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 biggest difference in your daily life.
Through this transfer, I was able to buy enough building materials such as iron sheets and building poles which has enabled us to start the construction of a new spacious and iron-roofed house which shall hopefully be ready in a months time. Previously we were living in a small grass-thatched house which was almost collapsing due to the fact that it was too old and worn out. Thus building this new house to me is the biggest difference in my daily life. I am grateful to GiveDirectly because had it not been their support, I would not have been able to build the new house like I have done now.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I felt very happy on receiving the transfer from GiveDirectly. I felt so happy that finally, I was going to be able to build a new house using the funds that I received from GiveDirectly. I kept thinking of how my whole life would change going forward considering the struggle that I had gone through for a long time living in a small grass-thatched house.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent a larger portion of my first on to facilitate construction of a new house. I am now in the process of constructing a new house. It has always been my dream to have a decent and bigger house where my family and I can stay in and be happy. For a long time, we have been living in a small grass-thatched house that has really made us so uncomfortable staying in here. I also used KES 6000 to pay school fees for my child who is in high school and used KES 4000 to pay school fees for those in primary school. They can now enjoy the comfort of studying in school without being interrupted something they have never done before.
Enrolled
access_time almost 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My life in this village has turned into a laughing stock owing to the fact that, I am a widow who is doing risky job of selling palm wine in order to provide food, clothing and education for my children. Despite my struggle to support my family's basic needs, I am unable to provide a decent house for myself because my income is very limited. This has forced me to live in a disastrous house which is just braving the strong wind of this area. The arrival of GiveDirectly to my household has awakened my longest life desire of living a decent life. I opt to spend my first transfer in constructing a good house and also to buy beddings for myself. The second disbursement will aid in buying livestock, supporting my children's education and other basic needs. This will change my livelihood and hence, it is this transformation that is basically what does receiving this money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Considering my job of selling palm wine, I am required to camp at my selling point up to mid night when I come back home to rest. When I wake up in the morning at around eight, I go and fetch water from the nearby pan. It is in the afternoon when I get ample time to rest and share meals with my children who would have come back home from school by then. Therefore, I consider afternoon as the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Being a widow and a mother to nine children with eight still schooling, I am forced to struggle a lot in order to support their education and other basic needs. Considering this situation, I opted to do palm wine business that can earn me income for our survival. This job is risky since most of the time, I am required to camp at my selling point up to odd hours in order to get my potential customers. In spite of consuming my time and energy, this job pays very low. Therefore, it is this lack of reliable source of income that I consider being my biggest hardship.
