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 was home sewing some of the material I make from sisal when I received the notification that I finally received the money from GiveDirectly. I was so happy to see that money because it meant my kids could finally go back to school because seeing them idle at home for those three days was quite stressful for me.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I have no idea how long my children would have had to stay home were it not for receiving the money the day I did because I retired a long time ago and sometimes finances can be quite challenging. I am grateful for the assistance because I get to keep my kids in school which makes me very happy as a parent.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I happen to have two kids who are still in school and three days before receiving the transfers the both of them had been kicked out of school because I had failed to clear their tuition debt. Therefore when I received the money that was my first priority so that they could continue with their education. I went ahead and paid KES 1,000 which was split between them equally. I was left with KES 200 and opted to buy two packets of maize flour instead.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
When my house was destroyed by wind four years ago I had to build a temporary structure for my family to have a roof under them. The temporary structure I built is wrecked and is in a state of falling. Lack of finances has made it impossible for me to build a good house for my family. Therefore I plan to save my transfers for 3 conservative months and start buying materials for building a new house. Receiving this money means good housing for my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
For the past six months, life has brought its up and downs especially because of the drought but all in all, thank God for the gift of life.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Since the beginning of the drought, life has not been easy for my family. I used to be a substance farmer but the drought has made things worse and now getting food has become difficult because we have to buy everything. I had no choice but to depend on my child who works as a gardener for financial support because at my old age getting a job is not easy.
