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 ($435 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I save $300 from my first transfer and I am planning to add some more to be able to buy an acre piece of land next year. Accomplishing this means that I will be to plant maize on it, harvest enough for family and sell the surplus to pay school fees for my children.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
What GiveDirectly does well is supporting us to empower our children through educating then and also investing in various ways to better our standards of living in future.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Ever since my husband passed on in 2014, life has not been easy raising my five children alone. I have been exploiting all the opportunities available to make income from making bricks, to working as a casual in construction sites and tea plantations. Although my three children are now married, they are not financially stable to support me pay school fees for their siblings who are in high school and I have to toil all by myself. With my recent transfers, I was able to buy a dairy cow worth $270, pay school fees worth $120 for my children and spend the balance to buy food for my family. Hopefully, in two to three years time, I will selling milk and earn some income. I am so grateful to GiveDirectly for the financial support.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($471 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 8a.m and was preparing breakfast for my family. When I switched on my phone, I found an MPESA message from Givedirectly which was bearing an exciting need for my first transfer. I was very happy and immediately informed my family about the same and they were equally excited we planned on withdrawing later in the day.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily is the payment of school fees for the entire term. I am grateful that Givedirectly came in with support that has brought a lot of transformation.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After receiving my first transfer I spent KES 27,000 on buying a heifer. This will be an addition to the one I have. This will allow me to get adequate milk production in the future and can cater to other family needs. With KES 10,000 I spent in paying school fees for the entire term for my daughter who is in high school. I am happy since she will have ample time to study without being sent home. I also spent KES 5,000 on purchasing maize which will sustain us for a couple of months before our next harvest. The remaining amount, I spent on buying clothes for my four family members.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I spend most of the days looking after my two dairy cows. I have been depending on them for upkeep yet I have 2 school-going children both in the secondary level under government-sponsored. Even though I hardly get surplus milk for sale, I occasionally depend on donations from other family members and relatives. I, therefore, I intend to buy one dairy cow of approximately KES 25,000 and add to the two I have to increase milk production and have surplus for sale. The remaining cash will be used to cater to school expenses and thus lessening the burden of the household. I am glad that soon I will no longer rely on relatives for upkeep as I will have an alternative source of income through the transfer from Give Directly.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the last 2 months, I managed to get a school bursary of KES 5,000 and that is what brought joy and happiness in my life. I have been wondering where to get that cash to settle part of the school fees. Even though I did not manage to completely clear the arrears, it lessened the burden I had and I thank God for that favor.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial inadequacies are the major challenges I am currently facing. Raising my two school-going children single-handedly without a reliable source of income is what makes me see life from a different prism. I lost my husband through a road accident 9 years ago and I have been struggling to make ends meet. I run a small grocery business in the nearby town during the market days which comes only on Monday's earning an estimated wage of KES 200. I feel miserable that I occasionally rely on other members of the family for upkeep since that cash is not enough to cater to a family of 3.
