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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($468 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
"I am a father of four, and I solely depend on some small casual work which at times is not that well paying. I had always dream of starting a small business of my own. Lack of capital to invest is the challenge I have been experiencing in my life and that is why I had not started the business. I needed a around KES 50,000 to start the business. I have got a son too in standard eight who would be joining secondary school come July 2022. Hence there is a need to start planning early for him. Saving for his school fees. I wouldn't want him to stay at home for long before joining secondary school unlike his elder brothers and sisters."
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
"I would say that GiveDirectly has done and is continuing to do a good and recommendable job within the country. Simply giving unconditional cash transfers to low income earners in the country has been a great achievement into the organization. GiveDirectly has saved many lives and families since they started their operations in Kenya. I would say that GiveDirectly models and approaches are quite unique, easy to understand and also very transparent. What I would recommend most from GiveDirectly is their non-affiliated with the government bodies, religious group or any tribe or ethnic group. These has enabled equality and equity in transfers distribution into the whole country."
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
"I had started a business with my first transfer of selling welded doors and windows. I needed to buy more machines for the welding. Thanks to GiveDirectly I received my second transfer of KES 55,000 which I used in buying grinder worth KES 15,000. I have also saved KES 30,000 that am gonna enrolled my son into form one who will joining secondary come May 2022. The remaining KES 8,000 I have used it to stock food for the family. Having the machine of my own business was a dream come true in my life."
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($486 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
With the many plans aligned, it was great excitement when I finally saw a message from GiveDirectly that confirmed the receipt of the first transfer. At that moment, I was alone at home looking after my cows and the vibration alert from my phone sent me checking only to be greeted by the good news. I had to inform some of my family members who were around who were equally excited about receiving the news. My greatest joy at that moment was the fact that my son who is currently in the University will get all he wanted including a laptop that he had been requesting us to buy him. I thanked God and started planning on collecting the money before long.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
After receiving and spending all the transfers within a span of one month, I am glad that there are a lot of changes in our household. At the moment, the biggest difference was equipping my school child with a laptop that he had been requesting since he joined his first year in University only to get it in the third year. He was grateful when I delivered the machine to him, and he promised to work harder and take good care of the machine so that it can be of great use to his siblings.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
With the clear plan that we had made with other members of my family, breaking the whole amount and distributing it to every item was not a hard task after collecting the money. The first KES25000 went to the purchase of a personal computer that my son is happily using at the moment in University to complete his project. After training sometimes back on mechanics and welding, I saw it as a good opportunity to finally start and equip my welding shop with part of the transfer. With KES17000, I obtained a welding machine that is currently working well in my new shop earning me a little income that I am hoping to see an increase once I obtain a grinding machine and other pieces of equipment that are necessary for enhancing quality work. With a family of four, it has been so hard for us to buy milk from the neighborhood that would cost us at least KES80 per day. With the remaining amount, we added to the savings that we had, and obtained a lactating cow at KES30000. We are now enjoying enough supply of milk and looking forward to a better season when we can sell the surplus as a source of extra income to our household.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a brighter future for my children. I have always desired to educate my children to a University degree level. This has been so unfortunate for the posho mill business, my only source of income, cannot sustain their education. I have a total of 6 children, of which 3 are dropouts, 1 completed grade 12 in the year 2016 but has not upgraded his education, 1 in grade 8 and 1 is a third-year student at the University of Jaramogi. My heart aches when I see my children drop out of school for I foresee a burden in the future. My only hope lies on Give directly for I intend to use KES 36000 to clear school fees for my son at the university. Additionally, as my son in grade 8 is to join grade 9 in 2021, it is the ease of burden as I will use KES 40000 to clear his school fees and purchase a uniform. This will be a dream come through for they will be able to secure jobs in future with their certificates hence able to fend for themselves.
What is the happiest part of your day?
When I gave birth to my posho mill business idea 3 years ago, I could either run into losses or get a profit of even KES 1000. The business however picked up 1 year ago and it then started booming 6 months ago. From this instance, I earn a profit of KES 3000 a month. I have used this to clear school fees for my son in University and I am so happy now that he will be completing his studies without arrears.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am a businessman who depends on posho milling for a living. From the aforementioned business, I earn a profit of KES 3000 monthly. This is channelled towards school fees for my son in grade 8 and the university. I pay KES 70000 yearly for both. The profits cannot sustain both their education and the food for the household. My family of 4 is, therefore, left almost penniless as the alternative source of income has been previously invaded with the lethal maize necrosis. Furthermore, we even go to bed hungry for the benefit of my children education.
