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 the Mpesa message from GiveDirectly early in the morning when I was cleaning my compound. I was greatly happy and I immediately started planning on how best would use the money.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
GiveDirectly has brought numerous changes in my life but the biggest one that I can proudly mention is the fact that I now own a semi-permanent spacious iron-roofed house. The previous one had some very weak mud walls and some of them had collapsed a few months ago. This forced my children to stay at their grandmother's house because it could no longer fit all of us. My spouse is the breadwinner of the family and he has been depending on the casual jobs, the little he could earn was only for our daily meal and some household expenses. This means owning a decent house was not achievable. The coming of GiveDirectly has transformed everything because as we speak I am sleeping under a nice iron-roofed house which is much spacious, I can now host my visitors and also store my foodstuffs without any worry like before. Courtesy of Giveirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying some building materials which include, building poles, iron sheets, nails and timber. This was specifically for the construction of a new house since the previous one was in a bad condition and very small. I then some beddings for my children such as a new mattress to replace the old one they have been using previously. The remaining amount I bought enough foodstuffs for my children and some other house household items that I was lacking.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My biggest desire has always been to have a child of my own. Ever since I got married 15 years ago, I haven't been able to conceive due to complications with my reproductive system. Receiving this money will enable me to seek more advanced medical attention. Therefore, achieving this desire will heighten my self-esteem because most people in rural communities look down upon you when you don't have any child, something that I've suffered from for too long. In addition, I intend to replenish my previous tribe of 10 goats which I sold to meet the medical expenses as well as the educational needs of the children my co-wife left me with.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Evening is the happiest part of my day, this is the time when I get time to rest having accomplish my day's activities. For the most part of the day, I'm always busy with household chores and farm work.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Not having adequate resources has been the biggest hardship in my life. As a result, I haven't been able to get appropriate medical attention and consequently, I have not had a child for all those years in marriage. This even led my husband into marrying another woman who later left him, 5 children, thus transferring all the burden of caring to me. These children are in school, and with limited resources, it has been extremely difficult to sustain their needs.
