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?
That morning, I was relaxing in the nearly market with my friends when I saw a message pop-up. Then, I had a lot of thoughts going through my mind and I was wondering if I will be allowed back in school with huge fees balance. Upon seeing the cash transfer message, I was so happy that I had something to offset the balance so that I can be allowed back in school.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference is that I will finally have smooth time in school and concentrate in my studies as the monthly transfers will enough to sort out my fees. Previously, I would be send out of school for fees oftenly and it became difficult for me to settle in school and focus on my studies.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Coming out of poor family, I didn't see myself getting to high school.My mother runs a local restaurant while my father is peasant farmer. The prolonged drought has made it impossible for my father to do much in the farm and so, my mother had to take up all the family responsibilities. With her profit of KES 200 per day, it's been a struggle to keep me and my three siblings in school because she also needed to sustain the business. When I was enrolled in the program, I promised myself to pay my school fees so that I can relieve my mother the burden and give her a chance to raise my four siblings without much strain. I spend my first transfer to offset fees arrears which stood at KES 6000. The balance is now KES 4800 and I'm looking forward to redeem it with the following subsequent monthly transfers.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
When I think of receiving this money, I think of self empowerment. I plan to set up a small shop where I will be selling household items. This will cost me about 10000 KES. I have some mansonry skills this will come in handy when I build the shop. I will employ an attendant to attend to the shop while I am at school and pay him or her 300 KES a day.
My future plan is to own a piece of land in Bamburi, Mombasa where I can build some rentals. This shop will hel me achieve this dream. I know this is achievable because I work as a shop attendant while not in school and I see the profit and the potential it has when one invests in this business.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The first day at school was amazing, the orientation, meeting new friends and just knowing the environment I will be in for the next four years was informative and promising. This is my second month and I am still excited about school.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The constant delay and shame that comes with being sent home frequently because off school fees arrears is my biggest concern. As I speak to the GiveDirectly officer, this is my third day out of school. My mates are going on with their syllabus and I am at home thinking to myself how the four years I have in school will be because I just joined form one and already school fees is a challenge.
I need about 5000 KES so that they can have me back, I just hope my parents will be able to come up with the amount so that I can catch up with my peers.
