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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($432 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a single mother of four children and for the longest time, I have been have been living with them in a muddy grass thatched single room. Neither of us has ever enjoyed our privacy and having a bigger house is something that we desired. With an average income of $60 per month, I could only afford to pay their school fees in local government schools and cater for basic needs. I spend $330 to do roofing for a temporary one bedroom that I build for myself and a single room that I build for my son, $10 to pay fees arrears and the balance to buy food for my family. We now have better houses and we enjoy our spaces and privacy equally.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
What GiveDirectly does well is caring about our dignity. Most of the people in this community were living in very poor conditions in muddy houses with holes all over and with no beds. The transfers has changed lives of so many here and they are living a better life with dignity.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Over the past years, I have been getting a very small harvest and this is primarily because that I have never known better farming methods. Recently, I got to learn new and modern ways of farming which I have already adopted during the recent planting season. I am looking forward to some good harvest next year and this means that I will have enough food for both domestic and commercial purposes.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($481 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon collecting the full amount I had received from the nearby shopping center, we had to bring in the construction materials that my household had agreed on. I have a family of five, all living in a small traditional hut that was so squeezed and no private rooms for all of us. After buying 23 iron sheets, building poles, and nails among other construction materials, I am glad that the cumulative figure to where we are at the moment is KES 43000. The construction is at its final stages at the moment, and hopefully, we will be moving in in the next few weeks. I later spent KES 11000 of the remaining amount on clearing the tuition fees for my son who is currently in form three and used the remaining amount on buying foodstuff for my family.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the construction of a new house that is big enough for my family of five. We had been fighting for space in the current house that always warrants my sons to sleep out in the neighborhood since the space could not give them a bed space. With the current construction, I believe we will be able to create them a different room where they will get both a space to study after school and also ample environment where they can keep their things organized and safe against misuse by other neighboring children.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was very happy and thankful when I received a message from GiveDirectly that confirmed the receipt of the first transfer. I was in a fundraiser with my family after the passing on of my uncle at that moment and had to pass my phone to my husband right after reading through it to also confirm. That message brought happiness and even though we were amidst a sorrowful moment, it at least put a smile on our faces. Since we were in the middle of planning for that funeral, I had to wait for some days before collecting the full amount from the nearby shopping center.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest challenge is insufficient finances to help me meet my family's needs. Being a single parent and the sole provider, all the responsibilities rest on my shoulders. From my small business, I make KES 6000 a month which mostly goes to buying food and household needs like clothing. I only sell on market days twice a week, meaning on other days I have to survive on that until the next market day.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My son joined the final year of secondary school six months ago. The last term, he did very well, emerging the best of his class which makes me very proud as a mother and a parent. Despite financial challenges that often see him miss classes, he still did well. I'm hoping he will do well in the final exams.
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this means better housing for me and my house. I have four children, one in secondary school and two in primary school. Being a single parent, I'm the sole provider shouldering all the responsibilities. I run a small clothing business but the proceeds cannot cover all the needs of my family. With this money, I plan to use KES 20,000 to pay school fees for my children. For the rest, I plan to construct a better bigger house to accommodate all of us. Currently, I live in one grass-thatched mud house, my older son is forced to sleep at his friend's house in a nearby village. I would wish to construct a house for him too.
