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 ($506 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
For a long time, I have had an idea of wanting to improve our houses by building a semi-permanent structure. This had remained just that-idea because most of the resources that I got went into my children's school fees and nothing was left for other projects. I am glad that GiveDirectly actualized my idea. I am currently sawing timber and I already have some other building materials and once all is ready, I will build my house. I am currently staying in a mud-walled house and with the dust that is associated with such houses and the high maintenance required, I saw it fit to build a better house. I am also glad that I was able to clear the fee balance and pay a whole term's fee for my children in secondary school.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, I loved that everyone was given the freedom to choose what to do with the transfer. This will ensure that everyone meets all their essential needs. Everything was well planned and done and I wouldn't change anything.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I bought some trees to saw timbers using the transfer received and bought some food for my family. I still have some amount of money safely kept that will help put up the house that I am planning to build. Depending on how much remains after I finish building the house, I would wish to buy a young cow for rearing.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($545 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have paid school for my daughter in secondary school. I depend on small scale farming to earn an income to meet the basic needs and also pay school fees. My two firstborns daughters at times help me in paying part of the school fees but since they do not have a good job sometimes it was hard for them to raise the money. My daughter in secondary school sometimes when she is sent home to collect the school fees, she stays home for a long time because I did not have ready money. This was affecting her performance in school. Currently, I have cleared all the fees balance and she is no longer sent home like before. This has given me peace of mind to do other activities well without any stress.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment when I received my money I felt so happy. I remember it was very early in the morning when I was checking my phone as usual l little did I know that GiveDirectly has sent us the money. I felt so happy when I saw the message and I immediately I informed my children who also celebrated. I knew I was in a position to pay school fees for my children.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent my first transfer to pay school fees for my daughter in secondary school. we live in a small house which cannot host us comfortably. I also bought building material in place waiting for the second transfer to start constructing a new house and the rest of the money I used it to buy food and clothes for my children.
Enrolled
access_time almost 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I sold all my cows when five of my children were in secondary school and the University.For some years now,we have had to spare some more money each day from our little farm income to buy milk.We still have young children hence this is still a neccesity.Since then,I have not been able to buy any other cows.I also still have a child in secondary school and one in university hence the struggle of paying fees has never stopped.Receiving this money will enable me buy a dairy cow as well as pay school fees for my children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In order to earn a little income for my family,I resorted to repairing padlocks as well as making hoesticks.I do this within my homestead and most of my clients come for them at home.Through this job,am able to get a little money to sustain the needs of my family.Am mostly happiest in the mornings when I start working on this and as my clients place their orders.This assures me that my family's needs for the day will be sorted.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced is raising school fees for my children.I have eleven children and at one point there were five of them all at once in Universities and secondary schools.Since we are not in any employment,it was always very difficult to raise these fees.I sold all the livestock I had and when I had no more and there was still need for more money,I had to sell a piece of land.As a result,I was left with less than an acre to cultivate on and no cow to provide milk both for consumption and as an income source.This has exposed the rest of the children to lack especially milk which is necessary in their diet.With the small piece of land,am not able to grow enough crops to sustain my family till the next harvest.
