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.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The second last transfers I received before receiving the recent ones helped me make a great decision in my life and embark on a very good project that aims at supporting my family which is starting a business. Here I owned a store that sold different items which included maize flour and legumes among other things. So after receiving the recent transfers from GiveDirectly, I took it as an opportunity to keep growing my business so I went ahead and added to the stock and other items to sale which included salt, sugar, tea leaves and cooking oil. This items cost the same amount of money I received from GiveDirectly which was KES 3,000.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($27 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has improved my life greatly. I can now afford to provide three meals a day for my family. I also commend them for being unbiased in their selection criteria. This has enabled many people within our village to get help from them especially the needy people and those who deserve to be helped.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Due to the increasing drought situation, it has been very difficult to get food. Everything I had planted on our farm has dried up. To cope with the situation we had to reduce the number of meals per day to 2 meals and even at times to 1 meal per day. With no job to cater to my family's needs, life has been difficult and I cannot even afford personal needs such as meals and clothes for my family. When I received the transfer I spent KSH 1200 on food and the remaining KSH 1800 I spent on clothes for my children. The clothes my children had were worn out and had only a few pairs amongst themselves.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received the cash in the morning hours. I was from fetching water from a faraway place about 70 kilometers away. When I arrived home my husband told me that I had received a message and it was about me receiving money. I was very happy with the news.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The money has made a very different in my life and that of my family. My kids are now in school which would not have been the case. I am grateful for that. My family also has food to eat for the next few days. This is a big difference for me.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I received KSH 1200 from GiveDirectly. I currently neither have a job nor does my husband. Life has become almost unbearable. We live from hand to mouth. What we get is all used in terms of food and nothing else. When I got the money I decided to spend half of it on buying food for my family. The food we were having was very little and decided to add some more stock. I also spent the other half of the money in paying school fees for my children who had been previously sent home due to school fees.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
First, receiving the cash will allow us make strong pillars for our dwelling house which is almost falling. In combination with husband transfers, I will reopen the kiosk business, with a focus on selling food stuff. Profit from the business will help me raise my children as well as provide school fees.
What is the happiest part of your day?
A day cannot go minus one of my babies falling sick. Currently, I nurse twins. They suffer from scabies. They usually cry all night over. Seeing my children waking up without any sickness is has ever been the source of my happiness.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I was married after my husband lost his first wife out of cancer. My husband is old, 68 years while am 26years. He is jobless yet I rely on him for every supply of my needs. Am a mother of four with my firstborn being six years. leaving without the hope for a better tomorrow has been my greatest challenge.
