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.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give directly has done well through the cash donations the money has helped with paying my debts. If ever I have plans to start up a project I have in mind, I now have funds to support me with that. There is no area that give directly has not done well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Before I started receiving this money, I heard multiple financial challenges including not being able to pay school fees on time and not being able to purchase some uniform for my children. Just recently, they were sent home due to school fee arrears, so I was forced to take a loan from the chama I am in to clear their arrears. Therefore, when I got my second transfer, I paid up the loan that I had taken, I bought school uniforms using KES500 and the remaining KES1500 I spent it on food purchases. As for my first transfer, I used KES300 to clear the children's school fee arrears and the remaining Kes900, I used it for food purchases and some household essentials
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I still can't describe the feeling I had when I received my first transfer. I kind of exploded inside, and joy shot out of me. There were never strawberries like the ones I had that sultry evening sitting on my couch and scrolling through my phone just to have a glance at my new phone with some new entry messages. Thank so much GiveDirectly since you brought a smile on my face again. My eyes sparkled at the Mpesa message with some disbelief and I had to confirm twice if it was true. Then I knew here was my restoration. This is because I knew I would be able to repair my roof. Therefore, we couldn't be rained on again. My children also got some nice clothes from the market which really made them very happy.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
There is a great improvement in my life after receiving my first transfer. My life was uneasy before I received my transfers. Being jobless in a pandemic of the Coronavirus, made life kind of stormy to me. I no longer have stress whenever it rains. I believe that if I receive the remaining transfers I would be able to save it and build a big a house for the family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I was able to repair my roof which was dripping whenever it would rain. When I received the transfer to buy 'mabati' and nails worth KES 950 and the remaining KES 250 I was able to buy my children some clothes since the once they previous had were had become torn and too old to be put on. Thanks to GiveDirectly our house no longer has any water linkages.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means good health to my family. The house I live in is half-open at the roof because I lack the money to complete the roofing. This means we brave the night's cold and my children have suffered persistent coughs that have cost me some hospital bills. My plan now is to ensure I save my monthly transfers for at least 4 months to raise 12000 KES so that I can finish up my house. This will bring peace to my life because I will no longer be stressed up with the health of my family. The money will also help me to support my children's education and also aid in replacing my old beddings.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The joy in my life came when my husband managed to construct a small iron-roofed house for my family. Although this house is half-open on the roof, I am so thankful to him because my dream of owning a better house is almost coming to reality. Therefore, I consider this as what has brought joy to my life.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Being a housewife means depending on my husband for everything. This is something that has eaten up my mind because I can not do anything to supplement the little income from his water vending work. The much I can get from him is 500 KES per week that I use to buy food. This amount is very little and it can not fully cater to our very basic needs like food, education, and clothing. Hence, I consider financial instability as the challenge that I am currently facing in my life.
