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 was elated the moment I heard a message notification on my phone. The message read that I received the very much awaited money from GiveDirectly. I rejoiced together with my wife and children that early morning.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
After the partitioning of land among my brothers, I had to demolish my house and relocate to the section that I was apportioned. I was faced with a very tough situation since I only get money from menial jobs on other peoples farms. As the proceeds are meagre,it would have been extremely difficult to construct another house. I am glad that I have been able to build a home on my parcel so that I don't have to continue staying on the area allocatted to my brother.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent the first transfer on putting up a house. I used the money to buy iron roofing sheets and wood that I needed. I was living in a grass thatched house but this was affected during partitioning of my fathers land. The portion where my house was built fell on my brothers parcel. This meant that I had to relocate to where I was apportioned. I also bought foodstuffs for my children.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Building a two roomed iron roofed house which will cost $350 and buying one friessian dairy cow @$400 which means an additional ksh 120 to my family from selling 4litres of milk daily is what receiving this money means to me. I also plan to buy a stock of bags of maize and beans for household consumption now that we got poor harvests from the last harvesting season
What is the happiest part of your day?
After spending all day toiling hard doing tasking menial jobs such as quarrying, cultivating and fencing people's farms, masonry etc, getting my wages at the end of the day to buy food for my famiy keeps me happy hence i am always happy in the evening.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Poor harvests as a result of unpredictable rainfall patterns in this region is the biggest hardship we face, given that i am now forced to toil hard engaging in menial jobs in order to buy food and to support other family needs. We have big acreages of lands in this area but prolonged droughts and floods have rendered them unproductive
