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 money from GiveDirectly. I was informed by my helper of the good news since I cannot read any message on my own. When he came and shared the good news with me, I felt very elated that the things I had always wanted to do were finally going to materialize.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the medical attention that I have received after I got my first transfer. In the past, I have visited many hospitals but failed to get the neccesary attention due to lack of enough money. All this while, I have had to rely on my children to get money for seeking medical attention and I feel happy that I finally was able to acquire or get the neccesary medical attention without neccesarily relying on them.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
KES 30000 was used to meet my medication. The money came at a time that I was very sick and needed urgent medical attention. I had a heart disease and had also suffered fir quite a while with chest problems. I am required to use a lot of money to buy some expensive drugs that keeps me going. I feel I gave a break to my children who have always helped me out to meet the medical needs. I now feel very much better and happy for this. I used another KES 15000 to buy food, clothes and other basic household needs. I an still left with KES 10000 that will help me buy a dairy cow once I receive my second transfer.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am aged (over 80 years) and sick, things that gave rendered me dependent on aid and donations. When I was still young and healthy, I would do subsistence farming for livelihood. So, I have always been worried that life might become tougher if I fail to get the donations. In that sense, receiving this money signifies an end to my worries about the future. I am certain of food security in the future because I will use the transfer on purchasing food items and a cow.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Receiving apt treatment from a reputable hospital has been the main source of happiness to me over the last two months. Before visiting the hospital, I used to experience continued pains and swelling of the body. Walking, cooking, and doing household chores had become difficult. I have had lots of improvement.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Suffering from heart disease acts as the biggest challenge that I am currently facing. The ailment has rendered me economically inactive. I have become a pauper, something that is so demoralizing.
