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?
GiveDirectly has helped by giving us an opportunity to take control of our lives and do something meaningful with the funds they offer in order to elevate ourselves for levels of extreme poverty which is honestly marvelous. I am personally grateful because this opportunity will assist me a lot buy helping me see my kids through school and even having enough room to own livestock.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have wanted to own my own livestock for quite sometime but I have had to push that idea away and prioritise mostly on my kids basic needs and that of the family's. Therefore when I received the money from GiveDirectly I went ahead to purchase a goat that cost KES 2,800. I plan to breed the goat and have as a many of them as possible because back here in the village they are highly marketable and on demand and they sell for good prices overall. The reaming balance was about KES 200 which I used to buy two packets of maize flour.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I am a teacher by profession so when the message arrived that morning I was actually teaching in one of my classes. I was genuinely grateful and happy to have received the message because two of my kids had not been to school for two days because I could afford to pay the fees. I teach in a different school so the issue of speaking to the teachers was not going to work because their debts were huge and yet my salary could not cover for the fees of my seven children at once and also have enough left to feed the family. So receiving the money reduced a very heavy load off me because at the time I was stranded financially.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I am the bread winner of my family and most financial matters fall on me, which at times is very stressful and hard because I have a couple of mouths to feed, clothe and cater for in matters of education. GiveDirectly has really come through for me because I feel the load is less heavy as compared to before and I even managed to start my project of rearing chicken which would have probably taken me a while to start.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I got enrolled in this program I happened not to have a phone that I could use to communicate or receive money from through mobile money which was priority in order to get enrolled in this program, but fortunately GiveDirectly offered me one and therefore when I received my funds I got KES 1,200 instead due to having received the phone which was honestly a great help. After receiving the funds I went ahead and purchased a hen because I wanted to start poultry farming since it was a manageable business and it would help me earn some money. Then hen cost me KES 600. The remaining bit of what was left I decided to pay school fees for five of my children who were in school and because two of them had actually been home for two days without attending classes. I gave KES 100 to each which most definitely did not mean that I had cleared my debt but it would at least manage to keep the kids in school for the mean time. The remaining KES 100 I used it to buy sugar since we had none in the house.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
With the money I earn per month as a primary school teacher, I have been unable to fully sustain my family 12. With 27 years in service as a primary school teacher, I still have nothing to show given the burden of responsibility that has become unbearable. Receiving this money from GiveDirectly means I will be able to supplement my income source with a business. I am planning to start a petrol selling business in the village. My compound is close to our nearest trading center. With a lot of youth engaged in motorcycle riding, I believe this will be the ideal place to start my business. I already constructed a structure in the trading center and this is advantageous in that I won't incur the extra costs of renting a shop. I will save the profits from the business to take my two children to university.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Over the past six months, I have never fallen sick unlike in the previous months where I used to be on and off hospitals because of chest related complications. This had brought joy in my life given that I have enough time to attend to my pupils especially those who are about to sit for their final exams.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest challenge I am facing right now is the inability to take my children to institutions of higher learning. Out of the 10 children, 7 are currently in school. The challenge is that after secondary school, I have nothing to help them proceed with college and university. This is very painful because my desire had been seeing my children excel in universities and get the appropriate skills to compete with others in the job market.
