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.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Moment
I was at home washing dishes after we had finished our lunch when I suddenly heard a message come through on my phone. I picked it up to check, and to my surprise, I saw that I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I immediately prayed and thanked God for the blessings. I felt so happy because I knew that my worries about school fees for my children in high school and university were finally over. Thank you, GiveDirectly.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I have seen a great change in my life since receiving my money from GiveDirectly. At the time, I was stressed about school fees for my two children in high school and university, for which they had accumulated arrears of $280. I did not know where to get them. With the transfers, I was able to reduce the arrears by $100. Seeing my children in school fills my heart with joy, knowing they have the opportunity for a better future. Their education means so much to me, especially since I had to drop out of primary school due to financial constraints. My husband, who completed his education, is now a police officer, and I see the fruits of his hard work every day. Whenever we faced difficulties with fees, I felt stressed, but thanks to GiveDirectly, I no longer have to worry about school fees. Thank you!
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Just before I received my first transfer from GiveDirectly, I felt overwhelmed by stress. My two children were in school, with arrears of $100 for high school and $180 for university, and I honestly didn’t know where I would get the money for their school fees. As a farmer, this year was particularly tough because I lost my two acres of maize to floods, and my husband’s salary was limited due to existing loans, which meant we had to rely solely on his income. With my first transfer, I was able to reduce their fees by $50 each. Additionally, I bought a plastic table for $18 and four plastic chairs for $34 because our area is hot, and we often sit outside in the shade during the day. My old plastic chairs were worn out, leaving me with only three, not enough for our family of six. Finally, I spent the remaining money on food essentials like sugar, rice, beans, cooking oil, and maize flour, as food was a major challenge after losing our crops. We had to rely solely on my husband’s salary, which could not sustain us. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for this support.
Enrolled
access_time 4 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I will allocate $346 towards paying the fees for both the secondary school and university students. This will alleviate the struggle of funding their education.
To generate sustainable income for my family, I plan to invest $231 in agricultural farming by renting land and purchasing necessary inputs. This investment aims to provide both food and additional income.
The remaining $269 will be used to purchase food for my family and acquire essential household items such as bedding and utensils that we currently lack due to financial constraints.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest moment was in April when six of my sheep gave birth, increasing my stock to 15 sheep. This promises good returns in the future. My goal has always been to raise my livestock to a total of 50 animals.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My greatest challenge is securing enough money to cover the fees for my two children: one studying at a university and the other in secondary school. The income from farming, which is unpredictable due to drought, isn't adequate to cover both the fees and provide enough food for my family of 6.
