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 so happy when I received the money and I wished my last born who is only two could understand when I was telling her how we are going to make our lives better with the transfers.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The difference in my life now Is that, we are going to raise our four kids in a decent house which is also very comfortable for us as well as compared to the single room that all of us lived in.
I am also hoping to run a small business once I receive the second transfer, so that we can continue to afford all our basic needs.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used KES 38000 to buy all the materials we needed to build our new home, we decided to do this because our family is growing and the single roomed thatched house is too small and od and uncomfortable for us.
Secondly, I used KES 10000 to buy enough food for the family and got new clothes for six of us in the family and I also managed to buy two chickens.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means an accomplished project for my family. We started constructing our house 3 months ago but unfortunately, it stalled due to insufficient funds. My mother-in-law became sick and we used all the cash we had at her disposal and therefore we were unable to complete it. Our ambition has been to complete constructing our house and I am glad that soon this dream will materialize through the transfer from Give Directly. We intend to spend approximately KES 30,000 of the transfer to accomplish the project. Seeing my family lead a decent life is the joy of my life.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the last 6 months, my husband managed to get KES 80,000 through gambling. He used to bet and became a lucky winner that time. We spent the cash to purchase a dairy cow and 3 goats and this has brought joy and happiness to our lives.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Insufficient funds are the major challenge we are currently facing. My husband works as a casual laborer (wheat miller) in a certain town called Narok earning a meager salary of KES 4,000 a month. That cash is unsustainable keeping in mind that we are a young family of six; we are unable to meet our basic needs. Additionally, my mother-in-law became sick and we had to spend all that we had to pay huge medical expenses which had accrued to approximately KES 3,000 yet he had to send some cash for upkeep+check ups. I feel sad that what my husband earns as income is unsustainable and if the situation remains the same, our future is blurred.
