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 almost 6 pm while fetching water in a nearby river. That's when I heard an SMs alert on my phone. On checking, I confirmed to have received KES 55,000 from GiveDirectly. I was overwhelmed with joy and hurriedly headed home.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The availability of enough food to eat and decent clothing is my biggest difference. This is because earlier on my children would sometimes come home from school only to find no food. At times we used to sleep after taking tea when there is no casual labor. But thanks to GiveDirectly for enabling us to buy food in bulk.
Additionally, I have bought two bulls which will help in school fees payment for my kids shortly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Since my kids are almost starting secondary school. When I received my transfers, I spent KES 40,000 on two young bulls. This is because they grow fast and can be later be sold for school fees.
In addition, I bought two maize bags at KES 6,000. This is due to the damage of the maize crop by the maize pandemic in the last season. Hence we resorted to casual labor and rope weaving to get food.
Lastly, I spent KES 2000 on the clearance of school fees for my daughter in high school.
I also spent KES 5,000 on clothing for my whole family and the remaining KES 1,000, the rest was spent on other household items.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
For along time now crop harvest has been minimal due to prolonged period of drought and the invasion of pests and diseases. As a result we have opted for livestock farming because this earns us a nutritional source of food and income through the sale of milk .My household do not own any livestock, the ones we have belong to a relative who might take them any time.I therefore plan to buy 2 dairy cows and 2 goats in order to secure a good future for my children.These cows and goats will multiply and when my children join secondary schools I will be able to pay their school fees comfortably
What is the happiest part of your day?
The love and unity among my household members has given me happiness in the past six months.Despite the inadequacy of basic needs my family has remain happy and contented with want we get and this makes me happy as a mother.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial constraints is the biggest challenge we are currently facing.I am a small scale farmer and my husband works as a casual worker within the local market.Farming has been performing dismally for the past five years hence we depend on the incomes my husband earns.The KES 700 he earns a week can only meet the household food stuff such as maize flour . Provision of other basic needs such as clothes and education has been forgone in the household due to the limited incomes.
