GDLive Newsfeed
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.
Linner's family
access_time over 4 years ago
Linner received a $536 initial payment.
"The biggest difference in my daily life is that I paid school fees for my son who was in college. I depend on the casual jobs in the village and small scale farming to get an income to meet all the household needs including paying school fees for my children. I do horticulture farming and the income is so small and could not gather all the basic needs at once. I could do a lot of work which was straining me a lot. After receiving the money from GiveDirecly I cleared all his school fees and that enabled him to do the end year exams. My son felt so happy because he was in a position to sit for an exam. I have also reduced the casual job and devote much of my time to my own activities to generate more income to support the family. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed our standard of living."
Maritha's family
access_time over 4 years ago
Maritha received a $536 initial payment.
"I have made a big step in my life since the time I received my first transfer. I was able to buy a dairy cow and some chicken using part of this money. When the cow reproduces, my family will be getting milk for consumption and for sale to earn an income. I will be using this money to pay school fees for my children. Also, I will be selling some eggs and use the money to buy some basic needs like soap, salt and cooking fat for my family."
Evalyn's family
access_time over 4 years ago
Evalyn received a $22 twenty-first payment.
"I have a daughter in high school whom I would like to stay in school full-time once the schools re-open. This means that I would not want her to be sent back home for delayed school fees payment hence the need to pay the fees in good time. I am planning to save as much as I can so that when the schools reopen, I will have enough money to pay for her school fees for the whole term."
Sarah's family
access_time over 4 years ago
Sarah received a $536 initial payment.
"The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have cleared the school fees for my children in secondary school. I depend on the casual jobs in the village and farming to get an income to meet all the basic needs of the family including school fees for my children. I used to wake up in the morning go for casual jobs and came back during the evening and this denied me time to bond with my children. I could pay the fees in installments but still, my children could be sent home. This was affecting their performance because they could stay at home for a long time because I did not have the money to pay immediately. I was so much demoralized because of that. After getting the money from GiveDirectly I cleared all the school fees and my children are no longer sent home and this has improved their performance. I am so happy and I do my daily activities well without any stress like before."
Mutai's family
access_time over 4 years ago
Mutai received a $22 sixteenth payment.
"The biggest difference in my daily life is the ability to pay school fees for my wife who is in a college. She enrolled to take a course in food and beverages. I have been able to let her go because of the support I get"
Kadzo's family
access_time over 4 years ago
Kadzo received a $517 second payment.
"Some months before GiveDirectly came , I was worried of my son's education and at time I shaded tears because I had no hopes that my child who get to join secondary school any time soon . This is because my husband who is the bread winner's income is always meager that can barely meet all the family's needs hence it has always been a struggle in terms of paying school fees for him meaning he has always been in and off school . I am happy and peaceful since I am certain that next year my son would enroll in secondary school with GiveDirectly's transfer . Personally, GiveDirectly has made a big difference that at time I lack words to express ."
Rehema's family
access_time over 4 years ago
Rehema received a $517 second payment.
"Currently, I have acquires two she - cows which I am glad off . I anticipate that in the near future that I will no longer buy milk which is very costly . The milk that I will get from the cows shall help in paying school fees for my children as well as satisfying some of the basic needs since school fees has been a burden for me for quite sometimes. Secondly, my children have gotten the opportunity to attend school with ease and as a result looking at their performance at the end of this term their is a slight improvement ."
Dama's family
access_time over 4 years ago
Dama received a $535 initial payment.
"I spent the transfer on purchasing two cows at KES 30000 to keep at my homestead. My desire has been to rear livestock because they are assets that we can readily depend on. My children are still young and I am hopeful that through this, their education and other needs will be taken care of. In addition, I will also be benefiting from the milk both for household consumption and sales. I am in the process of constructing a new house after spending KES 15000 to purchase 20 pieces of iron sheets and building poles to facilitate. I made this decision since the one I was previously sheltering is in a bad state. I also spent KES 2000 to pay for my children's school fees to allow them to have humble time for their studies. I spent the remaining amount to cater for my household's needs and other expenses."
Bidii's family
access_time over 4 years ago
Bidii received a $535 initial payment.
"Before the coming of GiveDirectly, I had no livestock at all. I have always wanted to own a few but my financial status could not allow me to even buy the cheapest goat. I am grateful to GiveDirectly because I have managed to buy a cow and three goats. I am expecting them to reproduce and increase in number. These assets will help me in future especially when it comes to paying school fees for my children's who are still young as at now. I will be selling the offspring to raise more funds for their education and other crucial needs. To me owning this livestock is the biggest difference in my daily life."
Kadzo's family
access_time over 4 years ago
Kadzo received a $535 initial payment.
"I spent part of my first transfer on buying a pair of oxen at KES 30000. This has been my long-time dream but due to my low financial status, I could not afford it. In addition to that, I also cleared school fees for my children who are college and secondary school. They were almost doing their end year exams and I was afraid they could miss it. This was really stressing me as a parent. I later hired my neighbors to help me prepare my farm since it was a planting season. I spent the remaining amount of money, to buy enough foodstuffs for my children and other household items."
school fees