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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I am planning to boost my charcoal business and buying food since there is a lot of farmine
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
receiving the money. I used to have alot of problems , bought
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I had no house, so i bpout iron sheet, poles and a fundi to fix my new house.i spent 49 k in building.I now own a two roomed housed. i used to live in a small house but it fell down. it used to be a mud thatched house.
I am a farmer and burning charcoal. maize,beans.
I am a mother of 6, 2girls and 4boys. my husband died long time ago, he used to be a police man.
I am an old mama, but live with my grandchildren, they are 10 . i only li
I bought a bed a bed, mattrees and solar also 5 goats.I had no mattress nor a bed, my house also fell down
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES
access_time over 1 year ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I can still remember vividly just like the other day when I was preparing an evening meal when I received two messages. Without wasting time, I had to call one of my grandchildren to check the contents of the message. I felt so happy after letting me know that I had received my first cash transfer. I finally knew that I would build a new house.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that the cash transfers have empowered me to build a decent permanent house. Previously, I used to stay in a small hut which was almost collapsing. During the rainy seasons, I had to seek shelter elsewhere and as a result, my properties would get spoilt. Apart from that, most of my neighbours were not generous and sometimes I opted to stay in my house till the rains stop. It used to be so tough considering that I am a widow who stays alone and depends on casual jobs for my daily bread. I would not build a better house using my cash. I was however hopeful that God will see me through someday and I will be able to sleep in a better place. It still feels like a dream to see myself sheltering comfortable in this decent modern shelter. I can't thank the organisation enough for what they have done in my life and may the Lord continue to bless them.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first cash transfer on buying a mattress at KES 5000. This was purposely to replace the mats that I have been using for so many years. I used to encounter sufferings like back pains all along which sometimes hindered me from performing the house chores. Also, I bought building poles and iron sheets which cost almost KES 25700. I had planned to construct a new house because the initial one was almost collapsing despite being small. With the remaining amount of money, I have been buying foodstuffs, utensils and other household needs.
Enrolled
access_time almost 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I was married in a poligamy family living in a two bedroom house. Our husband died 5 years ago and our house has become very old and wreckled. The house have not been repaired for more than 10 years. The roof is worn out and the mud walls have cracks indicating that the house will fall down anytime of the day. I was grown up relying on charcoal burning business since I was a young girl and now I am 61 years old and still relying on the same business. We have deforested our land and there is no rainfall to practice farming. What works well in my area is rearing indegenous livestock. I have life ambition of owning a house so that I can have privacy and enough space to keep my items but invain. I dream to poses livestock but my earnings from the charcoal business passes direct to the cooking pot and other daily needs. My dream of owning a house will be unfolded if I receive this transfers and it will be a great joy because I will be living independently in a house, where I can have privacy and my properties will be safe. I will utilize the remaining amount to purchase livestock. I believe through this transfers, my life will change to be stable and live in comfortable house.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My second born son who lives in another town with his family sent one bale of maize flour to me last month. I was surprised because it has taken more than a year without receiving any thing from him. I received it and what brought joy and happiness to me is that it relieved me from the straneous job of charcoal burning for 20 days now.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The roof of the house I live in is worn out and incase it rains, I have to seek a refuge to the neighborhood. Getting food in my house means I have to sell charcoal and the price of charcoal keeps on fluctuating. One suck of charcoal of about 50 kilograms is sold at kES 350 - money which can buy only two packets of maize flour. I depend on my own. My children are looking after their families and therefore I am worried about my life because I have nothing to sell inorder to cater for any emmagency needs. Lucking a proper savings like livestock to help me in the time of Crisis and living in a wreckled house are the greatest challenges I am passing through.
