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.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has really helped me become more dependent and self-reliant which if you ask me has played a huge role in my day to day life. This organization has given us a chance to grow and develop in ways that we did not think we ever could because we had no means to do so and we are eternally grateful for the kindness we are receiving.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have always had the ambition and intentions to venture to venture into poultry farming but unfortunately I lacked the necessary means to do so especially financially. Then lucky enough I got involved with GiveDirectly and as soon as I received the money I went ahead and bought one cork and three hens that I planned to rear and breed so that I would have more hens. Then I used the remaining KES 1,000 and used KES 500 to buy drinking water since it is quite a predicament back here to get clean drinking water and then used the remaining KES 500 and bought two packets of maize flour and kerosene for my lamps.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was sitting in my house just full of thoughts about where I would get money to buy my next meal. I had slept hungry the previous day and was a little weak. Soon I heard my phone ring loudly, notifying me I had received a text message. Since I cannot read and write, I called my son who came and read the contents of the message for me. I was thrilled, and I quickly sent my son to withdraw the money and buy some packets of maize flour.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer has made a big difference in my life. It is very challenging to get money to buy food, especially now that my husband and I are no longer working. Depending on our children have proved effective as we lack food and sleeping hungry when we don’t receive money from them. I am thrilled that through these funds could buy food and avoided sleeping hungry.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My husband and I have, for the longest time, depended on farming to sustain ourselves and our family. Three years ago everything was good until we stopped receiving rain. The farms have become unproductive, and that’s the reason we are jobless. My husband is now taking care of the few goats and cows that have survived through this face of drought. We now depend on our elder children who work in Mombasa to provide us with money for food. Our children work as casual labors and mostly work on short contract jobs. When they cannot get a job, we suffer too and make us skip meals and sleep hungry. When I received the first transfer of KSH 1200, I spent it all in buying food. I bought 10 packets of 2kg of maize flour. At that moment, my children had not sent me money to buy food and since we were starving together with my husband, the best option was to buy the food to keep us going.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I foresee my life will change upon receiving the money. I am a charcoal vendor who generates little income of 500KES weekly which is insufficient to meet the needs of a family of six. This job is tiresome and time-consuming, therefore I plan to use the transfers to open a business selling chicken to the villagers. Through this, I will be able to collect good money that sustains my family's needs.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Having some food in my store brought joy to me. This made us float for some months and able to save school fees for my grandchildren.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am a charcoal vendor. I have been doing this work for almost seven years now and the little that I get could cater to our needs given that my husband too was able to work. Currently, my husband is very old and the family is still growing, I live with my young two sons, and three grandchildren. I am the only breadwinner and I earn just 100 KES per day, which is too little to feed us in one meal routine. Taking a three-meal in a day has been history to my family. We only take black tea at Christmas. My house roof leaks during rain, the clothing that I wear is torn out, I feel unhappy hope all will be well.
