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?
Early in the morning, around 5am., I heard a message come through, but I was too sleepy to check it right away. When I finally woke up and checked my phone, I saw the money had arrived, and I was overwhelmed with happiness. I couldn’t stop laughing, and my kids even asked, "Mama, why are you so happy today?" I told them, "I have received a lot of money from GiveDirectly!" The first thing that came to my mind was paying school fees because my kids had been in and out of school due to a lack of fees. It had been such a stress for me, and now I finally had the solution in my hands.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life after receiving the transfer is that I was able to pay my children’s school fees. Before, they were constantly being sent home because of unpaid fees, which made them sad and made me feel stressed. Now, they are happy in school, studying without any interruptions, just like other children. It brings me peace of mind to know they can stay in class and focus on their education. I no longer worry about how to raise money for their fees, and I feel relieved that they can have a better future. Seeing them at school every day brings joy to my heart.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When the money came, I felt a huge sense of relief. I used $80 to pay my children’s school fees because they had been sent home so many times due to unpaid fees. I used to run a small grocery business, but when sales dropped, I had to close it. To keep paying for necessities, I joined merry-go-rounds to raise money. It was really tough, especially since my husband is old and unable to help much. I spent $60 on cement to fix our house because the walls were cracking, and I feared it might collapse. The house was in bad shape, and I couldn’t bear the thought of my children living in such a dangerous place. Now, with the repairs done, I feel much more comfortable and secure at home. Lastly, I used $40 to buy food for my family. Since my grocery business had closed, getting enough food had become difficult. But with the transfer, we finally had enough to eat, and I could provide properly for my family. I am truly grateful because this money has lifted a heavy burden off my shoulders and brought peace to our home.
Enrolled
access_time 3 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
Receiving the cash transfers means so much to us since we believe it will change our lives positively. Firstly, we have planned to use KES 15000 of the first cash transfers to repair our house. For the remaining KES 3000 we intend to purchase food. For the second chas transfer we intend to use KES 15000 to construct a toilet and use KES 20000 to pay school fees for our two daughters in secondary school. For the remaining KES 10000 we intend to purchase 3 goats. For the third cash transfer we intend to start a tomato business. This will be a great investment that will be our source of money. Through the cash transfers we believe we will be able to transform our lives positively.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Our happiness always comes from our children. Despite the fact that they do have good employment, they always find a way of supporting us. This greatly delights us and we are grateful to God for them.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Our greatest challenge currently is a lack of money. We only depend on casual work which is very difficult to get. Because of this we have a lack of money for basic needs and also to pay for our children's school fees. It saddens me so much whenever we have to ask our neighbors for support.
