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 learned that I had received my transfers at around 6 AM and I was very happy for I knew I will achieve my long dreams.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life that I can proudly mention is the fact that I now have some livestock such as a dairy cow and a pair of oxen. Before GiveDireclty came into my village I did not have any of these because they were too costly. I am now considering them to b a source of wealth to me because with the dairy cow I will be getting milk for commercial and the surplus will be for my family's consumption. The income that I will be getting from the sale of milk will help me cater to my family's basic needs with ease without straining like before. In addition, the pair of oxen will majorly help in my farming activities, I will no longer hire from friends as I used to do previously. Also I am assured of getting plenty harvests since I will be preparing my time in time unlike before . I will hire my neighbors at a fee and generate an income.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my transfer on buying some livestock such as a dairy cow and a pair of oxen at a total of KES 46000. These are now the living assets that I can lean on just in case of any emergency that may arise. I then bought some building materials such as building poles, iron sheets, nails, and some threads. This was purposely for the renovation of my house which was in a poor state. It had a leaky roof and some walls were also very weak and they were almost falling. The remaining amount of money, I use it in buying enough foodstuffs for my family
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Being self employed has always been my greatest desire. At the moment I entirely depend on my husband who is a casual laborer in Mombasa. This has led to over reliance and because they are no alternative sources income, most of our household needs are hardly met. I therefore intend to equip myself with tailoring skills by enrolling in a vocational college nearby once I receive the transfers. Subsequently, I will purchase a sewing machine and necessary materials to kick start the business. Additionally, I will invest in diary cows that will supply my children with enough milk and surplus being sold to the outside market thus generating extra income. Having all these up and running will reduce the burden that my husband has endured for too long and that is what receiving this money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Afternoon is the happiest part of my day. This is the time that most people relax after morning activities.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest challenge for most girls in rural communities in Kenya is early pregnancy and subsequently early/forced marriages. My story was no different; I got pregnant at a tender age of 16 years while I was about to sit for my final exams in primary school. I had no other choice other than to drop out of school and forcefully enter into marriage. This meant that my dreams and desires of having better future through education was coming to an end, and true to that, 7 years into marriage, I have struggled to support my family. There are limited employment opportunities for people like us who have low schooling levels. Therefore, not being able to support my family and being over reliance on my husband has been the biggest hardship in my life.
