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 ($465 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Saving KES 20,000 for school fees for my daughter who is in secondary school is the new goal that I did not have before receiving the transfer. My daughter used to be sent home to collect the school fees and this was affecting her performance in school. I will be able to pay the school fees on time and enable her to study well without being disturbed like before.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The training and the enrollment process were fairly done and most of the people who received the transfer spent it well. Their living standard improved compared to the previous day. This is what GiveDirectly does well. I do not find anything that GiveDirecly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 20,000 to purchase materials and build five beehives. This is one of the businesses that I had always wanted to invest in. In the next few months, I will harvest some honey and sell it. There is high demand for natural honey in the market, which I will sell to earn some income. I am so excited because I am doing this for the first time. I will be able to get money from the sales of honey to meet my daily household needs and pay school fees for my daughter. I spent some amount in tilling my farm and planting Napier grass for my cow. I saved KES 20,000 for school fees for my daughter who is in secondary school. I will pay the school fees on time and she will be able to study well without being sent home like before. I am so grateful because GiveDirectly has changed our living standard to be much better than before.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($484 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I felt so happy and appreciative that day. The money was sent to me overnight when I had already retired to bed. It was only in the morning that I checked and confirmed that I had indeed received a sum of Lecce 55000 from GiveDirectly. I took time to relax after receiving the money and reorganized myself on what I needed to do with the money. I felt particularly happy that I was going to be able to buy a dairy cow and hopefully stop buying milk-an affair that had costed me a lot of money.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the fact that I now have peace of mind like I have never had before. I feel so much at peace knowing that I will be able to meet the immediate needs of my family like payment of school fees and buying food. My family is more independent financially compared to the days before we received the money. I feel I have been empowered to assist my husband financially and we are raising one happier family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used KES 35000 of my money to buy a dairy cow. I had been forced to buy milk for a long time having no cow of my own and I had the desire of buying a dairy cow but the amount of money that I got from my odd casual jobs could not be enough to meet all the needs of my family. I have five children who look up to me for payment of school fees as well as other needs. The cow has since calfed and reliefed me of the stress of having to keep buying milk. I am also able to sell the surplus of 2 litres produced each day and I now easily meet other family needs unlike before.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money will mean that I will be able to buy a dairy cow and expand our beekeeping project. A good cow goes for KES 50000 and I project to get up to 10litres on a good day and 5 liters on a bad day of milk that I can sell to the nearest cooperative at KES 35 a litre. This translates to KES 175 a day and KES 5000 a month from selling milk to them meaning that I will be able to pay school fees for my children and feed them comfortably. We also plan to expand our beekeeping project by adding 6 hives to the 4 hives that we have since we discovered that selling honey is a lucrative business with high returns.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I lost my brother at the beginning of this year and getting over his death has been a challenge. Having a family that has been present and supportive emotionally has brought me joy over the last few months.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The main challenge that I am currently facing is financial limitations. I do not have a job now and I rely on my husband to provide food and pay school fees for our 5 children. He earns an approximate amount of KES 5000 every month which is less and he does not receive it constantly. Venturing into other businesses will help boost our income and enable us to take care of our children and also lessen the strain on him.
