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?
I am grateful to Give Directly for coming to my village to help relieve the hardships caused by drought and poverty. The transfers have aided in food acquisition, thereby reducing hunger cases. They also allow us to support our children's education. There is nothing wrong with the way Give Directly works.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
As the primary breadwinner in my family, I make and sell charcoal for a living. When things get tough, my sons, who are also casual laborers, pitch in to enable us to get through hardships. I was preparing my son for high school when I received the transfer. He needed to pick up his birth certificates in one town and drop off bursary applications in another. Because our village is quite remote, I gave him a KES 1,500 motorbike transport fare to run the errands. Also, I used KES 500 to buy food for our family of four after it ran out the night before. I saved the remaining KES 1,000 to purchase chicken later for rearing.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($10 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The message came in when I was coming from the well from getting some water. I could not decipher the message relied since I lacked the knowledge to do so, so I waited until I got home and asked my son for assistance. I was overwhelmed with so much much excitement because I had no money and the previous night my family and I had actually gone to bed on an empty stomach. So I was glad that we were sure to have a meal at the end of the day.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My husband passed away quite some few years back and I have had to take full responsibility when it came to taking care of needs of my family which took a toll on me because I barely had a stable job and relied on burning and selling charcoal to make a minimal wage. Most times we could go hungry but I am mostly glad now that is not the situation anymore because the funds have enabled me to ensure my kids always have a meal.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The minute I discovered that GiveDirectly had sent out the cash transfers, and I was among the few who had received them, I rushed to the nearby store to gathers some items especially the ones connected to nourishment. This is because I barely had any food in the house and I was just happy and lucky that that night I was guaranteed a meal. I bought eight packets of maize flour for KES 960 and then used KES 140 to buy a half a kilogram of beans and a quarter kilogram of sugar so I could have some tea since it had been quite a while since I did, it was almost a luxury. I then went on to use the remaining KES 100 and bought two chicks since I planned on being involved in poultry farming.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am a widow with one child and a grandchild under my care. My house is a one-bedroom structure with no enough space. I share the same room with my fifteen years boy who is currently in standard eight. This is a taboo according to our traditions. I am planning to spend my transfers to construct a two-bedroom house that will accommodate us. I will use 30,000 to purchase poles and iron sheets and 10,000 for labor. The remaining amount will cater for our family provision.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I periodically get support from two children who work in Mombasa. The two do not have well-paying jobs( one is a conductor and the other a motorcycle rider) and with families to care for. Despite all this, they have never shunned away from supporting me. This has been the genesis of my joy as a parent.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food insecurity is my challenge thanks to the drought conditions in our area. I heavily rely on farming for livelihood. The drought has compelled me to resort to charcoal burning to salvage the situation at home. The proceed of this business are low. I earn around 500 per sack of charcoal which takes around 3 days to produce. We are forced to sometimes skip some meals for us to be able to meet other family needs.
