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 had left my phone charging and went I went back to get it I got a message on my phone. When I checked it out it was from GiveDirectly confirming that I have received some money. I felt so happy because I have never had such an amount of money. I was at home with my mother and we all celebrated with lots of joy. We planned for two days on how to spend it and later I went to withdraw.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
starting a livestock rearing project is the biggest difference in my daily life. I depend on horticulture farming and this earns me a small income to meet my daily basic need and pay school fees for my children. I had no extra money to start the livestock rearing project. When I received the money from GiveDirectly I felt so happy because this was a chance to invest in the project. currently, I have six goats and I heifer. Goats are produced twice per year. I will sell them when they would have reproduced to pay school fees for my children. This will make my work so easy. When the heifer reprocess I will get enough milk for the family and cut the daily cost of buying milk daily which is so costly for me. I am so grateful for the support because GiveDirectly has changed our living standards to be much better.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 18,000 on purchasing six goats and KES 15,000 on purchasing a heifer. I have always wanted to invest in livestock rearing projects but I did not have the money to start. I am so happy because GiveDirecly has fulfilled my dream. I spent KES 5,000 on paying school fees for my children in various schools they are now studying well without being disturbed. I spent KES 6,500 on renting a piece of land. I am planning on doing horticulture farming. The rest of the money I spend on food and household items for the family.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I started a vegetable irrigation farm this year,2022, but it is now stuck due to a lack of funds. The prolonged drought has made the project too expensive as I have to buy water tanks and also fill them with water that I have to purchase and hire a motorist to ferry the 20 litres of jerricans to my farm which is one kilometre away from the water point.
Receiving this money means using 20,000 KES to buy two water tanks and fill them with water. I will use the remaining transfer to renovate my house specifically the roof as the timbers were attacked by termites and strong winds or cyclones may bring it down.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am grateful for having a caring brother who has stood with me, especially during these tough times. When I do not have food he helps me and this has been making me happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I used to be working in Mombasa but due to this coronavirus, the team was scaled down and unfortunately I was one of the employees. Life has not been a walk in the park anymore and I am struggling in almost all spheres of my life. I had to start the irrigation farm which is now stuck as I have no money to buy water tanks for water storage.
Three of my school-going children at times are sent back home due to a lack of school fees.
