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 2 in the evening when I was cleaning my compound when I realized that I had received my first cash transfer. It felt like a dream to me because I thought they wouldn't fulfil their promise. I was so happy and decided to call my wife so that I could share the good news. We started to plan on how to utilise this case without wasting a coin.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The fact that I now have assets (goats) has brought the biggest difference in my daily life. I settled for the goats because they normally reproduce very fast when you compare them with other domestic animals. Therefore I am positive that I will soon achieve my goal of starting a business through them. As soon as they will increase in number I will start the business of buying and selling the goats in the local market. After conducting research concerning this business, I realised that it is so lucrative. Therefore since I have been depending on temporary jobs to fend for my three family members, I trust that through this new business idea, my life shall transform positively. I will no longer have to strain to cater for my family and I will be in a position to save some cash for my children's education journey since it's the only inheritance I can offer them. I will forever be thankful to this organisation for bringing a positive change to my life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent a huge portion of my first transfer on buying timber, iron sheets and nails which cost a total of KES 27000. This was purposeful for the renovation of my house since it had an old leaky roof. I was so worried and frustrated whenever it rained because my properties would get damaged and we could be rained on till dawn. This situation has regularly been affecting my two children because during those moments they were unable to study at night. Therefore their academic performance would drop day by day. I am so happy that after renovating it I have noticed a big change, especially in their performance because there are no more hitches concerning the house. Also bought a water tank of 280 litres at KES 2500. It has been of help, especially to my wife, she can now store water for future consumption. I also paid fees of KES 2000 for my kids in primary school to avoid being sent home. Additionally, I purchased two goats at KES 8000 which serve as my long-time investment. Finally, I used the remaining cash to buy food for my three family members.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been a goat farmer for a long time and I now feel that it's time to diversify to other livestock. Receiving this money will enable me achieve that. I therefore plan to buy 2 heifers each at a cost of KES 10,000. The next plan is starting poultry farming with another KES 20,000. Since my jobs revolve around my compound. This kind of farming will be a good fit for me and my income will automatically increase.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The recent short rains have brought me a lot of joy as a goat farmer. Last year was a tough year because of lack of pasture for livestock due to a long dry spell. Since the onset of the short rains I can now relax at home. I used to go for long distances looking for water and pasture for the goats. I can now utilize my time to do other activities like crop farming.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I have recently been facing some challenges as a palm wine tapper and a subsistence farmer. First of all is the frequent droughts and secondly is the physical nature of these jobs while old age is catching up. Sometimes we skip meals because of food scarcity. There has been very little from my farm in the recent past.
