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.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was morning hours and I had gone to the hospital for a medical checkup since I was not feeling well when I heard my phone which was inside my handbag ringing. I stopped to check and I could not believe what I saw. I called unto my husband with a lot of excitement telling him that the money we had been waiting for had arrived. He was so happy to hear this and promised that we would celebrate as a family when I get back home.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I received my transfer is that I am happier than before since I no longer worry about my children being sent back home due to failure to pay their school fees. This is because I was able to pay their school fees with part of the transfer. Also, I was able to buy a goat and it is an investment that I can later sell the offspring and use the money in paying school fees for them when the need arises.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My priority when I received my transfer was to spend KES 15000 to pay school fees for my children who had been sent back home. After this, I spent KES 24000 to finish the construction of our house that we had started but left it incomplete and was using a few rooms that we had completed. We fixed the doors, cemented the floors, painted the walls, and paid for the labor. In addition, I bought a goat worth KES 5000, two sacks of maize, and other foodstuffs worth KES 7000 and used the remaining KES 3000 on clothing. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for enabling us to achieve all this within a short time.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means that I can successfully fight food insecurity in my household. I usually grow food crops but on very small piece of land because I have to till it manually using hand-held hoes. When I get this money, I will use a tractor so that farm at least one acre to grow maize. I will therefore have more food for the household. I will also buy a dairy cow to provide milk for family consumption as well as to earn an income through selling some of it. I will then be able to pay school fees for my children in various secondary schools.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of the day is in the evening when I get time to be with my children. Having to spend the whole day in various activities at school separates us. I enjoy the evening where we all get to share a meal and go to rest in bed.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship that I face is paying school fees for my children. I am a casual labourer, earning about KES 300 per day. This is barely enough for foodstuffs. My small farm, because of harsh weather and poor soil conditions does poorly. Food is scarce. I spend all my casual income on food, leaving school fees unpaid. It worries me that my children may drop out of school one of these days.
