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 9 AM when my phone started vibrating. Without wasting time, I decided to check the content of the message. Upon checking, I realized it Mpesa message from GD. I felt extremely happy that at last I had got money that would help to achieve my goals.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Having a dairy cow makes a difference in my daily life. This is because before the coming of GiveDirectly in my region I did not have any livestock in my compound. This is because of the poverty that had stricken my household for all those years. For now, I am assured of getting plenty of milk which I will start a business of selling them to the local markets and to my neighbors and generate an income. The remaining few liters will be for my family's consumption.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on paying school fees for my children who are both in primary school. I had to pay in advance to avoid being sent home every no and then. I then bought some iron sheets and building poles to construct a small kitchen. I then bought a new bed and a mattress to replace traditional beds that we have been using for all those years. I then bought a dairy cow as my living asset that I can depend on in case of my financial difficulties. The remaining amount of money, I am using it buying some enough foodstuff for my family and some other household items.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I've been yearning to own dairy cows like my neighbors. Every day, I purchase milk from them and this is very costly. I believe having my own will be a huge relief in terms of family expenses and nutrition for the children because we will have a constant supply of milk at no cost. And since, free-range is practiced here, the cost of raising livestock is extremely low. In addition, I intend to invest part of transfers in Silver cyprinid commonly referred to as Omena business and the proceeds will help in catering for my children's educational needs.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Evening is the happiest part of my day. With 9 children to care for, my day is always packed with activities. The first thing in the morning is to do household chores and to ensure that there is enough food to sustain the kids through the day. I also graze my goats and it is in the evenning when I get time to rest and that informs the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial instability has been the biggest hardship in life. This was necessitated by a lack of better employment opportunities. At the moment, I have 9 children, and we solely depend on my husband who operates a motorcycle taxi. With the huge influx of motorcycles in the market, the business is no longer viable and as a result, we are unable to adequately meet our children's basic needs like health care, better nutrition, and education.
