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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($441 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I started the construction of a new house with the second transfer that I am yet to complete even though I have exhausted all I had. Previously, I was living in a small house and saw a need to construct a better one when I received the full transfer. Alongside the construction work, I am also raising money that will support the payment of school fees once my daughter joins the secondary school level early next year.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did an amazing job that uplifted most families within the village. The diverse decision made on spending changed the outlook of the families and the freedom that came with the money on spending gave us comfort in planning. I am happy that I paid school fees for my children, constructed a new house, and also invested some in livestock I never had before. I loved the approach that gave us clear guidelines on the planning and security I formation that safeguarded all the transfers in our accounts.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The second transfer was instrumental in paying part of the term's fees for one of my children in secondary school. I paid KES 20000, which cut the pending debt to KES 15000. Since then, my daughter has enjoyed ample time to prepare for her final examination without any interference. I also spent KES 5000 on buying and fixing a window frame on the new house, which is currently under construction. In addition, I spent KES 25000 to pay for a piece of land from the neighborhood that I had started paying for with the first transfer. I had been living with my family of seven on a small piece of land and increasing it was an idea I had been having even before receiving the transfers. I am glad that I made the payment and took ownership of the land just after completion. I spent the remaining KES 3000 on foodstuff and other missing goods in my household.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($478 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment I received the transfers I jumped up and down happily then ran too inform my husband who was at the farm and we all started to jubilate about the transfers to an extent that a neighbor saw us and also ran to check her phone too.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving transfers is that I now I am stress free, my house is now very beautiful and welcoming after painting it,I am almost installing ceiling boards which shield will us more from cold since our houses are built from timber.and also my daughters school fees is catered thus saving us from selling our sheeps.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my most recent transfer to buy a calf worth 20000 KES, paints and it's labour worth 5000 KES, ceiling boards worth 10000 KES and saved 15000 KES for my daughter school fees who is secondary school.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I practice mixed farming to meet my family's needs. I love it since I do not have any formal job to earn a living. I am a mother of four who is currently in various schools. As a mother, I wish nothing but the best for my children. I have chosen to educate them so that they would live a better life than ours. Our income from farming is not good enough to pay school fees and meet our daily household needs. Receiving this cash to me means good education for my children. I am planning to use KSH 15000 to pay my daughter's school fees. I prefer to prioritize this so that I would have ample time to plan other family activities. I don't like when she is sent home to come for a fee. It disturbs her studies thus ends up failing her exams. With a good time in school am sure she has good grades that can lead her to a good college.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Maize has been our stable source of food and finance in our family. I have been able to meet my family's needs out of maize from my farm. In the last tens of years, my life has not been easy since the outbreak of maize disease destroyed our main source of livelihood. Our daily expenditure went up since we could harvest enough anymore. In the last six months, my greatest joy was drawn from the better yields that we harvested from our farm. We seem to have overcome the disease meaning will enjoy high farm produce again. I currently have enough food for my family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial instability is my main challenge. I have a family of seven members which is a huge number to take care of with no formal job. I primarily rely on farming for a living. This is adversely affected by low rainfall, poor and fluctuations in market prices for our farm produce. This lowers our income.
