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 received the transfers around six in the morning and I was very happy and prayed God to bless GD. I was very happy because I had never gotten such a lump sum before.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I am happy because I now eat without reservation as compared to before when I used according to food availability. Because of eating a balanced diet, I am now mentally stable and do my job well. We are now happier than before because when I failed to provide all basic needs my wife would frown.Nowadays, we are all smiles because there's abundance of food for my family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent 250USD of my transfer on building a two roomed house because initially I had a grass thatched roof which was built forty years ago and I have lived there since my youth. 20USD on maize and beans seeds because it's planting season and bean seeds are short season crops hence will be a source of food for my family. I spent 80USD on six bags of maize as a source of food for my family because in order to work you have to do eat well in order for your mind to stabilize. I spent 100USD on my own clothing and wife's clothing and the rest I have saved for school fees payment when school reopen in the next season.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money will be a big relief to me and my wife. What has really been stressing us is the fact that we are unable to raise school fees for our children. We have two children in a neighbouring day secondary school. We are supposed to pay 5000 shillings for each of them per term, making it 10000 shillings for both. This is not easy considering that we do not have any income at the moment. We have been selling assets to financial their education but now we have exhausted everything.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Evening is the happiest part of my day. This is so because it the time when you find that I have laboured the whole day and by the end of the day I have something to buy food for my family. This is something that brings utmost happiness to my heart.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My family going to bed hungry is one hardship I will live to remember for rest of my life. This is something nobody would want to witness. We live in an area that is doing poorly as far as matters of agriculture is concerned. This is due to low rainfall that is witnessed yearly. We are forced to plant drought resistant crops such as sweet potatoes but it is not assisting us much in curbing this monster called Hunger. Last year I farmed a portion 0.9 acres and believe it or not, I came out empty handed.
