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 was at a funeral when I received a notification that $200 had been sent to me from GiveDirectly. The mood instantly shifted from sorrowful to lively. My first thought was to rush home and tell my husband so we could start planning how to use the money.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest change in my life since I started receiving cash transfers from GiveDirectly is the peace I now enjoy and the steady flow of income, especially now that I am debt-free. My family life has improved significantly after paying off the debt that had been stressing us. The transfers from GiveDirectly have also helped me boost my business by allowing me to buy more stock. This has increased my profits and provided a stable income, which enables me to comfortably meet my family's daily needs.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received $200 from GiveDirectly, I was so happy and excited. At that time, our family had a debt that had been stressing us for two months, so we decided it was wise to clear it. I used $70 of the money to settle the debt, which brought a huge relief to our family. My husband and I had been stressed because the repayment time had passed, and we didn’t have the money to pay it back. Now, we are at peace, free from the constant pressure and reminders to pay.
I also have a child in secondary school, and I used $100 to pay their term fees. The money came just as schools were reopening, which ensured a smooth start to the new term. Unlike before, when my child would have to miss some days as I struggled to find the fees, this time they were able to start school without delay.
With the remaining $30, I bought more stock for my small vegetable business. This helped my business pick up, and now I’m making more profit than before. The business has provided a steady flow of income, so I no longer worry about meeting my household needs because I have daily earnings.
Thanks to GiveDirectly for this support. It has allowed me to address these pressing issues and sustain my family every day.
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access_time 3 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I had taken a loan of $155 to pay school fees for my son Denis. This debt is not giving me peace because I cannot afford to pay it back. When I receive the transfers from GiveDirectly, I will clear my debt. I have a dream of expanding my business but capital has been my biggest challenge. I will inject $120 of the transfer to my business. This will help me maximize profits from my business. It is also sad that we do not have a pit latrine, this is a shame to us. I will set aside $200 of the transfers to build a better pit latrine for my family. I will also use $300 of the transfers to construct a kitchen for my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
It was in April 2024 when we had flash floods in our area. Our crops and farms were completely destroyed and this affected our family income. I had to find other ways of putting food on the table. I started hawking vegetables within the village and this saved my family a lot. Despite the losses we experienced, my business reduced my struggle of putting food on the table for my family of eight.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I had promised myself that I will work hard and give my children a quality education. However, financial challenges are making my dream fade away. Subsistence farming is our main source of family income, it is unfortunate that lately, crop farming is performing poorly due to the extreme effects of climate change. We are therefore struggling to meet our ends which is heartbreaking. Most households in my community are shifting to an irrigation farming system since rain is no longer reliable. This type of farming is costly and this disadvantages us since we do not have the financial power. It was in April when our 2 acre piece of land was swept away by the flash floods. The crops that we planted were also destroyed and as a result of this, we are faced with food shortage in the family.
