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 ($493 USD)
access_time almost 3 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 now different in that, I have a new house which I built with the transfers received. I couldn't imagine that I would build one anytime soon but thanks to whoever came with the idea of cash transfers. I also paid school fees for my child for the whole year. This was something which had never happened before. I would struggle with little income from farming and pay in small amounts.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well by enrolling every household. At least, this was a chance for everyone to uplift their lives. There was nothing which was done well by GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My biggest responsibility as a parent is to provide for my children and to give the best education. I would struggle to make ends meet and when I received my second transfers, I spent KES 20000 on paying school fees for my child for the whole year. I then spent another amount of KES 20000 on buying a heifer for rearing. The remaining amount of KES 12000, I spent on buying foodstuffs which would sustain us until the next had way season.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($494 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I felt very happy when I saw the SMS on my phone indicating that we had received the transfer from GiveDirectly. I felt a ray of hope in me because I knew that what I have always wanted to do is going to be fulfilled and my family’s life is going to change for the better. I thanked God and GiveDirectly for answering my prayers.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I feel that there is going to be a very big difference in my family upon receiving this transfer. I have been living in a small house for a very long time and when I received the transfer, I decided to buy building poles and iron sheets. Having the materials needed, I plan to start constructing it. The new house will enable my children to have a nice place to study. Also, with the food that I bought, my family will have something to eat for quite some time and hence I will no worry about what they are going to eat.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The transfer from GiveDirectly has helped me in a very big way. I have bought building poles and iron sheets that I want to use in building another house for my family. I also bought clothes for my children and the food that they will eat. I have also set aside part of the transfer that I plan to use on paying my child’s school fees when schools re-open in January 2021. I have always had the desire to build another house since the one that I am currently living in is small. I have however not been able to do that because most of the money that I have been getting has been going to payment of school fees for my children and buying food. So, when I got this transfer, I saw myself having gotten that opportunity to fulfill my dream.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a lot to my family. Life as a single parent has not been easy. Everything depends on me-providing food and clothing as well as paying fees for my children's education. I have 6 children, one in secondary school and three in primary school. I do not have a stable source of income and this means that I have to struggle alot to meet these needs. This transfer will be of immense help in paying schools fees. With a large family like this too,I aspire to build a bigger house that can accomodate them all.I will use a portion of the transfers to buy materials for this.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening.After a tiresome day on farms or digging up building clay for sale,I return back home in the evening feeling very exhausted.Back home,I spend the evening with my children as we share a meal and having this moment of rest makes me very happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced is raising my family of 7 without a stable source of income.I am a manual labourer-mostly working in neighbouring farms for a small wage at the end of the day.These manual jobs are even hard to come by because most people do this hence there is a scramble for the available few.Unfavourable weather conditions have also affected crop farms leaving them bare.This means that without these jobs I hardly have an income hence meeting my family's most basic needs has been quite a challenge.
