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?
I saw a message notification early in the morning and I was curious to check. I opened it and I was very happy when I found my Mpesa account has been credited with Ksh. 55000. I rushed to share the good news to my family. It was the best news ever received in my life because I knew my family life will change completely
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My family life has totally changed to be better since I received transfers from Give Directly. Being an evictee, I had already lost hope in life and never imagine life will bounce back to normal. With the transfers from Give Directly, I was able to purchase a dairy cow with which, it has really reduced our budget of milk purchase for my family consumption. My stress levels has also reduced because I know after receiving the second transfers, I will be able to complete the construction of my new house something which I didn't expect it will come to pass. I am glad to be a beneficiary of Give Directly cash program
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Being one of victims affected by Mau evictions, we were forced to relocate back to ancestral home and begin life afresh. With the little money we had, we only managed to construct a small house just as a shelter for my family. Receiving transfers from Give Directly was a major financial breakthrough in my life. I spent the money to purchase one dairy cow since we had none at the moment, bought some pieces of iron sheets ready to begin the construction of a new spacious house and spent the rest on foodstuff.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have a plan of buying a heifer for around 400 USD. This will help boost my income when I start milking it since I will get milk for sale. I will then build a one bedroom house which will cost me not less than 350 USD. The house I live in is just one room which is not enough for me,my husband and my children. When I build another house,the current one will serve as a kitchen.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I have a small piece of land given to me by my in- laws. This is where I am usually busy cultivating. I enjoy the moment I am out of the farm and working within the compound and relaxing as well. Working within the compound is less tiresome making it the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
7 months ago ,we were evicted from our 15 acre piece of land which we had bought with my spouse. This was as a result of a land tussle with the government forcing us out. We lost a lot of property which we left behind and sold others at throw away prices since we couldn't manage to transport everything. We had dairy cows and cultivated a large piece of land which helped us in paying school fees for our children as well as taking care of other needs. We are currently at a bad state .My son who who was supposed to join college did not do so due to lack of school fees. We are now settled in our ancestral land trying to get ourselves up again.
