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 ($436 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I'm hoping that this year I will be able to prepare my land for the rainy season therefore I plan on buying a mold that will help me till my land. I also intend on looking into nourishment since this is a recurring challenge for me and my family due to drought and considering my husband can barely work due to his old age then I need to step up.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I would love to express my attitude to the organization for the University that it has shown us. The funds enabled me to pay tuition for my son and fortunately at the moment he has graduated from high school which makes me quite happy.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
At the time I was receiving the transfers, I had quite a huge debt in tuition fee for my son who was in high school. Therefore as soon as I got the chance to withdraw the transfers I proceeded to pay KES 30,000 for my son's education. Afterwards I proceeded to spend KES 6,000 on purchasing two goats. As for the balance, I gradually spent it on nutrition for the family since my husband was barely making any money.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($470 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The news about the receipt of the transfer spread around the village from around 9 am. Every household was celebrating receiving the transfer. Since I am illiterate and among the people who were enrolled in the program, I had to call my helper to confirm my account balance. I was so excited when I finally learned that I had received the transfer too. I was very sure that my kid will be able to resume his studies after being sent home with a school fees balance of KES 10,000.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life is that I am currently relieved of all the stresses after receiving the transfer. Through the transfer, my child was able to resume his studies. Also, I am no longer struggling to meet the needs of the family, especially food.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My kid had been sent home for almost a week due to fee arrears. This troubled me since I did not have any money to support his education. I spent KES 10,000 to clear all the pending fees. Similarly, I used KES 20,000 to pay all the fees for the entire year. Currently, I am happy that he is able to concentrate on his studies without interruption. In addition, I spent KES 10,000 to boost my livestock rearing by purchasing one local dairy cow a future investment for the family. With the remaining KES 10,000, I bought sufficient food for the family since my husband who is the breadwinner was sick. The kidney problems had rendered him unable to work after undergoing two operations.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
We stay in a family land that has not yet been sub-divided. It is a forest and we are not allowed to cut down trees for a substantial portion for farming.Receiving this money means possession of land to me. I intend to buy a portion of land two hectares for 30,000 KES, where I can farm during the rainy season. I have two bulls in my compound, I will buy a plough so that I can be able to cultivate a bigger portion of land. This can help me get more food for my family (3 children and 5 grandchildren). I can also rent my bulls to cultivate other people's land at a fee. This will help me get revenue to buy water and pay school fees for my children. I am happy to be enrolled today.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I had planted maize last season, of all the people in my village, I managed to get the best harvest. I was able to get two sacks of maize from my farm. This brought joy to my life, harvesting after two years of drought was exceptional.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My husband was diagnosed with tuberculosis and he was advised not to work, this left me with no option but to take the responsibility for the family. I have two children in secondary school to pay school fees for them. My firstborn vacated our home after securing a job which made things worse. I had to venture into charcoal burning to get food and pay school fees. This is tiresome and stressful because I was not used to it. I get a revenue of approximately 1500 per week which is insufficient to pay school fees and buy food.
