, therefore, intend to spend the entire first transfer to pay school fees for my children which is still not enough since I have school arrears totaling KES 74,000. I was overjoyed knowing that soon I will be the beneficiary of this cash transfer and our burden will be lessened.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the last 6 months, none of my family members have fallen sick and this has brought happiness to our lives. Owing to hard economic times with the coronavirus pandemic disease season, God has seen us through as a family. Initially, when the virus was rampant, we were so worried about our children who are schooling in different regions of the country. Since the virus has been contained, we are glad that we will live a healthy life free from worries of infection.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am only a housewife and currently facing financial inadequacies and this has been the biggest challenge we are facing. Even though my husband works as a cook in the nearby school, he earns a meager salary of KES 4,000 which we rely on yet our land has become futile. We have 1 acre of land for which we have grown maize for domestic use only because we have been unable to harvest surplus for sale due to maize necrosis disease. We at times organize a fundraiser to educate my children and we feel we have become a burden to the members of the community.
