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?
When I received the message that early morning, I checked its content and when I saw that I had received my first transfers I felt so happy. I knew that my dream of owning a cow would come true. Again I knew that I would actualize my dream of having tap water on my door step.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Since I received my first transfers from Give Directly, a lot has changed in my life. Before, I would travel for long distances to fetch water for use especially during dry season when a nearby stream dry up. This would mean that I would waste a lot of time to and from main river. At times when we needed drinking water I would spent up to 2 hours on the que to fetch water from the water point. After I got the transfers I spend part of it on buying water pipes and connect it to our doorstep. Now I safe a lot the energy and time which I would have spend collecting water from the river. Again, I had no cow in my compound as I had sold that which I had to pay school fees for my children. Now I am happy that I bought one, the happiest part about it is that the cow is almost calving and soon we shall have milk for use at home. Lastly, my kitchen is now so clean as I got a good poultry house which accommodate my chicken. Before my kitchen would house the chicken at night and in the morning I would have to clean before preparing breakfast for my children.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The first transfers which I received from GiveDirectly, I spent KES 35000 to buy hybrid heifer for rearing. I then spent another KES 15000 on paying registration fee for water connection, buying water pipes and paying for labour. The remaining amount I spent KES 3000 on buying clothes and food for my children. Lastly, the remaining amount I spent on constructing a poultry house. I had no cow before and now I am proud to have a one. Water was the main challange as I would spent alot of time to fetch water with long ques at water point.
Enrolled
access_time over 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money will enable me to buy a dairy cow for milking @ $350. I have been buying milk for family consumption for the past 3 months after i sold my two cattle to clear school fees arrears for my two children in college, thanks to GD, my life will soon be back to how it was. I will use part of my transfer to clear this year's school fees arrears and use the remaining fraction to buy household furniture and school uniforms for my 2 children in primary school and one in secondary school.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My worries always comes in every morning when i wake up to find jobs to do that would earn me some income at the end of the day and enable me to constantly support the needs of my family. Having achieved this at the end of the day makes evening the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Supporting education for my 5 children; two in primary school, one in secondary school and two in college has been the biggest hardship i face given that my spouse and I engage in unreliable menial jobs in order to support all the family needs.
