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 so excited the moment I received my first cash transfer..This is because I knew that my household will finally be financially stable to be able to complete all the unfinished projects that we had.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I am now using a better toilet as I was able to build one with cement..I feel like this new toilet is so strong and secured compared to the one that we had in the past..
With this money, I was able to buy a new bicycle which has lessened my past challenges where I used to walk to get to other ares which are a bit far from where I live.
Lastly, I have enough food for the entire household such that we are able to eat 3 times a day which has never been the case before.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have used the cash to procure a few construction materials such as cement, bricks and sand..I am using these items to build a new toilet outside my house as I do not have one.
In addition to that, I have bought some household items such as mattress and a bicycle..The bicycle wil ease my transportation problems which I have always been facing in the past.
Lastly, I have purchased a 7 bags of maize for my family that will take me to the end of the year and my family will be food secured.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
The money will meant business capital and paying for my children's school fees.
My husband is in South Africa were he is working. I live here with my three Children and together there are 5 in our family. I do not do any business and I am not employed. I depend much on my husband which he sends K15000 ($14) per month. The money is mostly used to buy food and other basic needs.
I have a piece of land that I do subsistence farming and I harvest 5 bags of 50kgs. I use 75kgs of maize per month and the 5 bags is only enough to feed us for 3 months. The remaining months I buy from the money my husband sends every month.
The cash transfer I want to use it to start business. I would like to be buying and selling fish. Then the other part of the transfer I would like to use it to pay for school fees of my children at a good private school.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am happy in the afternoon because it's the time I go to mosque and chat with my friends.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest hardship I have faced in my life is non availability of my husband. Since my husband is always abroad, it means I am the only one who looks after the children and it sometimes requires my husband to be around. Ify husband was working here at home, I believe we would have started a good business together.
