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 some minutes past 10 p.m. when I was getting ready to go to bed on an empty stomach after failing to get money to buy food for my family. My phone vibrated loudly and upon checking, I found out that I had received my first transfer. I felt very excited as I kept rolling from side to side on my bed. I couldn't sleep well as I looked forward to the next day to go withdraw the transfer and buy food for my family.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Providing for my family has been a challenge since I lost my only source of income. Often we slept on empty stomachs and survive on one meal a day (hot tea or porridge). Receiving the transfer and buying food is the biggest difference I have had in my daily life since I started since they started receiving the transfer. Together with my family, we have plenty of food that will last us for the next one week.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent all the amount in my first transfer KES 1,200 on buying food for my family. I previously earned a living by raising livestock for other people. I lost all the dairy cows that produced milk for sale because of the harsh effects of the drought, hence losing my source of income. I have never had peace of mind since I Lost My source of income and I now depend on casual jobs that pay very little and are not daily. My wife works as a housemaid in Mombasa town but she earns very little (KES 2500 per month) which is not enough to cater to all the family needs (food, school fees, and clothing). The earnings from my wife go to savings which we will use to clear off the school fee debt of KES 20,000 for our two sons who are currently in secondary school. Therefore, when I received my transfer, I opted to buy food since we had nothing left to eat in the house after unsuccessfully looking for a job for the last 3 days.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I rely on agriculture particularly the rearing of livestock for my livelihood. I lost all my livestock owing to the ongoing drought. I inherited the livestock from my father but the world has now changed. I have realized that the best form of inheritance to give my kids is education. I will use my transfers to pay school levies for my two children who are in forms two and four at the moment. They jointly have fee arrears amounting to 20000 KES.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am happy that my wife willingly sacrificed herself to salvage the family. She opted to go work as a maid something she has never done in her life for our survival in these trying economic times. I think the situation could have been worse were it not for her brave action.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My life took a wrong turn when I lost all my cows because of the ongoing drought. We entirely depended upon our livestock for our survival as a family. This forced my wife to leave home and seek employment as a servant in the city of Mombasa for us to be able to support the family. The little she earns is not enough to cater for our children's education as well as other household needs.
