FINAL REPORT - FSD Kenya

What they use cash on • Food
How the beneficiaries save
If you were to use certain institutions to
send or receive money, which one would
you prefer? Why?
ix. Focus Group Discussion with Potential OVC Beneficiaries Balambala
Discussion Point The Discussion
Small Scale farming
“I practice small scale farming along the river, I grow bananas, paw paw,
tomatoes, ndengu (green grams)… this produces a source of income”
Bursaries and handouts from politicians
“…the area member of parliament supports the children through bursary
schemes… even the area councilor sometimes raises school fees for the children”
Support from neighbors
“When we are in crisis we sometimes seek support from neighbors like money to
buy food for the children”
Divine intervention “God is the one who gives me children and is the one who
takes care of them”
Relief supplies from Government and other agencies
“From the Government we receive food stuff such as maize, beans, cooking oil,
wheat flour, maize flour. But government help is not constant, we receive the
supplies after every 2 months and sometimes they delay even for three months”
• Clothing
• Medical
• Fees
• Rent
• Shelter
• Keeping animals for sale – “I buy livestock in the market and sell it in
Garissa”
• Merry Go Rounds – “I used the money from the merry go round to set
up small shop for selling cigarettes, sweets and clothes”
• Box – “” In keep my proceeds in a box because there is no other safer place
to keep it”Shopkeeper – “I keep my money in a shop because it safer
than where I live”
Postbank – “We shall open an account with Postbank in Garissa town as a
group whereby we shall be having a chairman, treasurer who shall be signing for
any transaction… therefore we shall give our Postbank account number for
anyone who wishes to assist us… and we believe it is safe”
Through village committees(elders) – “Money should be sent via village
elders because they know us in person and they know where we stay”
Via road transport – “Money can be sealed in an envelope and given to a
passenger going or coming from Garissa using the vehicles plying in the route”
The preferred transfer mechanism was Postbank because they feel it
is safer and would like to receive the monies as a group.
“Unlike the bank the post office will not charge for transactions and is also
safe…we regard the Postbank as very important because it is known as the
financial centre where money transactions take place”
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