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 a message early in the morning and because I couldn't comprehend the contents, I waited for daybreak and called my helper who confirmed to me that I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I was overwhelmed with happiness on hearing this even as I began my day and thanked them for helping me to realise my financial goals.
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 now been able to buy livestock which include two dairy cows and a bull. I wouldn't have bought any of these at my own cost. Besides being assets to me, I will be getting milk for my family's consumption and sell the surplus hence earning an income. They are also a saving for the future of my children's education since I can readily sell to raise money for them.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
It has been my desire to own some livestock in my homestead, but I lacked the money to buy any of these. I treasure livestock because they are valuable assets. When I received my first transfer, I spent the whole of it to buy the livestock which include two dairy cows and a bull which I am currently keeping in my homestead. I will soon be getting milk from the cows which I can sell and earn an income.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
The urge to sleep on a modern wooden bed with a mattress pushes me to the need of buying one but due to the financial constraints, I have never realized this desire. My plan is to fulfill this wish once I receive my transfers from GiveDirectly and I am intending to spend $100 to accomplish this. On the other hand, I am planning to buy 3 indigenous dairy cows at a cost of $450 and in addition to this, I will also purchase 6 goats at $180. This will act as my long term investment project that can help me to meet my needs in the future.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Considering my job as a charcoal burner, I usually spend the better part of my day at the bush doing my work. This job makes me weak and tired during the day and it is only in the evening when I get adequate time to relax and gain my energy after taking dinner. Therefore, evening is the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Charcoal burning is what I have known as my only source of income ever since my husband separated me 10 years ago. I have been living a life of sorrow because this job is no longer reliable considering that I am aging and the trees are no more to be found to make more charcoal. Therefore, the lack of a reliable source of income is my biggest hardship.
