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 heard rumors from my neighbors that they had received money from GiveDirectly. Curious, I asked my son, who helps me with things related to my phone, to check if I had received anything. To my surprise, he confirmed that GiveDirectly had indeed sent me $180! I was overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude. My first thought was to use the money to build a toilet, something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Since I started receiving this money, the biggest changes have been in hygiene and food security. Mentally, I feel at peace knowing I have enough food at home. GiveDirectly has enabled me to afford a variety of foods, which has even helped me recover from ulcers.
Another major difference is having a toilet now. It has improved my family’s overall wellness and restored a sense of dignity. Having a safe, private space for hygiene has been invaluable for us. Thanks to GiveDirectly, these essential needs are now met, and my family’s quality of life has greatly improved.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon receiving $180 from GiveDirectly, I felt immense happiness and relief. As an internally displaced person (IDP), forced to leave my home in North Baringo due to the cattle-raiding conflicts, this support felt like a lifeline. I used $100 of the money to buy materials to build a toilet—a necessity I didn’t have. Building this toilet will greatly improve my family’s hygiene and restore a sense of dignity that has been missing.
With $30, I was able to address our immediate food needs. Since I don’t have land here to grow crops, I rely on buying food. Thanks to this money, I now have enough food to last my family for over two months, which brings great relief.
Finally, I sent the remaining money to my child, who had called to tell me they were struggling without food at home. It felt essential to share this support and express my love for them, as I understand all too well the challenges they are facing.
Thank you, GiveDirectly, for this generous help.
Enrolled
access_time 2 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
The safety and security of my life is of paramount value to me at this age.Therefore I plan to put up a barbed wire fence around the homestead to safe guard my 3 goats and to also minimize passers by and strangers from entering my compound . With a cost of approximately KES 40000 I will be able to achieve this goal.Furthermore ,I would like to build myself a pit latrine worth KES 15000 in order to keep my compound clean and hygienic.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The support of my children amidst sickness and struggles of life has brought joy into my life in the past 2 months.My grandchildren have been keeping me company,telling me stories and playing around the homestead.This has made my days peaceful and happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest challenge I currently face is the state of poor health.For the past four years I have been having digestive tract problem, it was recently discovered by the doctors in Marigat hospital where I was hospitalized for 3 months that I have developed chronic ulcers .This disease has been attributed to prolonged periods of starvation which resulted from my inability to access food.I depend on my four sons to provide for my basic needs because my age of 94 does not allow me to do so.This dependence on them sometimes fails because they all have to carry the burden of their families,therefore leaving me to go hungry on some occasions.
