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?
The receipt of these funds made me feel very hopeful and excited. When I received them, I was at home doing some house chores. I had two things I needed to do, that is building a new home and paying my child's school fees. Due to the urgency, I began with the school fees payment. I then went ahead to buy some iron sheets so I could start working on constructing a new house for my family and I.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The greatest difference in my life is the fact that I can now afford to provide three meals a day for my children. Other than this, I also have a house I am constructing for my family and I to move into. It is more comfortable and warmer as compared to the thatched house we lived in that was very cold during the night. It is again old and on the verge of collapse. Sleeping in it felt like sleeping outside
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a farmer and I also sell firewood so I could fend for my family (my husband and three children) who live with me in an old thatch house. During the night, the house gets very cold and there are times when the children would fall sick because of it. Out of the three children I have, only one is in school, class 2, and it has been quite challenging paying his school fees. Therefore, when I got the funds from give directly, recompensed the school fees areas of KES 1000 he had, and in addition to this, I also bought them some decent clothes and food. I then started building a new house with two rooms and two verandas. This is so I could move my family from an old thatched house to a more comfortable and secure iron sheet roofed mud home.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I was urged to be married to an elderly man immediately after dropping out of school in class 2. This is because my parents could not raise my school fees. They felt that marriage was going to be a consolation to me because at least my husband would be providing. Unfortunately, this was the opposite. Due to his age, he could no longer work and contribute and he also relies on me. My ambition has been to have a stable source of income but due to financial instability, this dream has never come to pass. I am planning to spend KES 40,000 to start a small business ( shop) which will be generating income for my family of 9 members. Other than that, I will invest the remaining part of the transfer to construct a better house because we are currently living in a small structure which is falling and is not enough to accommodate us.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Since I was married 20 years ago. The marriage was not smooth we used to have small conflicts. Last year November my husband declared that he will no longer have such conflicts he is changing for the better. I have seen a lot of improvement and this has brought me happiness in my life.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of support from my husband is the biggest hardship I am currently facing. I am the only breadwinner in the family because my elderly husband is no longer productive. I work as a casual laborer and the wages of KES is not enough to cater to all our needs such as food. Also, food security is another challenge. It has been 1 year since we received rains in our area. We can no longer practice farming.
