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?
The funds came in when I was on my way back home after I came from fetching firewood. The feeling I had is almost unexplainable, all I know is that I felt over the moon just coming to a realisation that I too had received the donation and I did not expect it at all at that day, moment and time.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
As I had mentioned prior, in the past I had studied tailoring but since I had machine I was never able to make a living out of it. These funds enabled me to finally buy a sewing machine and so far I have already started earning from it and it is more than I could have asked for.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For over two years now, I had failed to own a bed abd mattress because I could not afford it which led to me and my husband to sleep on the ground. Immediately I withdrew the transfer, I went ahead and purchased a bed accompanied with a mattress which cost me KES 12,000. Also some few years back I studied tailoring, but afterwards since I did not have the machine I was never able to make a living our of it. Lucky for me though, I ended up using KES 17,000 and ensured that I bought a tailoring machine that finally allowed me to sew. I also bought clothes for my child and myself which cost KES 6,000. Apart from that, I also bought two goats that cost me KES 7,000 because I intended on having more livestock and lastly I used the rest of the money and looked into nutrition for myself and my family.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
In 2020, I did a certificate course in tailoring. It has been my dream to start my own shop whereby I will be making clothes of different kind as well as selling clothing materials. This is much motivated by the fact that my husband's income has never been enough for us here. Motorcycle riding is something you can not 100% depend on as a wife because sometimes he goes the whole day and walk out with 250KES. It can not sustain even himself. So by opening this business, am quite sure we will be earning extra money that will be sustainable to our needs. With a capital investment of 50000KES, I will be good to go. The rest of my transfer will be used to increase and improve my house so that it can be enough for me and my guests.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I have always wanted to have my first child as a baby girl because I wished to name her after my mother. To my surprise, in December last year my desire came to pass. It made me cherish her more and more.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
It has been a challenge in terms of having enough and nutritional food in my house. I can surprise you just to tell you, am used to two meals in a day. This is totally different from what I was advised by the doctor when I gave birth. You can see the condition of my body and am breast feeding almost every minute. Literally, I need to eat well but it's the opposite because I don't have enough to eat.
