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 a very joyful moment in my life after receiving the transfer from GiveDirectly. I was very sure that I will be able to support the education of my grandchildren as well as fulfilling my dream of owning a decent house for my family. I remember it was around 2 pm when I heard the message alert on my phone. I was sitting under the shade chatting with my grandchildren while weaving threads for sale. My helper verified the account balance and informed me that I had received the transfer. I started planning on how best to utilize my transfer before I could withdraw cash the following day.
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 currently able to meet the needs of my family, especially food without struggling a lot. Previously, I had to skip meals twice a week due to financial challenges. I am happy that I can comfortably feed my family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent most of my recent transfer to construct a decent shelter for my family. I had desired to own a new one but I lacked the finances to purchase the building materials. I bought building materials that include 60 building poles, and strings also paid KES 14,000 for labor costs for the construction. The house that I was previously living in was small and was collapsing from the inside which was a huge risk to my life. I was worried that it may fall at any time rendering me homeless. For the remaining amount, I bought enough food for the family since we have not been able to have any harvest from our farm because of the persistent drought conditions in our area.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means that I can get good shelter; something that I have always wanted. My current house is tiny and in a condition that can collapse any time. I get a hard time due to cold and rain especially during the rainy season. I plan to spend KES 40,000 on this. I would love a two bedroom house with an iron sheet roof and strong mud walls. I have a big space of land where I can start goat farming. I will therefore set aside KES 10,000 to buy 10 young goats.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The short rains that came in December brought me a lot of joy. This is because this region had been affected by drought for such a long time. There is a lot of vegetation now. Food is now available especially vegetables and the hunger has reduced. I can now afford three meals a day, something that did not happen during the dry season.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am a widower. Living alone is not easy especially now that I am growing older. I have no one to support me in doing my work. I weave and sell ropes which I make using sisal. Sometimes I sell prepare and sell charcoal. This jobs are energy draining but I have no option but to do them so that I can get money to buy food. These are the challenges that I am currently facing.
