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 8 AM when I was making breakfast when my cell phone started to ring very loudly. This was very unusual and without wasting time I decided to check where the message was coming from. Upon reading them through I realized that they were from GiveDirectly. I was overwhelmed with joy knowing that I would achieve a lot through the cash.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The fact that I managed to renovate my house has brought the biggest difference in my daily life. This has been my prayer and wishes since I was worried about our safety. It would collapse anytime and with the family of eight, this would be more than a disaster. This is because my spouse is very old and jobless and I have been taking care of the whole family for so many years. Life has never been easy considering I only depended on casual jobs, fending for all their needs and renovating their houses would not be possible. My children were always in hospitals as a result of cold-related diseases like pneumonia. This was always stressful because I could use a lot of money for their medication. I am now a happy mother because we sheltering in a decent place with no more troubles like before. My children are happier and healthier courtesy of GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying a metal door at KES 5200. This was to replace the old wooden since I felt I needed enough security. Also, I bought some beddings which include a new bed and a mattress at a total of KES 13000. I later bought a few building materials which include, bricks at KES 2900, sand at KES 2500, bags of cement at KES 9000, and the labor charge of KES 5000. I bought all these so that I can renovate my house since it had holes all over the walls and I could always suffer especially at night and even during the winter seasons, I couldn't sleep at all. With the remaining amount of money, I bought enough food for the family and some other household items.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have desired to invest in livestock because this is the only way I can save my money to earn me a profit when I sell them after they multiply. I, therefore, intend to start with 10 goats that will cost me KES 30000. I will also spend KES 20000 to buy a bed and mattress to avoid the cold floor. I will further spend KES 40000 to renovate my structure to a semi-permanent house.This is because I am currently temporarily house. The remaining amount will cater to other household expenses like food and water.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Last month GiveDirectly arrived to our village. This made me very happy because I knew I will have a reliable source of income since my plan is to invest in livestock rearing.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest challenge that I am currently facing is water scarcity and food. This is due to the drought that we are facing in our area. I have to buy 2 jerricans of 20 liters of water daily that cost me KES 100. This is very costly to me since I am a charcoal burner, a job that earns me KES 500 per week, this income is can not fully support all my household expenses. Sometimes I skip meals or even borrow from other relatives something that does not give me a piece of mind.
