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.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES
access_time 2 years ago
check
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
To enhance the increased level of my family income, I have a goal of starting a new business. The earnings from my husband are low and insufficient to help us obtain food and pay my children's school fees. I, therefore, believe that by running a business, I shall have an additional income that will supplement my household's income. I have thought of grocery kiosks and other food-related businesses. They always do good because the food is always ready for the market. I am hopeful that I shall achieve this goal within one year.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly capitalizes on giving unconditional cash transfers to its potential recipients. Through this approach, all recipients always have the freedom to decide and prioritize how to spend their transfer. As a result, many of our community members prioritized areas of spending; buying food, building new houses, and taking our children to schools. The approach helped to reduce the burden we initially had, and life is relatively better now. In addition, it does well in follow-ups to help determine if recipients received their transfers and the positive impact they have experienced. So far, I have not observed what GiveDirectly does not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My husband is a butcher, and I look after our cattle since I do not have a formal engagement. His earnings are always insufficient to meet the educational needs of our six children. Therefore, when I received my recent transfer, I had neither money nor food in the house. All my six children were back at home because I had not paid their school fees. I, therefore, used my recent transfer of $100 on food. In total, I used $200 on offsetting fee arrears my children owed the school. In addition, I spent $60 on two goats to help increase the number of my flock. They can help me in the future to support my children's education.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES
access_time over 2 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The funds arrived at about seven in the evening when I was on my way to the store. Since I cannot read, I waited until I got home and asked my child to help me and that is when I found out that the transfers had been sent. It was quite a perfect way to end the day if I do say so myself and I was very happy that the organization kept its promise.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
In my opinion, the fact that I was able to settle my debts and keep my children in school is one of the things I an very grateful for especially because I am absolutely sure that were it not for me receiving the funds then they would have probably ended up missing school for quite a long time. Therefore keeping them in school made me feel happy and accomplished.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My son who happened to be in high-school out of school since I had failed to pay fees for two terms. Luckily he had only been at home for a three days when I finally received the transfers, so I paid KES 27,000 in tuition fee. Since he also just recently resumed school after breaking for the holiday, I ended up paying KES 10,000 this week so that he could go back to school just like other students. I also paid KES 3,040 for my other four children who were in elementary school since they were almost on the verge of being kicked out of school and used KES 600 to purchase new school uniform. I also bought a goat for KES 3,000 and now I finally own three goats. Meanwhile I used the rest of the payment on day to day meals for my family and I.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My husband has two wives, myself being the second one with a total of thirteen children six of whom are mine. It always worries me a lot how we will survive in the near future because it's such a big homestead with so many people and we do not have enough pieces of land to share amongst us. He works in Mombasa as a butcher earning around 10000 KES. This is not enough to take care of his two families and still afford other needs like land. When I get this money I would like to chip in and get a parcel for my children so that we can have a home of our own and a farm land.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I remember at the beginning of the year, I was able to convince domestic animals dealers to allow me to trade in my goats for cows at an agreed rate. I was happy this went through and I acquired my cows. From only two I now have seven plus those that I also bought and my stock keep growing.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I currently do not have a reliable source of income and only depend on my husband to take of us. This makes it really hard for us to get constant supply throughout the month without a hitch. The reason being that he earns only 10000 KES that isn't enough to feed all of us.I used to carry out subsistence farming to supplement but we're no longer able to do that because of draught. I wish I could get a good economic involvement that would earn me money, but here I am still skipping meals every day.
