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.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I now sleep in my own house which I constructed from the financial support I received from GD. This is the biggest gift I can proudly talk of so far. Before the coming of GiveDireclty in my village, I used to sleep in my brother-in-law's house. It was hectic because I did not have any privacy. My children could sleep at their grandmother's house which was very small and could not accommodate all of them. No space for them to do their homework too and I also wished to see them fall asleep but could not as we had to spend in separate houses. I am a happy soul now. I can see my children go to bed, cover them to sleep and even guide them when they do their homework in our new spacious house. I have also earned my privacy, no more sharing rooms.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 3 am when I heard my phone ringing. I was a bit curious because it was not normal for my phone to ring such an hour. I decided to check its content. It was a Mpesa message from GiveDirectly. They had sent my first transfer as they had promised. I was so happy at the moment knowing my dreams are now achievable.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying four goats as my assets. I decided to buy goats because they are cheap compared to other domestic animals, they reproduce twice a year, they mature faster and they can be reared in any climate. I then bought some building materials, (iron sheets and building pole and some nails). I had been sleeping at my brother-in-law's house. This was so uncomfortable as I am a grown-up and minded about privacy which was not there at my brother inlaw's house as it was shared among many of us. While I slept at my brother-in-law, my children slept at their grandmother's house. This again was not sitting well with me as I could not watch them fall asleep. It hurts as a parent. Apart from suffering to put up a decent structure for my family, I was also struggling to pay their school fees and part of the money went to this course. At least they were able to study without being sent home like it was the norm.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Owning a house would be my dream come true. The one we currently live in belongs to my brother in law who lives in Nairobi but every time he comes home with his family, my children and I are forced to seek shelter from our neighbors. Secondly, I would like to purchase indigenous goats because they are drought tolerant and can sell them in future to pay for my children's education.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Most of my customers come to buy the palm wine I sell in the evening when they leave work. This makes it the happiest part of my day because I make more money.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Our biggest struggle is financial inadequacies that have hindered my ability to cater for my family's needs such as food, shelter and education. The little income I get from selling palm wine is barely enough to fulfill all these needs. My efforts to build a new house, for example, after the old one we had collapsed, have been futile. It is my brother in law who pitied us after my husband passed away and allowed us to live in his house since he stays in Nairobi. However, everytime he comes to visit we have to sleep at neighbors' houses because he likes to sleep in his own house.
