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 ($485 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different than how it would have been had I not received the transfer. This is because I have been able to build a better and more spacious house for my family and cater for my daughter's medical expenses. Our previous house was old, and in a bad shape. The roof was leaking and during the rainy season, we would be rained on and my children would occasionally get sick. My daughter has been in so much pains as she is suffering from cancer that led to the removal of her one eye. Currently, she is admitted at the hospital and being able to afford her medication has at least saved me from stress of seeing a child in so much pain but you have no money to even buy pain killers.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
My daughter lost her one eye to cancer and meeting her hospital expenses has been a hard task to me as she is constantly in and out of the hospital. GiveDirectly did well by giving out financial aid without dictating on what one can spend on. Due to this, I have been able to pay for her hospital bills using the transfers without much struggle like before. I do not see anything that they do not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My daughter is suffering from cancer, has been admitted at the hospital and her condition is still not better as she is in so much pains. I spent KES 15000 from the transfer to pay for her medication and saved KES 17000 for emergency purposes. I am glad that she is in the hands of professionals and I believe that she will soon get well. Also, I purchased three goats at KES 9000 as an investment. I will sell some when they will have increased in number and use the money to buy a dairy cow and pay school fees for my children. Lastly, I purchased some food and utensils for my family using KES 7000.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($510 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
My phone was off due to low battery, I decided to recharge ut and as soon as switched it on, a message popped in. On checking, I realized it was an Mpesa message from Segovia Technology. I was overwhelmed with joy for receiving such a huge amount of money which is nonrefundable and I was sure I would finally be able to clear the hospital bill for my ailing daughter.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
For all those years I have been admiring to own a decent spacious house but that remained to be a dream since I had no money to purchase the materials. My previous house was in a very bad state and was almost collapsing and its roof was so leaky and in every winter season, it was the worst moment in our lives. We used to be rained on till dawn ad some of my properties could be damaged and even some being stolen as a result. To add to that, My spouse has been jobless for quite some time, and even getting the daily bread was sometimes unaffordable. Considering my daughter has been ailing as well we could even not afford to purchase any drugs to relieve her pains. This is well sorted now because I no longer have to worry about the rains and o shelter becasue I have a nice house which can accommodate us all. Also, I managed to take my daughter to the hospital and we are hopeful she will be fine. I wouldn't have achieved all these if it were for the support from GiveDirectly
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying the following building materials, iron sheets, building poles, nails and timber, and a wooden door. This was purposely for the constructing of a new house to replace the old one which had a grass thatched roof very leaky whenever it could rain. Every winter season, it was so hectic becasue we used to be rained on till it stops. Also, I bought some bedding such as a new bed ad a mattress KES 11000. Previously I used to sleep on old mats and I could complain of some back pains and waking up very tired every morning. Also, I cleared the hospital bill for my daughter who was diagnosed with cancer and I thank God she's faring well. With the remaining amount of money, I bought enough food for the family.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a healthy family. This is because I plan to build a better house with an iron roof to prevent rain from falling in. This project will cost about 400 dollars. I will also use part of my transfer to facilitate transport to and from Mombasa so I can get medication for my daughter who lost one of her eyes to cancer. The remaining amount, roughly 600 dollars will go into buying indigenous goats for domestic rearing. This will act as financial security for future needs.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Ever since my daughter lost one of her eyes to cancer, I have had sleepless nights. She always cries in pain at night unlike during the day when she is happy and jovial, running around playing with her cousins and friends. This makes afternoon the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced is my daughter's ill health. She got cancer of the eye and for almost 2 years now, we have had to move from one hospital to another in search of treatment. Due to lack of finances, she ended up losing the whole eye which was a very low moment for me. However, now that I may receive the GiveDirectly cash grant, her healing process will be smooth because I will not miss any hospital appointments.
