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 happy the moment I got my money because I felt that I have been uplifted to another higher level that I had never been to. I never expected this to happen but when it did I felt so happy. I am now going to get a house and pay my child's school fees, this will give me the peace of mind that I have always wished for.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the fact that I now do not have to worry about going hungry for almost the whole day like before when we could barely afford a meal. Getting all three meals a day was not a possibility for us. My husband who is the sole provider depends on his job as a shop attendant and proceeds from his job hardly putting bread on the table for a day. Therefore, there is a huge difference right now in that we get food regularly and do not depend on my husband alone.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The thing that I spent most of my transfer on is the house. I bought iron sheets at a total cost of KES22000 and wooden poles at a cost of KES8000. This is because the house is the most important thing and it should be in the best condition possible since it is where I will always be coming back to and spending most of my time. I also settled my child's school fees arrears of KES1000 and paid the school fees for the whole of the term which is KES600 since it is a kindergarten. This is also because I do not want my child to be sent back home reason being school fees arrears, I want the best life for my child.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money will help me build another house which is more spacious. The current one is small and as my family grows, I will need more space moreso because of privacy and accommodating visitors. My budget for the house is approximately 30,000 Kenya Shillings. I will also set aside 6,000 Kenya Shillings to buy 2 goats which I will be grazing here at home. This will help me pay school fees for my children and take care of emergencies here at home which are sometimes a challenge.
What is the happiest part of your day?
As a house wife, I do most of the house chores in the morning. By afternoon I am usually done and I take time to relax. This is the happiest part of my day since I relax as I chat with my relatives.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I got pregnant when I was just 17 years old. This forced me to drop out of school at the sixth grade in primary school. Being so young, it was a challenge raising up the child alone. This forced me out of home to the urban area to look for a source of income. I am now married with two children and raising them is what has been my biggest hardship; given that I depend on my spouse who is employed as a shop keeper while I am jobless at home.
