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?
While I was looking for some mangoes in the field at around 9am, I received a message in my phone. Despite being illiterate, I know how to interpret M-pesa messages. So I checked on the message and I was filled with joy when I realized that I had received KES 55000.00. Although I wasn’t sure the source, I had to seek clarification from my helper when I reached home who told me it was the transfer from GiveDirectly.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Before receiving the transfer, I was living in a poor state. My husband and I were relying on making and selling charcoal for a living after our motorbike broke down. When I received the transfer, I repaired the and now he has started working on the transport industry. This has made a big difference in my life since we are no longer struggling with logs in the forest for charcoal making but we get our living from the motorbike. I sincerely send my gratitude to the entire organization for this program.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I withdrew the money, the first thing was to ensure I get a source of income thus repaired my motorbike for KES 20000.00. this motorbike has been used by my husband in doing transport business for both people and luggage. I also bought some iron sheets for KES 10000.00 to renovate my house by adding another room because it was too small and congested. Thereafter, I fulfilled my long time desire of buying a plot of land measuring two acres for KES 20000.00 and used the rest for food.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means starting poultry farming. I have a family of one child. My main economic activity is charcoal burning business. This business is common in the village as it has become the only means for survival due to the drought facing our village. This makes it unreliable because in a month you can get two or three sacks of charcoal that is sold at a cost of 350 KES. This money is not enough to meet my basic needs. My ambition is to get self employed and do my own business that can assure me of food security. Upon receiving the cash transfer, I will buy twenty hens that I will rare and sell when they multiply to get money. My first child will need to go to school. This business will help me save to educate my children in future.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My husband stays away from me for a couple of months due to the nature of his job. Most of the time, he takes more than three months away. Last month, he came back home with some shopping. I was very excited to see him back with some shopping. I had missed him and having him around that time, made me happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of water in the village is the main challenge that I am facing. Our village is experiencing prolonged drought that has caused all the dams in the village dry up. This forces us to walk over twenty kilometres everyday to look for water. Sometimes we go without food because there is no water. This makes life more difficult. The only way to be assured of getting water is buying from local motorists who sell 60 KES a twenty litre drum. Due to lack of money, this is not possible. Upon receiving this money, I will be able to buy a ten thousand litre water tank that I will use to store water for my domestic use.
