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 ($430 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My long-term goal is to ensure all my children have cleared their education up to secondary school. I did not get a chance to get an education and I don't want my children to go through the same.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has done well sending us money directly to our accounts. This helps us get all the money intended for us.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a farmer, I cultivate vegetables for domestic use. I help out with food in the house, and my husband who works at the construction site getting a wage of $3 a day helps out with school fees. The money has not been enough to cater to my family's needs and most days if I do not have produce on my farm, we sleep hungry even for two consecutive days. The other challenge is paying school fees for my three children who are in school, most days they are sent away which interferes with their studies.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($465 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was actually in the farm looking after my goats when i realised that the organization had actually sent out the payments. I felt overjoyed just with the idea that GiveDirectly actually kept its word because initially when I was getting enrolled I thought it was too good to be true bit I am glad I trusted the process and took a chance.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I am really glad that the funds helped to finally settle the debt in fees that my children had because were it not for me paying the school they would have probably not been able to resume school when they opened. So that left me feeling quite relived. Not forgetting that I was finally able to buy a cow which I wanted to for the longest time.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Prior to receiving the funds, I already owned one cow but I had always wanted to own one more but since they were quite costly I always post poned the idea. So as soon as I received the funds this time round, I decided to buy a cow so that it could benefit me both commercially through selling the milk and perhaps the calf when I needed the money and domestically when it came to ploughing the farm. The cow cost me KES 11,000. After that I went ahead to pay tuition fee for two of my children in high-school since I had a huge debt. I paid KES 16,000 for my daughter and KES 12,700 for my son. The fees in high-school were a bit high but I was glad I had the funds. For my last born I paid KES 1,000 since he was still in elementary school. Then I used KES 2,000 and bought them some clothes because it had been long since they had new attire. When it comes to rest of the funds, I used it on matters concerning nourishment.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have two children in boarding secondary school and paying for their school fees has been quite challenging due to insufficient finances. My husband depends on house construction jobs in town for income whereas I burn charcoal for sale in the village. All these resources combined are not enough to pay our children's school fees as well as buy basic requirements in the family. The burnout to make ends meet for the family is too much and I am afraid if this continues I might break down. Receiving these transfers will help me sort out my children's fees which amount to 46,500 KES and use 26,000 KES to buy two female cows that can multiply. I will then use the remaining balance to buy two mattresses for my children who currently sleep on a very uncomfortable mat.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Giving birth to a bouncing baby girl 6 months ago brought me joy and happiness in my life because I gave birth normally without complications and I was also blessed with a baby girl that I have always prayed for God to give me.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The drought we are currently experiencing has come up with many challenges. The rivers have dried up which means we have to walk many kilometers to fetch water and the foods we planted on our farms have also died leaving us with nothing to feed on. Everything is costing money and without a good source of income, we are all doomed to suffer. This situation is stressful and frustrating mostly because the rate of unemployed due to unavailability of jobs is very high and from the looks of things, it is nowhere near ending.
