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 biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life after receiving the money is the great investment in livestock which in turn has really given us hope of seeing ourselves producing milk from our own livestock in the near future. This to us means that an added source of income which will then be helpful in payment of school fees and even for the provision of all the household needs.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
At the moment I received the money, I really felt very happy. It was a great feeling for me knowing that the plans I had put down to execute were soon coming to the start. Livestock being the priority every other person in the household knew that the great hustle to obtain milk from the neighborhood was soon going to end.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
On receiving the first transfer from GD we had already laid plans which we were to put the money on. I spent the first patch of it on buying livestock which included four goats, and a heifer which we are currently. I decided to use part of the remaining amount on paying my daughter's college fees and used the last bit of it on buying foodstuff for the household.
Enrolled
access_time over 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Imagine having dairy cows that are so expensive to maintain in a locality where the milk sales are ever diminishing! The switch to dairy goats is something I have ever yearned for because of the readily available market and better prices (up to 50% more) compared to cow milk but inadequate capital has been my main constraint. This GiveDirectly money means a realization of this household goal!
What is the happiest part of your day?
How fulfilling can the evening showers be after a tedious day in the farm under a scorching sun? My family's second source of income is a 0.5Acre farm that solely depends on rain water. At times the rains have let us down but anytime the showers come (usually in the evening) makes this the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Having an "overworked" payslip resulting from a low civil servant's pay that can only meet 20% of my household needs of school fees and meals remains the biggest hardship of my household. This challenge has forced me to resort to desperate measures including selling a productive piece of my land for a song. As I speak, my daughter who is in university has is yet to report to school due to lack of fees without which will deny her entry to the lecture halls.
