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 felt so much happy the moment I received money from GiveDirectly. Never before had I received such huge amount of money in my account. If it was not for the age that is catching up with me, I would have jumped up and down in a celebration mood. I still feel very happy up to date as though I received the money yesterday.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life is in the newly built house. I look at it and I do not believe that I was able to put up such a beautiful structure with the help of GiveDitectly transfers. The dairy cow that I bought will also boost the level of income and be a stable source of income that will help me take care of myself at old age. I am so happy and grateful to GiveDirectly for the support.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used KES 25000 to buy a dairy cow and another KES 30000 was used to buy building materials and to put up the building structure. I did not have any livestock to keep yet its one of the most basic life assets especially for old people like me who depend on milk as a source of the so important protein. I thank God that GiveDirectly came to help me own one and be more independent now and in the future. The house that I was living in too was too small to accommodate even two of visitors who came visiting. I now feel comfortable having built a better and spacious house and looking forward to having visitors in my home who are even free to sleep over.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am 92 years old meaning I am past my prime years. My activeness economically is lessening each passing day and so receiving this money means that I must find a way of having a sustained source of income. I intend to use KES 40000 to buy 1 dairy cattle and start planting animal feeds in my 1-acre piece of land. By doing this, I will be getting milk from the cattle for domestic and surplus for commercial sale. 1 litre of milk retails at KES 50 and I project to be getting a surplus of 5 litres meaning that I will be pocketing KES 200 daily. I will also use the remaining amount of the transfer for paddocking and buying food.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Aging is sometimes accompanied by sickness and I am very happy that for the last 6 months I have been good health-wise. God has been great to me as I have not been ill and my prayer is this should continue.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Being very old (92 years), I am starting to be economically inactive. I sometimes depend on my children to fend for me. This habit is unreasonable as they also have their own families to care for. I feel like I am burdening them and I pray that one day I may find something to empower myself to become self-reliant.
