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?
It was some part of last year right after Christmas, I was home and I heard my neighbours yelling" GiveDirectly has sent the money". What I observed that day was everyone did not receive their transfer at the same time so I had my phone in my hands hoping that I will receive my alert. Unfortunately for me, my phone was on silent and I didn't take notice of it. I waited but my phone could not ring or vibrant so I decided to check my phone thoroughly. When I check my message inbox, the transfer was on my phone then I observe that the phone has been on silent. I felt glad at that moment when I received the transfer because I needed money to pay my daughter tuition, buy household materials, renovate my sleeping place and build a house for my family.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
At first, I have been producing charcoal to sponsor my daughter in school but now I'm grateful to GiveDirectly for coming to our aid because the workload has been reduced. My wife and I were able to pay our daughter tuition without doing hard work.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used the transfer to renovate my room, pay my child tuition and I bought a mattress with the balance.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My plan if I received this money. I want to build a house, because since my life, I have been living in my family's house since I got my relationship. Some time, some time I felt insult from other family members mouth. But what to do, I just have swallow that bitter pills.
So, when I get this money, I will used some of the money to build a house and use the balance to send my children to school, because, I feel that my children will represent me in the future. My wife and myself are getting older on the daily basic.
Right now, I'm at my mother in law home town burning coal and making large farm just to get money to cater to family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
What can bring joy to my life has to do with, when I sell the coals that burned and used the money to send my children to school makes me happy. Because, I feel that my children are my future that I can boost of when they are educated. So, waking up in the morning and my children telling me that Papa, we are going to school, makes me happy.
And one of the most happiest days of my life is the present of Givedirectly, by giving me sim card and phone that they will send cash on it through mobile money which brings joy to my life. Because I feel that, the problem we are faced with now will be reduced. I will send my children to school and my wife will used some of the money to be preparing food for them when they come from school and I feel that this one of the most happiest days of my life and family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The major challenge in my family now is cash. Because, all my children are out of school for financial constraints. I have to take them with me in the bush, in helping me burn coal and make farm, so I can sell and send them to school for this academic.
