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?
While I was busy tilling my piece of land where I planted some maize, I heard a message tone from my phone at around 2 pm. I ignored the message thinking it was one of the usual messages I have been receiving from safaricom. I proceeded with my work till evening and I left for home. No sooner had I reached home than my daughter-in-law informed me that she had received the first transfer from GiveDirectly. Curiously I gave her my phone to check if I had been remembered. When she che informed me that I had received the transfer from GiveDirectly. My vheat was
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Before GiveDirectly came to my house, I did not have any kind of an income generating activity. Whatever I get went straight to the mouth and it was not sufficient. As of now, I am grateful for the support I received from GiveDirectly because through it, I managed to buy some livestock. These livestock arw a source of income because during market days they have a hiked price and the buyers. I am also grateful because from the time I received the transfer upto date, I have been getting some food unlike before when we could skip some meals not because we purposed to but we had no food to eat.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I got the money, I opted to invest it in livestock. This is because one can sell and get some money from the livestock. Basing on that, I bought four goats for KES 19700 and a cow for KES 18500. The goats are for emergencies incase am stuck I will sell to get some money and the cow is for milk purposes. For a while, I have been buying some milk for my children which is very expensive. But once my cow gives birth, my family will have enough milk. Thereafter, I opted to save to the remaining amount so that my family could have something to use. Unfortunately, one of my grandchildren fall from a tree and I supported his medical bill by contributing KES 1500. A current he is doing well.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am a widow living with my two grandchildren in my house. I am living a destitute life because I entirely used to depend on subsistence farming but due to the prevailing drought for 5 years, I could not do this farming any more. I have been relying on charcoal burning business in order to get my daily bread. I am growing older with less energy of which the body cannot tolerate straneous jobs. receiving this transfers means I will have food security in my house. I will spend the first transfer to buy food and the second transfer to buy beddings for my house.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My daughter visited me on February because I was suffering from pneumonia, She took me to hospital and I am happy I got better. What brought joy and happiness to me is that I was cured and also bought food in my house .
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
There is a persistent drought which has prevailed for five years now. It wiped all the crops in my farm and I am relying on charcoal burning business. Life has changed and my body is growing old with little energy to overcome the straneous jobs. Receiving this money means I will have food security in my house and give me time to rest from the straneous job, hence food insecurity is the greatest challenge in my house.
