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.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly gives people transfers which is good as it helps them cater to their needs. For example, I have been able to use for fees. I do not have any suggestions on needed changes or improvements.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For the first transfer, I received KES 1200, which I withdrew. I then used KES 1000 to pay for my children's fees and the remaining KES 150 for household goods. My kids had been sent home from school due to school fees arrears and had been home for 2 days. After paying their fees, they were able to resume school.
For the second transfer, I used KES 1000 to buy uniform for my children, KES 1000 for food and KES 1000 to pay for their school fees as I had pledged to do. When they went back to school, I paid part of their fees and promised to pay the rest as soon as I received the transfer and I did just that.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was a moment of hope for me. I was in a stranded status. My children were on the verge of being denied end-year examination due to huge tuition fees arrears. With the KES 1,000 I received, I was able to convince the teachers to let my children do their examinations.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Before, I was really under stress. I was always thinking of how I will keep my 5 children in school and still provide for them with basic needs such as food. It was challenging for me because I am unemployed. As of now, I am stress-free. With the money I am receiving, I can keep my children in school.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a mother of 7 children. 5 of them are already attending school. Towards the end of last year, their fee arrears were at KES 5,000. The fee balance is very huge because I am unemployed. My husband who works at construction sites earns very little. He cannot single-handedly cater to all our needs as a family. I used KES 1,000 to pay part of the school fees so that my children could do their end-of-term examinations. In as much as the fee balance is still huge, I am hopeful things will get better with the subsequent transfers.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
If I had a job or a business, my kids would not be looking at me crying because of hunger and I have got nothing to give them. It pains me to see them go through such a tough experience. Being a housewife is not something that I have been proud of and I have desired to start a business and support my husband with the family responsibilities but raising enough capital has been the biggest challenge. I am so happy to be enrolled in such a program because it gives me hope that I will start a local grocery that I have desired to start for the longest time soon. I am so grateful to GiveDirectly for restoring my hopes.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I love kids and that is why I bore nine of them. Even though life has not been easy, seeing them around healthy makes me happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
With the current drought, getting enough food to feed my family of eleven has not been a walk in the park. This year has been the toughest in my life, you can imagine these young kids going for two days without food, now you understand how rough it has been for us.We hope rains will be back soon so that we get to farm.
