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.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Having received KES 3000, I was able to put it into good use by ensuring I pay school fees for my 2 kids worth KES 2000 and the balance of KES 1000 saved in our local chama.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has continued to transform lives and offering a major boost to each and every person unconditionally.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
attach_money
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I received ksh 1200 and used ksh 1000 to pay for school fees arrears I had for my three kids, who were staying at home at the time since they were not allowed to attend school anymore.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
If it ware not for Give Directly transfers, I was losing hope and getting frustrated because my husband and I had no idea how we will be providing for our family at this point, with no jobs and no single source of income.
Because of this transfers, I will ensure my children don't miss school and we will be able to build a decent house for us and finally move out of the single room house we've stayed in for years.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was really happy that they came at the exact time I desperately needed money.
I immediately took the money, paid school fees and send my kids back to school.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The prolonged drought has made it hard to food. For the last four months, we have never had three meals a day. Periodically, we sleep hungry and this has been difficult especially for my young kids who find it hard to bear all this hardships.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The fact that neither of my household members has not been hospitalized for quite a longer period give me joy. I love seeing them healthy and strong and that brings a kind of satisfaction to me.
What does receiving this money mean to you?
When I got married, to my husband, he only had one room which serves as the living room, bedroom and kitchen. Our dream has always been to expand our house and add some other two rooms but this has not been possible because of financial constraints. With our grown-up kids, there is no longer privacy in my house. Whenever I need to dress up, I usually get the kids out of the house and this makes me feel unfair to them because it feels like it is my responsibility to add another room. Cooking in the house itself is very dangerous because the room is not spacious enough and well ventilated. I fear someday it will catch fire and I will lose everything that I tirelessly worked for. I'm planning to buy building materials slowly with the monthly transfers up until when they are enough to build a local two-bedroom house.
