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?
I had left early in the morning to fetch water. When I came back, my phone had an unread message, and because I cannot read, my son read it for me. I was happy to have received money from Give directly. My children rejoiced with me and I was eager to see my husband at work and share with him the good news.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the joy of having my children at school. I have lived with disappointment because two of my eldest children dropped out because of financial constraints. I almost felt like my third son was also dropping out because it has been a challenge to get enough money to pay for his secondary education, especially with the inconsistency of cash flow and job opportunities.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My biggest challenge has been paying school fees for my children. I have six children, four are in school, whereas the other two dropped out of school because of financial constraints. I am a casual laborer who earns KES 2000 a week and my husband is unemployed and depends on construction sites that offer him casual employment. When I received the cash, I used KES 20000 as school fees for two of my sons in high school, took KES 1000, and paid for the other two in primary school. My house is one-roomed and not stable, so I used KES 28,800 and bought iron sheets, wood, and light poles to build my two-roomed house. The remaining KES 5000 was enough to buy food for my family of eight members.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Constructing a better house and supporting my children's education are among the top priorities that I have had in my life. These being my greatest desires, I have for a long time wished to manage them but due to financial instability, they have remained to be my concerns. With this cash grant, I am intending to spend my first transfer, 55000 KES to construct a decent 2 roomed semi-permanent house for myself to restore my dignity as a respected woman in the village. The remaining transfer, 55000 KES, will aid in supporting my children in school and this will give them ample time in class and eventually, good performances. Thus, this is generally what receiving this money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Despite the many challenges that I am facing in my life, I am so grateful to God for the good health that we have enjoyed over the last 6 months. None of my family members have complained of sickness and this is something that has brought more joy to my life.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I work as a quarrier, a job that earns me 1000 KES per week. This job is very energy-intensive and its income is also not enough to fully cater to my family's basic needs. Since the weekly pay is also not consistent, sometimes we survive with one meal a day. This has affected us health-wise and I am always worried about my children's performances in school whenever they miss food at home. Therefore, I consider financial instability as the major challenge in my life.
