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 in the evening and I was in the field splitting firewood when a message notification rang on my phone. Since I could not read, I continued with the task, and when I returned home later that evening, I told my son that a message had been sent to my phone. Upon checking the contents, he confirmed that Give Directly had sent money to my phone. I was so excited. I immediately remembered the goals I had set to achieve once I received the cash, the most pressing one being building a toilet and a kitchen structure.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I am very grateful because the transfers have improved my situation significantly. My family used to struggle with finding a toilet space, resorting to using the bushes, which was not hygienic at all. It was especially challenging for my husband, who has a knee complication and struggles to walk. The biggest transformation for me now is having a new toilet under construction, all thanks to the transfers. I am not sure this would have been possible so soon without Give Directly’s support, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Immediately after I received the transfer, I knew it was my chance to build a latrine. My children had built me a stable house, but the homestead lacked a latrine. We mostly used the bush, which was both challenging and unhealthy. So, I spent $52 to buy building materials to start the construction process, and I paid the builder $130 in advance. The building is in progress, and I am excited to see this project take shape in the next few days. My husband also fell ill; his knee started having complications, and he could not walk by himself. So, we used $15 to fund his treatment and medication. I am happy that he is progressing well with medication and can now move around. I saved the remaining amount to continue funding the construction of the toilet space. Once that is done, I also aim to build a kitchen structure. Currently, I use part of my house for cooking, and I fear the soot could cause some health repercussions. Having a separate structure will prevent this. Due to my advancing age and the fact that my husband constantly falls ill, we cannot take jobs to fend for ourselves. Given that our youngest child is still in secondary school, his elder brother usually supports his education. I am happy to have found some independence through these transfers now.
Enrolled
access_time 6 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
Having a blind spouse is a big challenge that I have experienced in my life. This is because, since we lack a toilet, I am forced to take him to the bush every time. This has become a risk because our area is bushy, also, it's a tiresome responsibility. Since I already have a pit, I intend to spend $150 to ensure we have a decent toilet at home. This will not only give me relief from visiting the bush but also promote our community's hygiene. Another project that is lingering in my mind is to keep goats. This is a profitable project and I plan to invest in it. I intend to spend $300 of the money to buy 10 goats. This will act as my long-term investment to help us in the future. The remaining amount will help me to construct a kitchen since I currently use my house as a bedroom, store as well as kitchen. Achieving this will mean a better livelihood and this is generally what receiving this money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
A roped bed with sacks is what I have been calling my bedding for many years. Although this can cause discomfort at night due to the pain from the ropes, we have survived the challenges. In December last year during the festive season, my son bought us a new mattress. This replaced the rugged sacks and we are currently enjoying our nights due to the comfort we are getting. Hence, this is basically what has brought me joy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My husband is living with disability since he is blind. Since we are the only two people who stay full-time at home, It has forced me to stay indoors all through the day as I take care of him. This situation has hindered me from taking tasks outside home and it means, we fully depend on my son who works in Mombasa to send us some cash. Although he has been supportive, sometimes he fails to send us money because he has his family to support. Hence, I consider financial instability as my biggest challenge.
