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.
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Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($474 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was early in the morning and I had just woken up when suddenly I heard my phone ringing. I could not check what it was all about since I do not know how to read. My son whom I had chosen to be my helper came later on to my house and he asked me if I had received the transfer. I told him I do not know. He checked my phone and he broke the good news to me of having received the KES 55000 too. I was so happy and I thanked God for the blessing since I now knew that I was going to achieve the plan that I had already made.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer has brought a big difference in my life. I am now happy that I have managed to fulfill my wish of building a permanent house. I am yet to complete it but when it does, I will no longer be struggling with the hard work of mudding the house. Thank you so much GiveDirectly for your big support.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent most of my recent transfer on building another house that is made of timber planks on the walls and cemented on the floor. I decided to build that kind of house because the one that I use to live in was made of mud. I have grown old and I am no longer able to look for mud and do the work of mudding the house. I hence bought building materials, that is, stones, gravel, sand, cement, and iron sheets which were quite expensive. It has always been my wish to build a permanent house but I was not in a position to since I didn't have the money. I have a few chickens that I rear. I usually sell the eggs to get money for buying food, that is, maize and some household items. At times, I sell a chicken. I use to have some sheep but I had to sell them one by one to get money for food and upkeep. I at times depend on my children to buy food for me when I don't have money. I am thus grateful to GiveDirectly for making this wish come true for me. With the remaining transfer amount, I spent it on buying maize for my consumption.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am an elderly widow living in an old hut.My house which leaks during the rains is bent now due to invasion by termites on the timbers . I can see that it may fall any time soon but because of inadequate finances, I have to endure the risk of cooking and living in it. Fortunately, this money will gap the risk because I will be able to build a new kitchen with KES 28000 and be able to live without fear. Furthermore, I will be able to buy a dairy cow to provide me with milk and incomes for use on food expenditures.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The peace and unity we have with my children have brought me joy in the past 6 months. My children provide for my needs when I do not have anything to sell. For the past years, I have not slept hungry because of a lack of money. This makes me happy because I know that I have a shoulder to lean on at my old age.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food security and lack of money is the biggest challenge am currently facing. The prolonged periods of drought has led to low or no yields from our farms.As a result we have to depend on purchased foods in order to eat.This is so difficult to me because my old age does not allow me to work daily so as to get money. Since 2018 I have been selling out the calves as well as my birds to buy food for myself. It pains me because I have realized that this is an ongoing process and I may end up selling all the assets I have leaving nothing for my children to inherit.Unlike in the before, currently I have learned to live on one meal a day because of the difficulty to purchase food.
