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?
The excitement around 6:00 PM when I realized that I had received the money was immeasurable. I was thankful and shared the news with my equally excited spouse. We had planned to boost our Mpesa business with the money and so receiving it was a privilege.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I received the transfer is the peace we have in our household that came as a result of improved income. When there is good finance to meet household needs then everything runs smoothly. I am glad our Mpesa business was picked, and we are currently making good profits from it.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We have a family business that is being run by my spouse. Previously we could manage with the profits we made from it but later this year it became challenging, especially after the rise in the prices of most commodities. This led us to spend part of the capital. Since we had agreed that the first transfer was to be used to boost the business, we spent KES 52000 on boosting the Mpesa float. The profits have increased since then, and we can save some money every month. KES 3000 I used to buy decent clothes for my children so that I could replace the ones they had outgrown.
Enrolled
access_time almost 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means enough capital for my small business. Six months ago, we started providing Mobile money services in the nearby shopping center. This business is much more profitable when there is enough capital. Currently, I am running with a capital of KES 25000 which has assisted me to meet my family's needs though it is minimal. I am planning to use the first transfer of KES 55000 as capital to boost my daily income. The rest I will use to purchase a dairy cow so as not to depend on business only as a source of livelihood. I am happy because this will help me achieve my dream of being financially independent.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Six months ago, I started providing mobile money services at a nearby trading center. The profit I am getting currently is good enough to feed my family and the nature of the job is light compared to the casual jobs I used to do like working in peoples farms. Nowadays I have enough time to rest and this gives me joy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The challenge we are facing currently is the payment of school fees for my child in a private primary school. Each year, I am supposed to raise KES 10,000 for his school fees. I depend on business but with little capital I cannot afford to meet my family's basic needs at the same time school fees. This sometimes makes me to borrow loans and it is expensive repaying back due to high interest rates.
