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
53150 KES ($502 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I thank GiveDirectly because were it not for this financial support, I wouldn't have managed to pay for my children school fees on time. This has given me an opportunity to raise money for their next payment. I am at peace now because their studies will not be interrupted concerning school fees. I also managed to buy enough building materials and constructed a new iron-roofed house. I am happy because I can now access a good shelter, unlike the previous house which was nearly collapsing since it was unstable from the roof.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly has done well in reducing the poverty that had struck us coupled with financial hardship. We were just living in a hand to mouth life. We never thought of building decent houses and even owning livestock. After the coming of GiveDirectly, we now have livestock as assets and we are now accessing decent shelter and also taking our children to school.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
My son had been called to join high school and I was required to do the shopping for him and also partly pay his fees. When I received my second transfer, I spent KES 40000 to cater for his shopping and also for his terms fees. I purchased the school uniforms and bought the required stationeries for his stay in school. I spent the remaining amount to buy foodstuffs and paying for other household expenses.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($530 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
Receiving this transfer has brought great relief to me. I had one, my son's who was in high school and had been sent home for fees. I struggled a lot to raise the full fees for him to comfortably continue and be allowed back to school. When I received this transfer, I cleared his school fees and am happy that being his final year, he will stay in school until his final exam. I am at peace now because he has a zero school fee balance.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I had woken up early in the morning to prepare my children for school. When I checked the messages on my phone, I became so happy upon realizing that I had received the promised money from GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent KES 20000 to buy building materials which include building poles and some iron sheets to facilitate the construction of a new house. I have been living in a house which is in a bad state and I could not accommodate all my family members comfortably. I also paid KES 20000 for my children's school fees. I spent the remaining amount to pay a mason for the construction of a new house for my family, bought some foodstuffs and clothes for all my family members.
Enrolled
access_time 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means I will be able to support my children's education with much ease. I will pay my daughter's fee balance of 20,000 shillings, save some for my son's fees and shopping when he hopefully joins secondary school early next year and 15,000 for my other son who is to start driving school at the same time. I will invest the remaining amount in livestock which I can later sell to continue meeting their educational needs.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the afternoon when am relaxed after completing my house chores and can now concentrate on my work of treating people using traditional methods.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Inadequate finances is our major challenge as a family. I am a traditional doctor and my husband is a water vendor, both which are not reliable sources of income thus cannot sufficiently meet our needs of food and education for the children. For example, a whole month can go by without me getting any clients and therefore have to rely on my husband who makes around 4 dollars a day, with which we will buy food, pay school fees, pay his rent in Mombasa where he works etc. With all this financial burden, we cannot even afford to repair our roof that was partly blown off by strong winds almost six months ago.
