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 so happy the moment I received the money because it helped me address the challenges I was facing and made me get the desires I had in my heart that I just didn't know how I was going to get them due to the fact that my charcoal burning and selling business could hardly raise enough money to even cater for my family's immediate needs. Therefore, I was so happy when I received the money from GiveDirectly.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I no longer suffer with cutting down trees to burn charcoal and sell like I used to before I started receiving money from GiveDirectly. We now have a good house and goats that makes me so happy and proud.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent most of the transfer which was KES 15000 on building my family and myself a better house because we used to sleep in makeshift houses which was not any different from sleeping out in the open, which was both very insecure and a risk to the health of all of us. I also built this house when I got the money from GiveDirectly because my charcoal burning and selling business could hardly raise enough money to even meet my family's immediate needs, which made it just impossible to build a better house for my family and myself. Therefore, I am now very proud and happy. I also spent KES 6000 on buying three goats because I believe that they are an investment that will help me meet my family's immediate needs especially food and will also continue to do so even in the future because they will live on, multiply and increase in numbers. This makes me so happy and hopeful, all thanks to GiveDirectly.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a dignified life. I currently stay in a single room house together with my five children. With this big family, a single room house is very small for us. It comes with so much congestion which causes discomfort. I intend to construct a two bedroom house at a total cost of 30,000 KES. A house comfortably accommodating us will boost the respect and dignity of my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Waking up in the morning with all my children being healthy and fine makes me happy despite all the challenges we face.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Unreliable source of income has been the biggest hardship in my life. With my charcoal making business, I am entitled to only 5000KES a month. This is not enough to cater for a quarter of my needs. Some of my children are not in school due to lack of school fees. My house is also very tiny and not in a good condition.
