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 learned that I had received the cash transfer at around 8 in the morning when I was at my farm. I felt so happy and blessed because I did not even expect to receive the cash at that particular hour. Therefore, without wasting time, I had to rush back home and spread the news with my family. Upon receiving the news, they could not hold their joy as well. Later in the day, we sat down and started planning how perfect we could use the money.
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 now have livestock that I am keeping in my compound. It has been my way to own them for a long but I could not afford to purchase them because they were too costly. I plan that once they multiply I will start a business of selling the matured offspring to the local markets and generate income. I believe that this will uplift my living standard greatly. Currently, I depend on the farming activities and the little I earn could not fend for my four family members. Most of the time, my children could starve and even stay home for weeks as a result of the school fees arrears. I am hopeful that once the business picks so well, I will be able to cater to all their needs timely without straining like before.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on paying school fees of KES 15000 for my two children. I am now a happy parent after seeing them going to school every morning like their friends. To add to that, I bought a wire mesh at KES 8000. This was for the construction of a special house for the chicken and ducks. Also, I bought two goats, four chickens, and three ducks for a total of KES 9000. I settled for them because I trust they will multiply within a short period since they have a shorter gestation. In addition to that, I bought foodstuffs for my family and other household items that I was lacking at the moment.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been practicing paultry farming for about twelve years now. The business would be great but there's still some form of set back. I deal a lot with all sorts of predators that eat chicks. Still when I close my chicks in the house to protect them, they end up dying. Now I have realized I need to just expand my business so that I can reap enough from it. First off when I get that money I will buy the right wire to face an open place for them. This would give them space to feed and roost while keeping a way predators. Again I would like to buy my own incubator so that I can hatch the eggs faster and in quick succession than chicken would naturally.
What is the happiest part of your day?
It was mid last year when one of my sons decided to bring his family your rural home to officially introduce them to the rest of our family. It was a big celebration that attracted even my other son who lives and works in Kilifi. The younger son had been living in Mtwapa for about ten years without bringing his family home. We greatly enjoyed that reunion.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I have a couple of challenges, but the biggest which is plaguing my business is predators that eat my chicks. I have been losing chicks on daily basis to crows and mongoose. This makes it hard to grow in terms of numbers and makes the business stagnate a lot when there are no chicken to sell. I know I'm suffering this much because I do not have the right structures for my chicken at the moment.
