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?
It was around 6 Am when I was still asleep then I heard my phone vibrating. This was an indication that it was a new message, Upon checking I confirmed it was an Mpesa message from GiveDireclty. I was overexcited knowing that my poverty life shall come to an end.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Having have cleared school fees for my children has brought the biggest difference in my daily life. I have been struggling for all that time to clear the fees arrears but then I could not afford it since I am a widow and the family's breadwinner. Therefore after receiving the money, without wasting time, I cleared the fees. his is now my pride because in the near future they will be responsible people and their future generation. I am extremely grateful for the financial support from GD.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent a huge amount of my first transfer on paying school fees for my children who had completed their secondary school education. I then bought an ox at KES 10000, as my living asset that will help me in my farming activities. I also bought some few pieces of iron sheets to renovate my kitchen which was in poor condition. The remaining amount of money, I bought enough foodstuffs for my family that would take us for a couple of days.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My desire has been to clear my children's school fees arrears but due to the financial crisis, I have never achieved this. I have 2 children who finished high school in 2017 but they have not received their certificates because I am yet to clear the balance of the fee. I am planning to spend $ 400 on the transfer to clear the balances. I will use the extra $700 to take them to vocational colleges to pursue mechanical courses that will create opportunities for them to be employed something that will make them independent.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of the day is in the morning. It is at this time when I engage in my day's chores like burning charcoal because the weather is cool unlike in the afternoon when it's too hot.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest hardship in life is the lack of a good source of income. This has really been a challenge to me because I depend on charcoal burning as my job, a work that is tedious and it earns me very little say, in a week $60.This is not enough to cater for my daily basic needs.
