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.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give directly is doing well in providing the cash transfers. Personally I am now able to buy livestock ,pay school fees and provide food for my family because of this funds .I am grateful for this support program.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am peasant farmer who rely on farming.Receiving this cash was quite a blessing because its been a tough season with no rains and no harvest.I spent my transfer to buy food for KES 1400 and used KES 100 as transport from the shop to my home.On the other hand I have two of my children in nursery school and I paid for their school fees with the remaining cash of KES 1500.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 9am when I was at a construction site where I work as a casual laborer when I received a message in my phone. Since I do not know how to read I had to wait till I returned home in the evening for my son to check for me what the message was all about. When he confirmed, he told me that I had received the first transfer from GiveDirectly. I felt so happy and thanked God for bringing this organization to us the community people.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The vivid difference that this transfer did for is that, I was stranded and my form one son was on the verge of being sent home from school. In that regard, this transfer gave me the courage of facing the principal of the school and lobbied with the KES 1000.00 and I am grateful my prayers were answered and my son was retained in school.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Before receiving the money, things were not going well in terms of school fees and food for the family since I am just a casual laborer and I have eight school going children, 7 are in primary and one is in secondary school. When I received the transfer of KES 1200.00, I saw it prudent to pay some of the fees needed so that my children could be retained in school. I took KES 1000.00 and paid part of the fees and used the remaining KES 200.00 in buying maize flour for my family.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
This project is a dream come true, and had wished for give directly to give us a helping hand especially us a community living in drought areas and for sure, they have kept their word.
It's my joy to be able to plan and sustain my family in terms of education for my kids, food for whole family .
What is the happiest part of your day?
Am happy that I have been getting odd jobs, and though not a lot I appreciate I come back with something for the family. I appreciate how I interact l with my neighbors and help each other whenever one is in need and we have not heard any bad news around, that gives me joy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
As a head of family I'm not employed and sometimes back I had opened up businesses but ended up closing them for lack of customers and at the moment, it is tough to get daily meal for my family so most times we sleep hungry hopping the next day we will get a single meal.
Our family is facing water scarcity that demands a lot of money 1 jerrican goes for 50 bob and a day we use over 5 jerricans for cooking, washing, and even feeding our animals. So having over 300 a day just for water is very hard, because we still have to cater for other needs like having emergency money set aside.
