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.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
As you can imagine, I have been a guest in someone's home for the past five years and would have never even idolised or thought of ever moving out and owning a home were it not for GiveDirectly and the funds I receive from them. Through the transfers I now have hope that I too will soon be a home owner.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
About half a decade ago, the house I lived in collapsed since it was old and not built with the best material. O lacked the funds to make a new one so for the past five years I have been living with my sibling. Last year an organisation visited us, which is GiveDirectly and enrolled us in a project that involved cash transfers. I felt it was almost God sent because I really longed to own a house. Soon after being signed on to the program I began receiving the donations and I decided that each time I got the funds, I would ensure I saved it up so that it would accumulate and I would finally have enough money to begin building my house. Now with the recent transfers I did as I had planned and put away the entire amount I had received which was KES 3,000.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I went to work in search of dry wood to use in making charcoal for sale. When I returned to the village, I found my neighbors to be quite joyful, chatting about the money they had received from Givedirectly. I dashed to my phone to see whether I had been lucky that day as well. That's when I noticed the message that my first transfer had arrived, and I began to rejoice, claiming to have received the monies as well.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The most significant difference since my initial transfer is that I have begun saving for the construction of my own home. I now have optimism that one day, instead of living with my mother, I will have my own home.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Right now I am still residing in my mother's home with my husband. My goal is to save money till I am able to build my own house.I was able to save Kes 1000 from my first transfer. The remaining Kes 200 was spent on household items such as flour, soap and airtime for my phone.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been going through a lot of struggles in my life. My husband no longer takes care of me and this forced me to seek refuge at my matrimonial home. It is very shameful for a lady of my age (68 years) to stay in my father's homestead. In addition to this, I don't have a house and I am forced to sleep in my aunt's house. This has lowered my self-esteem and I have lost the reputation I had in the village. I am planning to use 30,000KES to buy one acre of land and later use 60,000KES to construct a two bedroom house. Doing this means I will reunite with my family because they will come and stay with me. Moreover, I will get back the reputation I had before coming back to my matrimonial home.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The hope for a better future was activated by the visit of GiveDirectly officers to our village and introduced us to their program. I am yet to benefit from the program but the joy comes in because immediately I benefit, I will seize from engaging myself in the energy draining charcoal burning occupation which has proven unfit to my heath.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest challenge I am currently facing is prolonged chest pains attributed by the energy draining charcoal burning occupation I engage in. Sometimes I manage to get two 90kgs bags of charcoal a month and sell at 800KES per bag. This earns me utmost 1,600/=. This is not worthy the energy drained during burning the charcoal. Sometimes I spend a big portion I the money to buy medicine to treat my chest pains.
