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 at home busy with the farm work when I received my transfer, I can vividly recall that I heard my phone ringing, and upon checking I saw a Mpesa notification message showing that I had received money from GiveDirectly. It was the happiest day in my life, words cannot express the immense joy and happiness that I felt. This is because I knew that we would be able to transform my life with the money that I had received. I am grateful for the support that lifted my living standards to a higher level.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I was able to construct a decent house for my family. This is because the one that I had was old and grass thatched. I was unable to construct a house before due to financial constraints since I depend on casual jobs. I am so thankful for the great opportunity that gave me a chance for me to improve my living standards amazingly. Words cannot express how happy and fulfilled I am to have achieved so much in a short time.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The moment I received my transfer, I opted to build a decent house for my family. This is because the house that we were living in was grass-thatched and small. I was unable to build a decent house for my family since I depend on casual jobs which are not reliable. When GiveDirectly promised us the unconditional transfer, I used the opportunity to realise my dream where I used a sum of KES 43,000 in constructing the house. I then used the remaining amount to purchase a cow. I was able to construct the house in a short period therefore we are indeed grateful for the support that impacted our lives fully.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
At the moment I have only one-roomed, grass-thatched house. It doubles up as a kitchen and a living room. I will spend about KES 30,000 on building a new one. I will then buy a dairy cow and sheep. This will get me busy on my farm, instead of getting employed to work as a security guard. Making money from selling milk will be a better source of income than risking my life looking after someone elses property. I will earn about KES 6000 per month, slightly less than what I used to earn as a watch man, but now,with less expenses unlike if I continue to work in a town.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the last six months, I am happy that I have been spending my monthly salary to start keeping sheep. I have three of them so far and they are just about to calve down. Sheep multiply very fast. Rearing them is giving me hopes for a better future where I have such a secure source of income.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
When I lost my job about a month ago, I have faced it rough , finding it hard to provide for my family, with a young baby. Food insecurity has been my concern since sometimes we have yo sleep hungry. I only rely on casual jobs in house construction which is rare to find here.
