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 happy when I received a message from GiveDirectly that confirmed the receipt of the first transfer. I had set goals that I intended to do and when I received the money that evening, I could not collect it immediately since I was expecting to make a lot of payments through the mobile money transfer. My family was very excited when I shared the news and my wife accompanied me in every step during the collection and purchases we made.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the complete turnaround in my family. In the past few months, I was struggling a lot to provide for my family, but I am glad that I now have a dairy cow and a plentiful supply of foodstuff for my family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After receiving the first transfer, I spent KES 38000 on buying an eight-month in-calf dairy cow that has given us hope of producing enough milk for my family of three and surplus to sell in the future. I also spent KES 8900 on dry maize grains that we are still using as foodstuff. Since I received the transfer, my children are having a good meal. I spent the remaining amount on buying kitchenware and clothes for my children. I am grateful for the support and looking forward to doing a lot with the second transfer.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Two months ago I was forced to demolish my house because it had heavily been infested by termites. The termites had eaten the poles supporting the house and it was on the verge of collapsing. The worry that the roof will fall on my family was enough to keep me awake all night. I am a laboratory technician in a nearby high school where I earn KES 2500 every month. This money caters for food and not even a single coin is left. Receiving this money will put me in a position to build another house that is safe for my family to spend the night in.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am a farmer and I have a portion 0.5-acres where I plant maize, beans and sweet potatoes. Last month I harvested 2bags of maize which has saved me the cost of buying maize flour every day and this made me happy
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial constraints is the main challenge that I face at the moment. I am a lab technician earning KES 2500 every month. This amount is very little for a man with a family like myself because the needs exceeds what I earn. My expenditure is KES 5000 every month and that means I have to borrow from colleagues to cater for the deficit. My inability to repay what I have borrowed so far has strained my relationship with colleagues to a point I am considering quiting my job
