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 was at home relaxing after coming from fetching water at our nearby pumped water station. I received a message notification on my phone. Upon checking, I could not believe my eyes when I saw a Mpesa message indicating that I had received my transfer. I felt very happy about receiving the aid since I had no food for my family that very day. I went straight to the Mpesa shop to withdraw the transfer because I already had plans in place on how to use it.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I am currently enjoying my nights on comfortable bedding. Previously, I was sleeping on the floor which resulted in frequent body pain. Moreover, I am happy that I can comfortably provide for essential needs like food for my family without much trouble.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For more than a year, we have been spending our nights on the floor together with my 3 small children. I always felt body pains every morning a thing that made my life miserable. Being a window, I was facing a lot of challenges, especially providing for the basic needs like food for my family of 9 members. This is because I am jobless and only depended on casual activities to raise the family. I spent KES 10,000 to purchase proper bedding for myself. In addition, I used KES 10,000 to clear the school fees for 7 children who are still in primary school. Furthermore, I bought iron sheets for KES 5000. I was intending to construct a decent house for my grown-up boys since they were seeking shelter from the neighbors. Similarly, I used KES 5000 to purchase new clothes for every member of my family because we were wearing torn clothes something that lowered my confidence whenever I am in front of people. I spent the remaining amount to clear some debt at our nearby food store where I had been taking foodstuffs loan. Additionally, I bought sufficient food for the family.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Feeding and educating a family of 9 children through a single hand as a widow is not a small business someone can think of. It needs a defined way of getting revenues or earnings. I am currently passing through difficulties in making sure my children have something to eat and therefore I have to struggle to make sure I do anything before me so that I can feed and pay school fees for my children. My body is becoming weak because of the straneous work of charcoal burning business and working at the quarry. My daily earnings cannot sustain the needs of my house and this made my first born to leave his secondary education and look for a casual job to assist me putting food on the table- something which stressed my mind by seeing my son ruining his life by leaving his education which could help him on the long-run just to flog a dead horse. Receiving the first transfer will mark the first part of clearing school fees for my two daughters who are in secondary school and at the same time getting food for the house . Will use the second transfer to purchase goats to keep as family wealthy .
What is the happiest part of your day?
I did my charcoal burning business for two consecutive months without seeing a customer who demanded for my goods. Last month , I got a customer who bought 10 sucks of charcoal at a reasonable price (KES 700 per suck) and also gave me some extra money for 5 sucks which he will collect them in the course of next month. This brought joy and happiness because I had money to buy food for my family and also kept part of it for any imergency case.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I have to wake up very early in the morning to start my work as a charcoal burning business. Sometimes I have to take goods on credit so that I make sure my family can have something to eat before I embark on my daily chores. The most difficult part in my life is feeding my family because I don't have a defined way of earnings and therefore this is the most challenging part in my life.
