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.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 7 am while taking breakfast with my family when I heard a message alert on my phone. And because I'm illiterate I handed the phone to my daughter who confirmed I had received KES 55,000 from GiveDirectly. I was very happy and immediately send my helper to go for the money to the nearest mobile money agent.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started the transfers is building a modern Iron roofed house. This is a dream come true because I had desired it for the past 8 years but couldn't afford it.
Secondly, I am grateful for the heifer which will be a source of milk for my family once it reproduces. Additionally, I am grateful for the adequate food and decent clothing.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
At my age, I no longer have the strength to
work. I, therefore, rely on my kids for basic needs.
Secondly, I have been living in an old house with worn-out Iron roofs for years. Therefore, when I received my transfers I spent KES 35,000 on a modern 22 Iron roofed house which is more comfortable than the previous one with a leaking old rusty iron roof. I used to live in an old house built years ago.
Thirdly, I spent KES 15,000 on a heifer. This is because I have been relying on my kids to buy me a liter of milk for a long time now. But once the heifer is reproduced it will be a source of milk for me.
Fourthly, I spent KES 2,000 on the latest shoe and clothing fashion and KES 2,000 on half a sack of maize.
The rest of KES 4,000 I have saved for household expenditures.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Ever since I was young up until now in my old age, I have never lived in a warm, decent house as you can see. This house is made of mud walls and during the rainy season, the mud gets wet and falls off so often leaving cracks and holes which make it so cold at night. I do not have the energy to keep repairing it as I used to do before when I was younger. The floor also needs to be smeared with mud weekly but since I no longer have the energy to do this, fleas have infested the flooring and it is so dusty. All these challenges have had a negative impact on my health and I feel worried that it might get worse in the coming months. I would therefore like to use these cash transfers to change the walling of the house to be of timber and have a cemented floor as well. I am so grateful for the change that this will have on my health.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I usually pay for my health insurance at the beginning of the year and it needs a total of KES. 6000 which is a lot of money to me, my children usually contribute. Last week, I got to know that our local government leader made the payments for me and this gave me a lot of happiness.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The challenge am facing at the moment is lack of decent housing. I wouldn't mind living in this house if I still had the energy to keep doing the repairs that it needs but since am old now I really want to have an alternative which already you have helped me to achieve as GiveDirectly.
