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 ($492 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 different than how it would have been if I never received the transfers in that I was able to pay school fees for my children in various schools. I depent on small scale farming to earn income to support my family in meeting the basic needs including saving some amount to pay school fees for my children. I do not have a continuous source of income. When I received the second transfer, I paid all the school fees and my children were able to study well without being disturbed. Their performance improved compared to other terms. I was able
do my chores at home without being disturbed. I am so grateful for the support because GiveDirectly has changed my living standard.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community to build better houses and to buy dairy cows. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent the money I received from GiveDirectly to pay school fees for my children in various schools, I also bought a heifer and the rest of the money I spent on food and clothes.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($500 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I have struggle all along to see my family never lack behind and always have access to their basic necessities. I remember it was sightly past noon when I realized I had received money from GIveDirectly and my children's education rang first my mind. I felt so happy knowing that I will be able to clear their school fee thus have ample time to pursue their dreams.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My children education has been my top most priority goal in life that is why I work round the clock to make sure that they get it. I rely on farming to meet all the necessities and education being expensive, my children had never gotten good time to pursue it well before. They kept on being sent home to collect their fee a situation was getting embarrassed of. Ever since I got my first transfer, the biggest difference in my daily is having my children in school study. I feel good and hopeful that they will pass their exams join different colleges and later on have good jobs that see them through hard life and even support me at my old age.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have lived dreaming of building a good house that can accomondate my children and give them secure place to spend their night in but the little resources and overwhelming family needs had never given me a chance before. I took the chance that GiveDirectly gave us through cash transfer by using KES25000 to put up a new house. I feel good to see my children spent their nights near us at a comfortable house. I took another KES17000 to pay for their school fees since we are heading to a generation that needs education to have a better a life and I don't want my children to lack behind. I was so happy to spend KES5000 to start a second-hand clothes business ebalble me meet my family daily basic needs and other needs arising using the profits. The money remained was majorly spent on our basic need mainly clothes and food.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Living in a leaking grass-roofed house is not good for the health of my growing children because they pronto various diseases due to cold weather. We have been renewing the roof yearly but due to prolonged drought in our area, grasses have not been doing well. Our pray has been one day we build a semi-permanent house and also spacious enough to accountable my family but due to lack of stable income we have not. In case we received these transfers our prayers will be fulfilled, we will purchase building materials, and the remaining amount we can purchase dairy cow.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Usually, after waking up in the morning healthy, I move around the neighborhood looking for casual jobs. Mostly I plough someone farm manually at a fee. This work is so tiresome hence one gets exhausted quickly. The happiest of my day is usually in the evening when I come home atleast to rest and enjoy what I have brought as food for my family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship in our life is the lack of a stable income. Due to prolonged drought, we shifted from subsistence farming and my husband started trading in livestock. This has not been enough to cater for family basic needs and school fees. We have a child at the secondary level and four others at the primary level. Yearly we are supposed to pay around 35,000 shillings as school fees and the income my husband gets from his small business is around 4000 shillings a month.
