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 10am, I was at the farm. When I heard a message notification from my phone. When I checked it I couldn't believe my eyes. It was a message confirming that I have received KES 55,000 from GiveDirectly. I felt so happy and stop whatever I was doing at the particular time. I inform my family members and everyone celebrated with lots of joy. I went to withdrew the money the same day and plan on how to spend it well. I'm so happy because I have never received such amount of money before.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Building a better and spacious house is the biggest difference in my daily life. I used to live in a small house which could not host all my family comfortably. Building a house was one of my main focus. I depend on small scale farming and causal jobs in the village. The amount of money that I would get was so small and I was not able to save some money to purchased the building materials. Hosting many people was challenging because there was no space. When I received the transfer I felt so happy and immediately went and purchased the iron sheet. Later plan on building a better house. Currently I have a decent and spacious house. I no longer get shy to welcome victors into my house. This is because my house is smart. I am planning on cementing the floor of the house to be dust free. This will enable me to clean faster and do other activities without being disturbed. I am so grateful for the support.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent the money I received from GiveDirectly on building a better and spacious house for my family. I used to live in a small house which could not host all my family members well. I had always wished to own a better house but I didn't had the money. The rest of the money I bought food and clothes for my children.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
We have only one two-roomed house yet we frequently have visitors and grandchildren. Such people would be forced to sleep in the kitchen whenever they visit us. That makes us feel uncomfortable and lowers our self-esteem. Lack of funds has deterred us from building a bigger house. Hence, receiving this money means we shall afford to build a bigger house that could accommodate more people. As a result, we shall be more ready and comfortable to welcome visitors. Overall, this money matters a lot to my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when I am reuniting and interacting with my family members who have been away throughout the day. Every morning, four of my children leave for school while my husband goes to his place of work. So, I am the only one left to attend to the household chores and farming activities, tasks that would run throughout the day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
We rely on 1.3 acres of arable land for survival. Produce from the farm is just enough to feed us with no surpluses for sale. Precisely, the piece of land is inadequate to sustain our family of seven members and gain income for developmental projects. Though we always have enough food (from the farm) in our family, the relatively small arable land serves as the biggest impediment to our development. So, it has been impossible for us to make any savings from our subsistence farming.
