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?
Early that morning I was at home preparing to leave for work when I received a message from Givedirectly. This was a confirmation of my first transfer and immediately I called my husband who had left for work to inform him about the same. He was so excited and he requested me to go and withdraw the money later in the day.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the purchase of water pump,tilling of my land and planting of maize.This will allow us have enough maize in the next harvest season hence reduction of expenses on purchase of maize.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
On receiving my first transfer, I spent KES 7,000 on buying a water pump which we use to pump water from the nearest river. This has allowed us to save a lot of time and also reduces the time we spent fetching water for livestock on our farm. I am a teacher in a nearby school and after work, I would come home tired and hence unable to go and fetch water. With the pump currently, it has made my work easier. I also spent KES 30,000 on buying stones that we will use in the construction of a three-roomed house after receipt of my second transfer. The remaining amount, I spent on purchasing maize and other foodstuff for my family members.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
We have been using manual ways (such as machete to cut hay) to prepare the feed for our livestock which is tedious and slow. At times we give hay without cutting them into pieces which is inappropriate for the livestock. To expedite our farm operations we intend to spend approximately KES 35,000 to purchase a chaff cutter using the first transfer and spend the remaining cash to pay school fees for my 5 children. Therefore receiving this money means an improved farming system in the household and I am anxious to experience it.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the last 6 months, we were able to take our daughter to a medical college and this is what has brought joy and happiness to our lives. Her ambition has been to become a nurse in the future and we are glad that we are on the verge of fulfilling her dreams. We were able to acquire a bank loan and settle her college expenses and we feel we have strived to accomplish her goals.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
A prolonged period of drought is the challenge we are currently facing. We experience minimal rainfall throughout the year in our area which has reduced our crop production and lack of enough grass to feed our livestock. Due to this, our living standard has been stretched because we have to spend more money to buy food for our livestock and other household recurrent expenditures. Minimal rainfall has therefore crippled our ability to harvest sufficient food and get enough animal feed which makes me feel sad about it.
