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 ($443 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?
My new goal is to be able to continue assembling enough resources to be able to pay school fees for my children who were almost dropping out of school at the time I received money from GiveDirectly. I have 2 children in secondary school and three more that are yet to join secondary school. I normally rely on casual work to earn income which is sometimes hard to get.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did very well in giving us the freedom to choose what to spend the money on. I received the money while I was in dore need of money to pay school fees. I was already running out of options and.o was even ready to sell a piece of land that I owned.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used KES 23000 to buy goats for rearing and used another KES 10000 to buy clothes for my children and used the remainder to clear debts owed to me. I chose to venture into livestock keeping since they mature very fast and thus will help me out in terms of payment of school fees and other expenses.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($481 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
That evening, I was attending a fundraising meeting in the neighborhood and had put my phone on silent mode. At around 6 pm is when I heard my phone vibrating inside my pocket, curious about it was I went to the edge of the meeting tent. On checking, I confirmed to have received KES 55,000 from GiveDirectly. I was very happy for the better part of that evening and withdrew my money the following day.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the clearance of school fees arrears for the past two terms. For me, this was a major issue and now I am relieved of stress. I am also grateful because my kids have grown healthier and happier.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have worked as a carpenter for the past 15 years and on a good day, I get up to KES 1000, and on a bad day KES 500 depending on the nature of the project. This has helped a lot in feeding my family and paying school fees as well. Unfortunately, the job is unreliable because I get a job once or twice a week.
So recently, when I received the transfers I spent KES 15,000 on school fees arrears since this was a major issue for me. I am grateful because I have cleared school fees.
Secondly, I spent KES 16,800 on three goats. This is because they grow and multiply fast and can sell be sold for school fees payment shortly.
Thirdly, I also spend KES 10, 000 on the latest clothing fashion for my family. This is because initially, I could only afford second-hand clothes. I also used KES 2000 on debt repayment.
Lastly, I spent KES 6000 on two bags of maize meal because this is our main food source. This is has led to the availability of adequate food for my family unlike before I could only afford to buy food in small amounts based on my income.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means ease to the burden of paying school fees for my children in secondary schools. Each year I pay up to KES 35000 for all of them. Being a casual construction worker weighs a lot on me considering I am the sole provider. I, therefore, plan to use KES 30,000 to pay up school fees for the whole year and other school expenses including school uniforms. For the rest of the amount, I will purchase food which is also a challenge since we source food items from the market.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My daughter joined secondary school six months ago. I was happy and anxious at the same time because I did not know if I will be able to pay school fees. My friends, family, and neighbors came in handy for me and organized fundraising that we collected KES 30,000. This enabled me to enroll her and pay for the older one in school fee. I fell proud and blessed as a father because of this.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The main challenge is insufficient finances. Being a casual construction worker and the sole provider, responsibilities weigh a lot on me. The much I get from the casual job is approximately KES 8000 a month, which goes to purchasing food and other immediate family needs like clothing. This makes it hard for me to pay school fees on time hence my children are often at home because of school fee arrears. It is demoralizing for them because they miss classes hence their studies are interrupted and eventually do not well. It is heartbreaking as a parent to see them at home.
