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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($518 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Paying school fees for several children in various levels of learning institutions is quite an uphill task. This is is the situation I am in. I was already contemplating selling the only dairy cow that I am remaining with to meet the needs. I am glad that these transfers came in at the right time since I would have lost the cow. Thanks to GiveDiretly for holding our hands.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, I loved that the aid went to the right people. The staff was thorough in ensuring the right people got the transfer by visiting individual households for verification. I also loved that the transfers were sent through a medium that made it easy for all of us to access it easily.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I have several children in various learning institutions and I know the pain I go through to ensure their school fees are paid. Instinctively, therefore, a huge amount of the second transfer went into the payment of school fees and bought some food for my family with the rest.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($542 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
As a single mother, I usually struggle a lot in paying school fees for my children. This is because I d not have a stable source of income to lean on. Before receiving my transfers, my daughter had already informed me that she might not be allowed to sit for her end of semester examinations since we had not cleared her school fees arrears and this had made me so worried. My transfers came handy as it enabled me to achieve this and my daughter is now continuing with her examination. Knowing that my daughter will soon finish her tertiary studies and will not retake her examinations next year is the biggest difference in my daily life
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was a few minutes to 6 am when I received a message notification on my phone. Since I had heard from people in the neighboring villages that GiveDirectly usually sends transfers early in the morning, I immediately checked to know who the sender was. I became so happy as I read through the message as it indicated that GiveDirectly had debited KES 55000 into my account. I knew that my daughter would finally be issued with an examination card.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
When I received my first transfer, I spent KES 30000 to pay school fees for my daughter in the university. I settled on this so that she would be allowed to sit for her end of semester examinations. Also, I used some amount to buy some new clothes for my children, food and on other household expenses. I still have some amount that I am planning to use in case of an emergency.
Enrolled
access_time over 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My biggest challenge has been paying school fees for my children since the demise of my husband 6 years ago.I have 2 children in the university,2 in boarding secondary school and 1 in primary school.This money from Give Directly will help me pay school fees for them.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I spend most of my time in the farm looking after and feeding my cows.Dairy farming is my main source of income.In the afternoon I usually have less work to do.This makes it the happiest part of my day.I spend time relaxing under the shade outside my house.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
When my husband passed on 6 years ago,life took a twist.I was just a farmer while he was employed by the Kenyan Government as an engineer.Armed bandits robbed his life while he was working in one of the insecure areas of the country.He was a hardworking man.I depended on him fully.He left me with 5 children.This totally changed our situation beginning with lack of school fees for the children all the way to basic needs.We changed our diet,dressing and way of life in general.I currently depend on dairy farming to educate my children.I have two children in the university,two in boarding secondary school and one in boarding primary school.It has not been easy since the money I get is not enough.To cap it all,I am lonely and sad since he departed.Life has never been the same.
