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?
It was around 7 AM when I was at my daily hustle when I realized that I has received my first cash transfers as I had been promised during the enrolment period. I was so happy and felt blessed for the blessing which I never saw them coming anytime soon in my life. I had lost hope in life and all I could see was total darkness ahead of me. After breaking the good news to my family, they could not believe it. It was a day worthy to celebrate because we knew that we would achieve a lot through the cash.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that the organization has empowered me to renovate my house. The house almost collapsed because of its status and this has been my biggest fear. During the rainy seasons, it was so hectic because we had to seek shelter elsewhere. As a result of the movement, my properties would get stolen and some damaged. Additionally, there was no privacy because of the holes which were all over the rooms. My children would always feel embarrassed and had low esteem. It has been my wish to renovate it for a long but I did not have the cash to purchase the required materials. The low income that we have been earning from the casual jobs could not even sustain the needs of my twelve family members. It is now a relief to the entire family because we no longer experience the hiccups like before. Also, I can comfortably shelter wth all my family members under one roof which have been my dream.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying twenty bags of cement at KES 16000, the gravel, bricks at KES 4000, iron sheets at KES 8450, and a labor charge of KES 14000. I had intended to renovate my house which has weak walls and a leaky roof. During the rainy seasons, it was hectic because I was worried that the house might collapse at anytime. Besides, whenever it could rain, we had to seek shelter from friends and some of my properties would get damaged as a result. Additionally, I bought two sheep at KES 9000 from a friend in the village. I have been yearning to own them for quite some time but I could not afford them because they were a bit costly. I however settled for them because they require minimal supervision and they can grow so well in my region. With the remaining amount of money, I have been buying foodstuffs for my family and other household items.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I live in an unfinished two-bedroom structure together with my five children. The children's room is the one that was incompletely done with an open roof. I will use 20,000 KES to complete the remaining part of the house. I will also reinforce it with pillars for durability. This will cost around 20,000 KES for both labor and building materials(cement, sand, and water). Due to the shortage of water in our place, I would wish to purchase and tank and install gutters to collect rainwater. I will purchase a 2000 liter tank for 25,000 KES. The remaining amount will use cater for food and other household needs.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The health of my family is what brings joy despite our struggles. The fact that we are sound gives me the to go out and perform my chores and put food on the table for my family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Our household relies on charcoal burning for our survival. We only make 2000 KES a fortnight which can barely sustain my family's needs. (food and school fees for my five children). This has been the main reason we have not been able to build our house to completion and install water at our home. All our business proceeds are spent on the purchase of foodstuffs.
