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 overwhelmed with joy the moment I heard a message notification on my mobile phone. It was the greatest day of my life and I thanked God for making this happen to me. I started planning on how well I would spend my transfer on.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the fact that I now own some goats in my compound which I acquired through financial support. According to me these are assets that I can readily lean on to meet my financial needs like educating my children and some other basic needs. I have been struggling to at least own one goat for so many years but then I did not have enough resources to purchase it. I am now positive that they will increase in number within a short period of time because they reproduce twice a year and their offsprings mature very fast.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying new a solar panel at KES 20000. I then bought some livestock such as goats and chicken as the living assets that I can lean own in case of any financial difficulties. In addition, I bought some new clothes for my children because their previous ones had worn out. The remaining amount of money I bought sufficient foodstuffs for my family and some other household expenses.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
It has always been my desire to have a stable source of income. At the moment, my husband is just staying at home after losing his job due to health-related issues and raising our children has not been easy. I, therefore, intend to venture into goat rearing. This is something that does very well in our region and I believe this will elevate our living conditions from the current deplorable state. Currently, we are struggling to provide basic necessities like food, clothing, and education for our children and as a parent, it is shameful to fail to sustain the needs of the family. Additionally, I intend to use part of the transfers to seek treatment for my husband and I believe restoring his health will be a great boost to the family in terms of support.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Evening is the happiest part of my day. This the time when everyone is at ease with no much work to do unlike during the day when we are all up and running doing household chores.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My inability to adequately provide for my family has been the biggest hardship in life. This was necessitated by my husband's deteriorating health after working for over 14 years as a water vendor in Mombasa. And because he was using a hand-drawn cart, over time he developed chest complications. At the moment, he can not engage in any strenuous activities and that forced me to step up to the role of providing to the family. Unfortunately, the only available jobs are menial ones - largely male-dominated. That means I gain dismal from it, consequently affecting my family.
