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 8 am while still asleep when I heard a message on my phone. On checking, I had received KES 55,000 from GiveDirectly. I was very happy and this motivated me to wake up.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started the transfers is the availability of capital to start my hairdressing business. As a result, I will be financially independent soon.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my transfers my pregnancy was due. And just three weeks ago is when I gave birth to a bouncing baby girl. Right now, my full attention is on the baby.
Therefore, when my baby turns three months is when I plan to start my hairdressing business using the transfers. This will be the main income source for my family.
Additionally, my husband also works as a security guard, and currently, I rely on him to fend for the family.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a great improvement to our livelihood. We are a family of four, my husband who is the sole provider is a security guard. The much he makes (KES 5000) a month cannot meet all our family's basic needs which includes food. I plan to use KES 40,000 to purchase a dairy cow, apart from giving me milk to feed my family, I will be able to sell the surplus to earn my income daily hence improving my living standard. For the remaining amount, I will invest in my grocery business to improve my income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Last week I harvested maize I had plated in a quarter of an acre. To my surprise, I harvested 5 bags. For the last 2 years, I have been harvesting half a bag from the same piece of land. This brought joy since I will go all year without buying Maize for my family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The main challenge is food insecurity. We mostly depend on rain for food production. The rains are also unreliable leading to low production. This forces us to spend more on purchasing food since we have to source most of it from the market.
