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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($435 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?
My biggest accomplishment would build single rooms on the piece of land that I bought. The funds enabled me to clear the outstanding fee, and I got ambitious to complete the project. To have at least three single rooms complete means that I will rent out for $20 every month, which would help in paying my children’s school fees.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The biggest success is that through the unconditional transfers, my children are in school. I doubt with the outstanding fee and the financial constraints faced by my husband if my children could continue with their education. The support program enabled my family to own a piece of land which I almost gave up on. My experience with the GiveDirectly officer's training and helping me to plan before getting the funds is one thing I would advise the organization to pass on to the new recipients.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We are a family of seven members, and my husband is a charcoal burner. The biggest challenge is paying school fees for all our six children in school. As soon as I got enrolled in the program, we paid outstanding school fees of $200 and used $55 to buy my children's new school uniforms. The rest of the funds bought iron sheets because we wanted to build a bigger house that would accommodate the whole family. The second transfer of $300 was used to buy the remaining building materials and labor to build a two-roomed house. The remaining $200 was used to settle an outstanding payment of a piece of land that we bought years ago and could even prepare the land for a foundation of single rooms.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($486 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
While in the field preparing charcoals at around 9am, I received a message in my phone. Upon checking, it was the first transfer from GiveDirectly. My heart was filled with joy and appreciation such that I left for home to confirm if my friends and family received theirs too.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Before GiveDirectly came in to my life, I was living from hand to mouth. Whatever I was getting was for food and school fees yet it wasn’t sufficient but I had no alternative rather than dividing it into two. My children and I were living in the same house with was not a pleasing thing due to lack of privacy and respect. Earlier on I had started a project of building a separate house for them but I was stuck due to lack of money. The biggest difference that GiveDirectly brought into my life is enabling me pay school fees for my children as well as completing their house. As at now they are comfortably living in their own house and we are in our own house too. This act has restored privacy in our live as well as respect.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After withdrawing the money, I opted to complete my children house which I had already started earlier. I bought iron sheets for KES 20150.00 and paid KES 4000.00 labour charges. Thereafter, I completed paying for an acre piece of land that I had paid KES 5000.00 earlier and the balance was KES 10000.00 thus I decided to complete the payments so that I fully own the land. I also paid KES 5000.00 school fees for my 6 primary school children and bought some school uniforms for them too. Having done that, I took KES 5000.00 and paid some debts and used the rest for family upkeep.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means good housing and good education for my children. For the past 4 years, I have been living in a house that is half constructed together with my 7 children. We only use two rooms which are not enough for us. I am planning to use 25,000 KES to finish constructing the house. Once the house is complete, it will open up space for all us to comfortably live in. I also intend to support my children's education by paying their school fees using these transfers. I have six children who are in primary school. Paying their school fees is a struggle for me. They require 1,500 KES a month.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the last 3 months, my 25 years old son got a job in Mombasa. This was my happiest moment. He works as a waiter in a hotel where he earns 8,000 KES per month. Since then, he has been of great help for us. He supports us in buying food and even paying school fees for his siblings.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Paying school fees for my children is the burden I am currently facing. Six of my children are in primary school. For a month, I am required to pay a total of 1,500 KES as their tuition fees. I work as a charcoal burner where I earn roughly 4,000 KES per month. With this amount, buying food for my family and still pay school fees for the children is impossible. The whole of the income goes into buying food. This leaves me struggling with paying the school fees. Sometimes, my children are denied access to school due to fee arrears.
