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 on my way home from the market when my neighbor's son asked me if I had received transfers because he had overheard from people that they had received theirs. I couldn't answer him be because I had left my phone at home charging. When I got home, I switched on my phone and the first massage that popped up was the transfers message. I was so happy because I knew I was about to fulfill my plans.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Previously, I couldn't afford to provide three meals per day to my family. We used to have one meal and if lucky two meals per day. For the longest time, I'm now able to afford three meals per day. I'm also recently cooking from my new kitchen and this has also saved us from the danger that we were facing.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Cow 15 maize 3400. kitchen 8...cooking from House.. heard 3.. saving for school
I have been cooking from my main house for the longest time because I didn't have a kitchen and I afraid that one day, a fire accident may occur because the house was so tiny and squeezed. All I wanted was to build a kitchen and avoid the danger but since I didn't have a reliable job that could earn me income, I couldn't achieve my goal. I also wanted to buy some livestock because I lost all my livestock to severe drought that had striked us last year. I spend 15000 to buy cow, 8000 KES to build a semi permanent kitchen and saved the balance towards my son's school fees. My son is set to join high school and I'm hopeful that adding part of my next transfer to the amount that I saved, I will be able to pay all his first years school fees. I'm so grateful to GiveDirectly for the support.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have always wanted to have a kitchen of my own, a place I can prepare different delicacies and put a smile on my children whenever they eat. Currently, I cook and sleep in the same structure. It gets hot and stuffy especially at night since I cook with firewood in the house. This forces me to light the firewood outside my house and cook from there. It limits my ability to prepare different foods since I rarely get sufficient time to prepare food at night.
I enjoy cooking and I would want to build a small kitchen, a place I can access anytime when I want to prepare something for my household.
What is the happiest part of your day?
On new years day, we were blessed to be together as a family. My husband was not working, he is a casual worker and his days off are limited. We slaughtered a chicken, and I can vividly remember the smiles I saw on my three children's faces. As a mother, it brought so much joy and satisfaction to see them happy and together as we crossed to a new year.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I thank God I have a roof over my head, where my three children and I can live. My children are constantly exposed to the cold especially at night since they have to sleep on the ground. This makes them susceptible to infections. I have never slept on a wooden bed let alone on a mattress. As it is getting our basic needs like food is a challenge, accessing health care makes the situation worse. I would want to limit the many visits to the hospital.