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?
The moment I realised that I had received my transfer, I was at home relaxing when suddenly, I heard my phone ringing. Since I am old and illiterate I opted to call my son who happens to be my helper to check what the message was all about. I was overwhelmed with joy and happiness when I was told that I had received the promised transfer from GiveDirectly. I knew that I would be able to accomplish the goals that I had at the time. I am thankful for the support that brought so much happiness to my life.
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 have been able to purchase a dairy cow within a short period. This is a big relief because I am hopeful that I would be having sufficient milk for my consumption. I am forever grateful for the support that uplifted my life tremendously.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon the receipt of my initial transfer, I opted to buy a dairy cow worth 38,000 for milk production. This is because I am old and sickly thus I depended more on taking milk as a meal most of the time. I am no longer energetic to work due to old age and sickness. Hence buying milk daily was very expensive yet I did not have any source of income. I then used the remaining amount on buying foodstuffs. I am happy that I was able to fulfil my dream in a short period.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My husband and I are elderly people (aged 88 and 73 years respectively) who depend solely on subsistence for livelihood. In that regard, we are struggling to sustain ourselves since this occupation requires lots of physical energy. Hence, I am delighted on receiving this money because it means food security in our household. I will use approximately KES 35000 on acquiring a dairy cow to provide us with milk for consumption and sale of surpluses to gain some income. Also, I will spend the remaining amount on purchasing food items for my family since we have depleted our stock.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I cannot remember well the last time that we reaped well from our 0.5 acres of cultivated land. Luckily, this season we are almost harvesting maize crops that have done exceptionally well. This brings us joy because we shall have food that will sustain us for a couple of months.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest challenge that we are facing is a continued shortage of food in our household. Prolonged droughts, tropical diseases, and our inefficiency (due to old age) have contributed to poor crop yields on our farm. Precisely, foregoing some meals and staying hungry makes us worry about our health.
