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 biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that the transfer enabled me to purchase enough building materials and constructed a new spacious house for my family. Building this family has been my longtime goal. I always tried all I could to make this dream happen but due to my little earnings, I could not have met my goal this soon. Today as I speak, my children sleep comfortably. I feel happy because my children no longer seek accommodation elsewhere.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was woken up by a message notification on my phone early in the morning. On checking the message, I realized that it was from GiveDirectly informing me that I had received my first transfer. I was very happy for having received the transfers because they finally erased doubts. I started planning how I will spend the money and ensuring that I use every coin purposefully. I am very grateful because I never expected that I would one day get that much in my life.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent part of the transfer to purchase a bull and a calf. These assets are highly valued in our area because they do not depreciate they appreciate instead. They also come in handy in case when there is an emergency. In addition to that, they require minimum care. I am sure they will assist me to pay for my children's education in future. In case the milk production will be high enough I will sell some to the local dairy milk Sacco in order to earn income. Apart from this, I will train the bulls to help me in cultivating my farm. This will enable me to increase the size of land that will be cultivated during the planting season. In addition to that, I also managed to build a bigger house. Currently, my children do not have to seek shelter elsewhere since the new house is spacious enough to accommodate all of us. I also bought new school uniforms for my children and did shopping for other basic necessities for my family. I thank Give Directly for helping achieve all these within a short period of time
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means I will be able to pursue a tailoring course which is something I have always desired to do but did not have the required funds. Secondly, I will use part of the transfers to boost my charcoal business in Mombasa by adding more stock because currently the demand exceeds the supplies. Lastly, I will save the remaining amount in my bank account so that I can access a loan later to buy a sewing machine and materials.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Afternoon is the happiest part of my day because I rest after a busy morning of doing house chores and preparing one of my children for school.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Inadequate finances has been my biggest struggle in life. My parents could not afford to take me to school and hence I had to drop out at class six. With no funds available, I could not pursue my passion in tailoring and ended up getting married at a young age. I now have 3 children with a husband who does casual jobs to feed and educate our children and the struggle continues.
