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
55000 KES ($450 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
In the next one or more years, my hope is to be able to put my kids through school without having to worry about school fees.. I just want them to attend school constantly without having to stay at home due to school fees arrears.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I appreciate constant communication from Give Directly officers which gave us assurance and trust towards the organization, it is not easy to give out free and unconditional money to people without resistance.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my second transfer, used to ksh 27000 to pay school fees for two children, one in college and another in highschool, this reduced the arrears I had by almost half and my son in highschool will be allowed to be stay in school until the end of the term.
I was also able to buy a cow with ksh 22000 and we have been getting 6 litres of milk each day where we sell 4 litres and consume 2 at home, at least now we have our own constant supply of milk instead of buying everyday and are able to buy enough food with the milk that we sell.
I saved about ksh 5000 so that I can buy animal food for the cow.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($469 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 5 pm on that beautiful evening when my neighbor informed me of the arrival of the transfers. And when I checked my phone mine hadn't arrived so I decided to patiently wait for my turn. As the Englishman puts it patience pays around 6.30 pm is when I received my transfers. I was equally excited and relayed the good news to my family.
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 the transfers is a sense of relief since my kids' school fees for this term are cleared. This was quite a challenge because my two kids are in high school and one is in college. Therefore the income generated from my businesses is now saved awaiting the next term's fees.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Being a government-employed teacher for the past thirteen years, I have been tasked with schooling my seven with my income. This has not been easy given that my firstborn son is now in college, two are in high school and the rest are in primary school.
Fortunately, the arrival of GiveDirectly transfers has enabled me to settle their school fees of KES 34,000 for this term. As a result, I am stress-free because these terms of school fees are cleared.
Secondly, I have been running a kiosk and posho mill businesses. When I received the transfer KES 8,000 was used on the addition of shop stock and KES 4,200 on a bag of maize for the posho mill.
Lastly, the remainder of KES 6, 400 was used on the latest clothing fashion for my family. As an indication that had also received the transfers. I also spent KES 1,500 on the purchase of household utensils.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am a parent with 7 children and all of them are in various schools. I have one in university, two in high school, and the rest are in primary level. I am a teacher by profession and my monthly salary is KES 34000. The burden of raising school fees is heavy and I feel like I cannot bear it any longer. Every year I pay KES 96000 for my son in university and KES 42000 each for those in high school and this surpasses what I earn every month. Out of frustrations, I have been forced to take loans that come with high-interest rates to finance the deficit. Receiving this money will help me clear the overdue loans that I took last year to allow me take other loans to clear outstanding school fee arrears.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am a farmer practicing dairy farming and for the longest time, we have been selling milk at KES 30 per liter. Last month the price was adjusted to KES 42 for every liter and I am one of the farmers that got happy about this news
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Feeding a family of 9 in this day and age is not easy, especially with the high cost of living. I am a teacher earning KES 34000 and all of this money goes to paying school fees for my children leaving me with nothing. I practice farming in order to get food to feed my family with. I grow crops such as maize, beans, and sorghum but the seeds we are getting nowadays from the suppliers are counterfeit and this has resulted in poor harvest. My biggest challenge therefore is lack of food security in my family.
