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 and grateful when I got the money because it was something totally new that even my parents before me never got the chance ot experience something like it. I was so happy to when I received the money.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Currently, I am still monitoring the situation so I cannot really cite a particular biggest difference in my life, although the food I got to buy for the family stands to be the difference in my life because we do not have to worry about meals anymore.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I bought food for my family, two sacks of maize at a total cost of KES6400 because apart from maize meal being our easiest and staple food, it provides some food for both chickens and ducks which is why I preferred buying sacks of maize to maybe a box of maize flour or packets. This gives me peace of mind because we now do not have to worry about where we are going to get food from unlike before. I also intend to buy five goats when the current state of drought and famine improves because it is so risky to buy livestock right now since there are no grass and livestock are dying. Therefore, I have kept aside KES20000 for the five goats that when the climate and weather condition gets better, I will go for the goats because they are also an investment worth having for the future because when they multiply I will be able to sell one or two and address the challenge that I will be facing.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means continued education to my grand children. I am a widow staying with my two grand children whose parents divorced.I plan to achieve this through livestock keeping. I will spend 40000 KES to buy three indigenous cow and five goats. As the livestock multiple I will sell them at a profit and use the earnings to pay school fees, uniforms, stationary etc.The remaining amount will help me to purchase three beds and mattresses as well as other basic needs such as food.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening.My day begin at 6:00am preparing my grand children to school and the go to prepare logs for charcoal production. I spend the while day at the bush and return in the evening feeling exhausted. This is when I get enough rest and chat with my grandchildren.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have ever faced in my life is food in security mainly because of low rainfall in the area. It has been three years we received ample rain in our area.This has been the stambling block in achieving the education for my grand children.Most of the money their father earns from his barber shop (4000 KES) and my returns from charcoal production ( 2400 KES) goes to food.
