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 received a message on my phone at around 6:30 in the morning. I was so curious to know what it was all about. But becasue I am illiterate I asked my helper to check its content. On checking, she realized it was an Mpesa message from GiveDireclty. I had finally received my first transfer. I felt so happy and without wasting time I started planning on how best I would utilize it.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the fact that I managed to purchase a water tank. This is what I have been aspiring to own but I could not afford it since it was very costly. I settled in purchasing it since it will be of great help to m and my family. The dams are very far from the village and I did not have enough jerricans to store the water. I feel there's a relief now, besides that, I will be harvesting the rainwater. My plan is to start a business of selling the water to my neighbors and generate an income.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying some new beddings such as beds, mattresses, and bedsheets. These were to replace the traditional beddings that we have been using for all those years. I also bought some building materials such as iron sheets, buildings, nails, and timber, this was for the construction of a new house for my children since they have been sheltering at their grandfather's house for all those years. I also bought a water tank worth KES 5000. I later cleared some hospital bills for my children who have been unwell for so long. The remaining amount of money, I bought enough foodstuffs for my family.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Supporting my daughter to do a dressmaking course so that she can be a reliable person in our family has been my greatest desire. Despite this greatest ambition, I have never managed to do this since I once took her to college but she was sent home after 3 days something that stressed me a lot but I could not do anything. My plan once I receive the cash grant is to use $200 to take her to the college. On the other hand, I intend to buy oxen and ox plow using $380 inclusively in order to help me upscaling my farming. This will mean a big boost to my family and hence, a better life.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I consider evening as the happiest part of my day because I usually find myself relaxed from my busy day. Unlike in the morning and afternoon hours when I am busy doing household chores and farm work.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
As a housewife, I majorly depend on my husband who is doing casual work, a job which is low paying. With the low income from his job, it has been hard to meet all our basic needs and the most affected are the children who are most of the time are sent home due to the big arrears. Therefore, the lack of a reliable source of income to fully support the needs of my family has been my biggest hardship.
