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?
When the money was deposited into my account, I was very sick in bed. By then, my phone was with my daughter-in-law who saw the M-Pesa message, and she immediately informed me. I gained some strength and managed to sit on the bed. This strength was brought by the happiness that felt after getting the good news of receiving the first transfer, something that I was yearning for.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Initially, my family was living in shame. Borrowing shelter from neighbors for my sons was something that deprived me of my happiness. As of now, GiveDirectly restored my happiness by empowering me to construct their own houses through the transfer that I received from the organization. We also have access to food as a family not as before when we used to hustle so much for us to get some food and sometimes we went without meals. I am very grateful for the support that I received from GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon withdrawal, the thing that was giving me a headache was the shelter for my sons who had been sleeping at friends' places. Therefore, I bought 14 pieces of iron sheets and the two sons divided seven each, and I told them to search for poles to minimize the cost of building their houses. As of now, I am glad that they both have a house each and they are comfortable and peacefully happy in their houses. I also bought six pieces of iron sheets and renovated my house was leaking. I can not give a breakdown on the coat of the houses but I am happy that my sons are comfortable. Thereafter, I bought a bed for KES 6500.00 and a mattress for KES 5000.00. For the remaining amount, I decided to buy some food for my family waiting for the second transfer.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
In May 2020, my right side of the body paralysed. It started as pains of the joints until that time the leg and the hand could not move. Since then I have been using medicine which according to my status are very expensive. I need 8000KES after every month to buy the pills doctor prescribe for me. With the help of GiveDirectly, I believe there will be guaranteed uptake of the medication which reduces a lot of the pain I feel when I miss the medication.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I received a call from my sister who stays in Mariakani that she is willing to sell her cow to help me buy my medicine. It's truly a very nice thing to hear.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The day I woke up and found all my right side of the body has paralyzed, it is when I knew the world has ended for me. I grew up a very hard working woman, I could do anything in order to provide for my family. Now as you can see, to stand up I need support from my children. My husband who is very old now had to go to mombasa to seek casual jobs in order to buy me the medicine. My two daughters had to drop out of school because all the resources we had as a family was used to find treatment of my condition. Because of the financial crisis we are having as a family, I have now missed my medication for almost now four months.
