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 felt so happy the moment I received the money from GiveDirectly. Never before had I received such amount of money in my life and I could not think of receiving any from anyone any time soon. Receiving this transfer meant a lot to me and for a moment I felt like I was going to be able to implement my plans and bring about a change in my living standards and that of my family as well.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I am more economically empowered than I was before I received this transfer. The dairy cow that I bought has seen us have enough milk supply for the family as well as earn extra income for the family. This has given us peace of mind and an opportunity to make other meaningful family investments.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used part of my recent transfer to buy a hybrid dairy cow. I used the remaining amount to plant nappier grass and other animal feeds that will help in feeding the rising number of livestock. I already had one cow that produced two litres of milk per day and with the additional cow that we bought with this transfer, we have been able to increase the amount of milk produced per day to 8 litres per day. With this we are now able to sell at least 3 litres of milk per day and have plenty of milk for local consumption. This has seen my family feed well of late as I make an income of up to $ 1 per day.
Enrolled
access_time over 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Since crop farming has not been doing well in this area,I have a plan of shifting focus to dairy farming when I receive the money from Give Directly. I will buy one dairy cow to add to the one that I have. The cow will cost me approximately Ksh 40,000(400 USD). I will then set aside half an acre of my land for planting grass and other animal feeds. This will automatically lead to increase in milk production translating to income boost.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I spend most of my time doing farm work. Looking after cattle and tending to the crops. When its afternoon ,I usually have less work to do compared to morning hours. This makes afternoons the happiest part of my day because I get a little time to relax.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
In the year 2012 my husband was involved in a motorbike accident which broke his leg and affected his knee. It was at this time that he was diagnosed with diabetes. The healing process took time and he also started taking medication for diabetes. This has brought a lot of psychological and financial stress. He is doing well but still weak. He is still undergoing medication for both the leg and the diabetes condition.
