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 ($435 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My biggest accomplishment is planting this season. I am looking forward to the harvest because for some time we could not plant like the rest of the neighbors. We had financial constraints that would not allow us to lease a piece of land. My plan is also to continue rearing the goats and chickens for trading. In the next few months, the chicken would have multiplied and so are the goats which can be sold to earn some income.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has done well by providing us with funds. I am advantaged because before the funds came in time for me to lease a piece of land and took advantage of the rains; I am grateful they visited our area, and with the lump sum funds, I have been able to attain my long-term goals in a short time. I admire the work that GiveDirectly has done for many villages and I have no criticism about the program.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My husband works in a maize mill company in Kilifi town in the packaging department. Together we have five children and it has been a struggle to support us since he is the breadwinner. I spent my first transfer on buying three goats and furnishing the house with three mattresses and a bed for the family. I paid the remaining amount for my children’s outstanding school fees and bought them new school uniforms. The second transfer of $300 was used to lease a piece of land because I wanted to take advantage of the rainy season. My children were straining to do their schoolwork at night, hence bought solar lights for the whole house, which cost me $15. I have also started rearing goats, which prompted me to buy another goat and two chickens for $22. The rest of the money we used was in buying food because my husband was late in receiving his salary.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($465 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was preparing my farm with my daughter hoping that it would rain soon since I needed the harvest for my family and I when the funds were sent. My daughter is the one who helped confirm it especially since I could not read. I felt as though my prayers had been answered especially since at the time I was really experiencing a lot of financial woes.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I was definitely happy that my children were finally able to sleep comfortably after a long time of not doing so and I too finally had a bed. Apart from that, were it not for me receiving the funds when I did, my children would have taken quite a long time since they resumed school it was always a challenge in the past unlike this time round.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After receiving the transfers, I decided to pay tuition fee for five of my children since they had actually been kicked out school for over a week since I failed to pay school fees on time. I used KES 10,000 to pay for the five of them and the following day they resumed school. Apart from that, I used KES 19,400 to purchase one bed abd three mattresses since my children and I had no beddings for quite sometime now. Since I also intended to buy more farm animals I used KES 12,000 and purchased two goats. I also bought school uniform and clothes for my children spending KES 500 on each. As for what was left, I spent it on matters concerned with nutrition.
Enrolled
access_time almost 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I'm a mother of five living in the village with my children, four of whom are already attending grade school while one is still underage. I rely on burning and selling charcoal to earn a living but sometimes we get support from my husband who's a casual laborer in Mombasa town. He makes up to 8000 KES on average per month. This is quite too little to pay school fees for my children and still feed them. It always pains me to be unable to properly supplement this as my economic activity can only generate 200 KES daily. Getting this money will first ensure our comfort as I would like to first buy beds and mattresses for my family at 40000 KES to replace the traditional ones we're currently using. Thereafter I'll buy livestock as investment with the remaining amount.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I was very happy in the month of December last year when we had heavy rains. This was such a good time as we managed to grow cowpeas and reaped in time. I got about sixteen kilograms of the seeds and sold at 2400 KES while was still able to use the leaves as vegetable as well. It made my year and I still long for more seasons like that.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I'm struggling with inadequacy of food supply caused by the ongoing draught that has taken two years now. The condition has changed our lifestyle as we used to know it, and right now we are not able to practice subsistence farming anymore as well as having to purchase everything we need including water. It's quite a hard and expensive life for us in this village.
