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 a funeral in my neighborhood when I received a notification that GiveDirectly had sent me $180. This was good news amidst the sadness of the day, and I couldn't wait to get home to share it with my family. My first thought was to buy household items because I didn't have enough to meet our needs. With the money from GiveDirectly, I felt hopeful that I could improve our situation and provide some comfort to my family during this difficult time.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference since I started receiving money from GiveDirectly has been the ability to rest. With food in the house, I no longer need to take low-paying odd jobs, which has greatly improved my health. This stability has allowed me to look for other opportunities, such as opening a business shortly. My home now looks appealing thanks to the new household items I was able to buy with the GiveDirectly transfers, items that I did not own before. I am truly grateful to GiveDirectly for their timely support, which has made a significant impact on my life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon receiving $180 from GiveDirectly, I immediately shifted my focus to planning how to use the funds effectively. I spent $34 on household items, including chairs, a table, and a utensil stand, which improved the appearance of my home and made it more inviting. With $30 I bought a sheep as an investment, hoping to see it multiply and help me meet future challenges without worry. I also spent $35 on a mattress; for many years, I had slept on an old, torn mattress that made my nights uncomfortable. Now, with a new and comfortable mattress, my sleep has improved, positively impacting my overall health.
Furthermore, I used $70 to address our immediate food needs, ensuring my family had enough to eat, especially after the floods swept away my farm, which I relied on for food. As a single mother, this support from GiveDirectly has allowed me to take a break from low-paying odd jobs and focus more on my family. I am truly grateful for the difference this assistance has made in our lives.
Enrolled
access_time 4 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
Receiving this cash transfers from Give Directly means so much to me and my daughter. At the moment we have a challenge with cooking since we don't have enough utensils and a kitchen. I'm forced sometimes when it rains to cook from my neighbours kitchen. With the first cash transfer I intend to purchase utensils such as pots, plates and a stove for cooking whenever it rains. I intend to spend about KES 13000 of the transfers on this. I also intend to purchase foods stuffs such as maize, beans and rice with the remaining KES 5000. For the second cash transfers, I intend to start a business. I plan to use the entire KES 45000 to open a shop in our shopping center within the village. This will be my source of income for me and my daughter. For the third cash transfer, I intend to do farming. I intend to plant one hector of maize and beans. This will cost me about KES 13000. With the remaining cash I intend to purchase two sheep at KES 4500 each. This will be my investment into the future.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the last 6 months my happiness came from being able to sell my three cockerel in the market. When schools were opened two months ago, I did not have money to pay for my daughter's tuition fees and when I sold the cockrel for KES 1500 I was really happy. My joy became more profound when I accompanied my daughter to school with all the requirements her teachers had requested.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest challenge currently is getting food. This has been a big challenge that is making my life hard currently because sometimes when I don't get casual work in the farms I'm forced to go hungry. This saddens me a great deal because I hate seeing my daughter sleep without eating anything. Sometimes I'm forced to borrow food for her from my neighbours which makes me feel ashamed.
