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?
As I was seated outside my house enjoying the view of the environment, I heard my phone ringing. I thought someone was calling me since I do not know how to differentiate a message tone from a calling tone due to old age. I asked one of my grandchildren to hurriedly bring my phone from the house. When he came he told me that no one was calling instead it was a message. I first felt pissed off because I was expecting a call that morning. Reluctantly, I told him to check what the message was about. This is when I realized changing from a pissed-off mood to a happy mood is an awkward state but inevitable sometimes. The message was from GiveDirectly confirming that I had received the first transfer of KES 55000.00. If it were you try to imagine how you would change from a pissed-off angle to a happy one. I felt so happy though I contained myself not to ululate because I did not want people to know but inwardly I was ululation loudly.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
During the rainy season, rainwater could enter my house through the walls since they were weak. This was the main problem I was facing because my items were being destroyed. Due to poverty, I had nothing to do about it on to find some logs to place my bags of clothes preventing them from getting wet. My biggest difference as of now is that, through the transfer I received from GiveDirectly, I was able to build a one-meter height wall all around the house to make it firm as well as to prevent water from entering during the rainy season.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The first thing I bought when I withdrew the money was buying two bales of maize flour. I did this because food s been a major challenge for me bearing in mind that, I am a widow. Having done that, I bought some bags of cement and hard corals aiming to renovate my house by building some pillars to make it firm because the poles were damaged by termites. Thereafter, I went to the hospital for a checkup since I had some complications guessing it was because of old age. The checkup cost was KES 3000.00. I also used KES 8000.00 to take my son to the hospital after falling sick. The cost of the cement and the hard corals and the contractor’s labor charge is out of my memory. I cannot give an account for them because it has been a while since I did the renovation.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
This transfer will be my backup plan whenever an emergency arises. I have been having chest difficulties for a while now. I have been to hospitals but they have not fully diagnosed my condition. My children have tried their best to get me medical help but it has been strenuous since they too have responsibilities. I plan to buy a goat and a cow, raise them, and when the need arises for me to go to the hospital I will sell them in incase I lack the funds.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I recently had to bury my daughter and this brought a lot of pain since she left behind eight children. It has been hard to move on but I am grateful the children are with their father, he can look after them. This causes me to be grateful for each day I am alive.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My health is my main concern, I tend to have headaches, chest pains, and high blood pressure. This has been a challenge for years but as I am getting older it is worsening. I have been to doctors, undergone different tests and scans but no change.
The nights are the longest for me, when I have to go to the washrooms, I tend to get dizzy and my heart pounds quickly, this usually makes me anxious.
