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?
It was around 5 pm I was just relaxing at home when I heard a message notification from my phone. Since I do not know how to read or write I called my daughter who was around to check it for me. She said that it was a message confirming that I have received some money from GiveDirecty, I felt so happy because I have never received such an amount of money before. We aligned with my children and we went to withdraw the following day. I knew I would be able to buy a dairy cow. I am so grateful because GiveDirectly has changed our living standards.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily is that I have purchased a heifer. This is because I always buy milk daily, which is so costly for me. I do not have a continuous source of income, I depend on my children to support and sometimes I do small-scale farming whereby I plant maize and beans. But this is majorly for consumption. I spent KES 50 per day on milk alone. This is so expensive and whenever I do not get the money I go without milk. I have always wished to pay a daily but I do not have the money. currently, I have a heifer and this has given me hope. I will cut the daily cost of buying milk. I will save the money that I would have used on milk for other basic household needs. This will be also a source of income in that I will sell the extra milk to earn an income. I have devoted much of my time to this dairy-keeping project. I aim to own more than three dairy cows in the future. I am so grateful because GiveDirevtly has changed our standard of living.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 30,000 on purchasing a heifer. I have always wished to own a dairy cow but this was not possible because I had no money. I always buy milk daily and it's so costly for me. Buying a heifer has given me hope in that I will get enough milk when it reproduces. I will sell the extra milk to meet other household basic needs. I spent KES 15,000 purchasing iron sheets and other materials and building a kitchen house. The construction is ongoing. I used to cook in an old kitchen house and I am so grateful because soon I will move into a new house. The remaining amount of money I spent on food, clothes and other household items.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this transfer will boost me in two major ways. First, all along I have ever wanted to either renovate or build a new kitchen. Secondly as my old age dictates, I usually prefer cattle keeping over crop farming and thus my wish to add 1 dairy cow to the 4 I currently own. I am grateful and happy because I have greater hopes for receiving the transfer and my desires will be accomplished.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I can confidently narrate my happiness in the following ways. In the last 2 months I harvested 4 bags of maize which is more than enough for me and my grandchild. My happiness was also derived from the initiative from my sons whereby they decided to kick off poultry farming for me in the month of November the previous year.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Currently I see crop farming a challenge to me. I used to enjoy mixed farming but due to my old age I cannot manage. For instance, it is now our planting season but I have only managed to plough a portion of my 2 hactares land. Nevertheless, I am grateful because I still manage to sustain myself despite the old age.
