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
53150 KES ($433 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I'm looking forward to finishing the house that my son started. Furthermore, I hope to open a grocery store where I can sell fruits such as papaws, avocados, pineapples, and watermelons, and with the proceeds, I hope to provide a better life for my youngest children than my siblings and I have had.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Mwanganga Town has been completely transformed thanks to GiveDirectly. They have made people's dreams come true. Building a house, buying land, getting livestock, and so on. People would never have done any of these things if it weren't for GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used the GiveDirectly funds primarily to improve my living conditions and overall quality of life. The transfers enabled me to buy food, a mattress, and iron sheets for a project. I had 13 children, one of whom died, and my children have been kind enough to build me a house on a one-acre plot of land they have secured for me. Six of my thirteen children are still in school, though I sometimes struggle to recall them due to my epilepsy and memory loss. Apart from tilling the land my children gave me, going to Kemri in Kilifi to get my medications, and attempting to finish the two-bedroom house There was little else that the funds were used for besides building me. GiveDirectly has enabled me to continue the good work that my children have begun in my life.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($470 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
As I was on my way to the water point to fetch some water in the morning at around 8 am, I received a message on my phone. Literary, I use my phone to receive calls and make calls through assistance not reading messages because I do not know how to read. Considering this, I just ignored it and proceeded to the water point. When I returned home, I had forgotten that I had received a message and I kept the phone for other duties. At around 11 am my daughter who took the phone to call her brother saw the message box on the screen and she opened it. She screamed in happiness and came to inform me of the good news. We both danced in happiness for receiving a huge amount of money at once.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
There are two main differences that the GiveDirectly transfer made a mark in my life. The first thing was about my children who had been sent back home due to school fees and the accumulated arrears. The transfer enabled me to settle and pay the school fees and as of now, my children are back in school. The second thing is about the house, since the place I am residing is new, I did not foresee myself building a nice house till the time I received the transfer. This transfer opened my eyes and aided me to plan and construct a house that will make the place be seen as a home, not an archive.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Since I had recently bought a plot of land and constructed a shade to dwell in, I saw it prudent to plan around building a nice house for my family to mark as the first house in the new home since the one I had built was just a structure to shelter my family. Therefore, I used KES 20000.00 in buying iron sheets. I also used KES 10000.00 to pay school fees for my children who had been sent out of school due to the fee arrears that had accumulated. Since the season we were in was very dry and getting some food was a challenge, I took KES 5000.00 and did some foodstuff shopping for my family. I also bought a cow for KES 12000.00 and some chicken.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
As a Single mother of twelve children, with no sustainable source of income, I am left helpless. I am a casual labourer selling firewood, Burning and selling charcoal. With this business, I can only afford 2000 KES which is distributed to food, school fees, medical, and clothing. As much as shelter is important to me and my children, I have not given it a priority in any of the spending. It has been difficult to build a decent house. I have a grown epileptic son whom we share the small house in. I feel ashamed as a mother living in the same house with my grown son. I am, therefore, planning to build a house for him and his siblings with the first transfer of 40000 KES and have my daughter start up a business with the remaining 15000 KES which will serve as an investment.
What is the happiest part of your day?
It was hectic living in my maternal home, no day passed without chaos from my brothers. Thanks to my little son who started keeping chicken which was later exchanged with goats. It is through the selling of the goats that facilitated me to buy land which I am now happily living with my children.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My wish was to see all my children through school but due to financial constraints, only seven of them are in school. Two dropped out due to lack of school fees and were forced into child labour to fend for their siblings. I am worried about the ones still in school. They may end up stuck in the loop because they are always sent home for fees. I have fee arrears amounting to 15000 KES with no means of getting it cleared. One of my sons just completed his primary School level Education with some fee areas which I am needed to clear for him to get his results and certificate.
