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.
Having goats has made my life to be different in several ways. First, I settled in rearing them because they are cheap, they take little time to mature, they can stay in any climatic condition and they require little supervision. Currently, a few have started reproducing which makes me feel happy. My plan is to sell the young ones once they have multiplied and increased in number. This money will help me clear my college fees and cater to my other household needs. I have been having a problem paying my school fees lately because I depend on casual jobs which are rare to find nowadays. I was forced to stay home which was affecting my academic performance. I am now a happy parent and a student since GiveDirectly has greatly relived me financially.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 4 am when my phone vibrated so loudly. I was a bit shocked because I have never received a message during such hours. I decided to check its content. I was overexcited after finding out it was an Mpesa message from Give Directly. I was so excited. I knew my life will never be the same again. The money would enable me to achieve a lot once I had established my pending projects.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
Since I have been having a desire for rear goats, my first priority after receiving the transfer was to purchase them. I used the remaining amount to buy a bed because previously I used to sleep on the floor. I was always complaining of back pains. I am glad I will now be sleeping comfortably because I bought nice comfortable bedding. In addition to that, I also bought a few iron sheets, building poles and some timber to renovate my house which was a single room that was in a very poor condition. I then bought a few chairs and a table. I feel good because I will no longer borrow my neighbors whenever I get visitors. I also cleared some school fees for my college. I did a lot within a very short period of time through the help of this organization. May God bless the work of their hands.
Enrolled
access_time almost 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means creating multiple sources of income for me and my family. We plan to set up shop in Bamba center and make it more unique by doing house deliveries to our clients in order to attract more customers. To achieve this, my husband will buy a motorcycle on hire purchase to help with the deliveries and also for transporting people. With the money earned from these two businesses, we will be able to cater for food, water, pay for my college fees, clear the motorcycle balance and also save a bit.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the evening, I get to relax after fetching water and making dinner for my family making it the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Our biggest hardship is insufficient funds to meet our needs of education, water and raising capital for business. After completing my secondary education, I could not proceed further due to lack of fees. My husband too ended up being employed as a motorcycle taxi driver after dropping out of school for the same reason. He earns very little, 3 dollars a day, which is barely enough for food and water alone. I also wish to go to college but with his minimal earnings, I do not have much hope.
