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 ($467 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I am planning to sell part of the maize that I will harvest and use the money to start a retail shop in the nearest shopping centers after topping up with what I will have saved from milk sales. This will diversify my sources of income and I believe that by doing so, I will be able to pay for my daughter's college fees with ease.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did well by giving out financial aid to people and we were able to use it in transforming our lives. I did not see anything that they do not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am an ECD teacher and paying school fees for my daughter who is still in secondary school has been the only challenge that I have been facing. Because of this, I decided to spend KES 15000 from my transfer to pay for her school fees since I had received an SMS from the school informing me that I should clear her fee arrears for the weekend and also spent KES 4000 to buy her a new set of uniform. In addition, I spent KES 30000 on the purchase of a dairy cow so I will be earning money that I can use to support her in her education through the sale of surplus and spent the remaining KES 3000 on food items.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($496 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was in class teaching and I remember very well that it was 24 minutes past 9 am when I saw an incoming message. I read it without wasting any time hoping that it was a Mpesa message from GiveDirectly and on reading it, my heart was filled with happiness since I knew that I would finally be able to pay school fees for my daughter.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have been able to pay school fees for my daughter. In addition, I was able to buy a dairy cow which is an investment that will allow me to continue paying for her education till he reaches the level she wishes to attain without much struggle using income from the sale of proceeds. Owning this additional asset in my homestead gives me great joy and a reason to smile.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I bought a dairy cow worth KES 35000 as a way of investing this money and also to rear it with the one I had. I will be alternating their lactating period so that my family will always have enough milk for consumption and sale so that I can use the income to pay school fees for my daughter. In addition, I spent the remaining KES 20000 to pay school fees for my daughter who had been sent back home, and to buy some textbooks that were needed. I am so grateful to GiveDirectly for putting smiles into our lives.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am single and I leave in the one-roomed house that my parents surrendered to me, I struggle to educate my children through a casual job that I have secured in a nearby school. Receiving this money means I will build a descent house that will cost me around ksh.60,000 I plan to spend the rest in buying goats that will enable me supplement school fees.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I feel good in the evening when I am relaxed for what I have done over the day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am a single person and depend from my casual labour to feed my family, I also have a child who is on secondary school, paying the school fees has been a tall order to me.
