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 woke up at around 6am and wanted confirm the time by my phone when I saw the text message. I read it immediately wondering who might have texted me at night since I never receive any messages at all. I was very thrilled when I realised that I had received the transfer. I took a few minutes to thank God for the blessing before calling my husband who was in Nairobi at the time to inform him of the wonderful news.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Before we received the transfer, my family had a very big water problem as we live very far away from the nearest water source. It was hectic fetching the water so we limited water use in the house which of course affected the general cleanliness of the house. The water itself was also not very safe because we fetched it from the river that the entire community uses,both human and livestock therefore my children were prone to waterborne diseases. When we received the transfer, we purchased a water tank that we are now using to harvest rain water. This tank has brought a very big difference in my family's life. We have not been to the river since the rainy season began therefore no more back pains from carrying a heavy jerrican for a long distance, no more limiting water usage in the house which was previously a determinant of how frequent we had a bath and also having safer water for cooking and drinking. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for saving my family from the effects of depending on the river-water.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We decided to spend part of the money we received to buy a 3000litres water tank because we live very far a way from the nearest water source which is a river. We had to borrow our neighbour's donkey each time we needed to fetch water to help us bring home more water in a single trip. The water was also not very safe because the river is the drinking source for all the animals in the region and a place for other activities for those who live around the river such as washing clothes and bathing. Having to use the same water for domestic purposes such as cooking and drinking endangered our health so we purchased the water tank to help us harvest pure rain water. We also purchased a heifer as a long term investment because after a few years,we will not have to purchase milk for own consumption and we will still be able to earn extra income by selling the excess.
Enrolled
access_time almost 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been yearning to start poultry farming as a business. I am planning to use 300 USD of my first transfer to cater for the entire expenses such as building materials, chicks (50 in number;1 costing 2 USD), food, among other expenses. Therefore, receiving this money mean I will be having a business of my own and thus an increase in income from what my husband gets.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of day is in the evening. After my school going children have left for school early in the morning, I normally go to work (digging, weeding planting more crops, among others) in my nearby garden of around 0.5 of an acre where I grow sweet potatoes, kales and maize for home consumption. I will work up to around 1pm and use the rest of my afternoon doing household chores and looking after my small child who is yet to start school. Its in the evening after I have finished my chores that I feel relaxed and have free time to chat with my family as we prepare and have dinner.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in life is lack of capital to start my own business (poultry keeping). My husband is a security guard in Nairobi and he gets meagre salary of 150 USD a month considering the fact that he has his own expenses of rent and food, he normally send us upkeep money here at the village. I will be glad to start a business to supplement what my husband get as salary.
