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.
I spent my first transfer to buy a dairy cow, I used to buy milk and it was so costly for me, I also added stock to my business of retail shop and the rest of the money I used it to pay school fees for my daughter who is in secondary school.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment I received the money I felt so happy because I have never such amount of money before. I remember it was very early in the morning when I heard a message from my phone. When I checked the message it was a message from GiveDirectly confirming that I have received 55000 KES. I was so happy because I knew I would be in a position to buy a dairy cow and clear the outstanding school fees balance for my daughter.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have bought a dairy cow. I used to buy milk from my neighbors and it was so costly for me. I do casual jobs in the village and the small amount of money that I get was not enough to enable me to buy a dairly cow. I also have a small retail shop that I operate the center and the income from this business would only gather for school fees for my daughter who is in secondary school. I am so happy for the support because I no longer buy milk and this has reduced the cost that I was incurring on a daily basis. My family has enough milk and we no longer miss breakfast like sometimes before. I sell the surplus milk to ean an income to buy other additional needs for my household. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed our standard of living.
Enrolled
access_time 5 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Being a single mother of three, i struggle alot in providing for my family. I engage in casual jobs such as washing dishes, fetching water and firewood for sale in hotels and by the end of the day, the small amount i earn ain't enough to cater for the needs of my family, which i consider as the biggest hardship i face.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I always wake up as early as 6.00 am to prepare my children for school after which i go to a nearby forest to fetch firewood which i normally sell in a nearby hotel. I spend my afternoons fetching water for sale and by evening i usually feel tired. This is the time i head back home to rest and chat with my children as we share our evening meal. Evening is therefore the happiest part of my day.
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means buying a piece of land for cultivation since the small one i have built my house in was inherited from my father after i never got married. I will then buy a dairy cow that would produce milk for sale and for family consumption.
