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?
It was around 10 am while I was preparing some lunch for my children who had gone to school when I received a message on my phone. Since I am illiterate, I consulted my helper to check and interpret the message for me. When she checked, he jumped and hugged me in happiness and I was left wondering what message it would be. She thereafter informed me that I had received my first transfer of $550 from GiveDirectly. My heart broke down in happiness and thanksgiving for receiving such a huge amount of money at once knowing that some of the things I have been unable to do due to lack of money were going to be tackled. I jumped up and down in happiness despite my old age.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Initially, I solely depended on making and selling charcoals for a living. This business was unreliable because we have a scarcity of trees to make the charcoals as well as getting a market for the same was a challenge. Since my husband is very old and unable to work, I was the breadwinner for my family something which was a struggle for my side. Going without food for at least two days a week was a norm in my family. Currently, I am humbled and happy because, since the time I got the transfer and purchase a motorbike, I have never gone without food. This could not be the case if it were not for GiveDirectly's transfer which enabled me to buy a motorbike.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For quite some time, I had been taking risk of sleeping in a half-collapsed house. I took the risk since I had no alternative. During the rainy season, there was no difference between staying outside and being in that house; it was all the same. Upon getting the first transfer, the priority was the house. Therefore, I used $300 to put up a simple decent house that could comfortably accommodate me and my family. I am very humbled and happy for GiveDirectly because as we speak I am in the house you enabled me to build. Thereafter, I opted to buy a motorbike on a hire-purchase basis. I paid a deposit of $150 and agreed to a weekly installment of $5 for 48 months. The aim of buying the motorbike was to have an income-generating activity that could sustain my basic needs. This motorbike is used to ferry people and light luggage from one destination to the other at a price. For the remaining little amount, I used it to buy some food for my family.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means building a house for my family. I have a family of two members and we are living in a one bedroom house with grass roofing. During rains season, it leaks very much and destroy our beddings. I will build a two bedroom house at a cost of KES 70000. I will buy a bed and a mattress at a cost of KES 15000. I plan to use KES 25000 to buy five goats as investment.
What is the happiest part of your day?
This area has had drought for almost two years . Last year on December 2021 , it rained very much and every water pan is full of water now. I used to get water from very far , around 10km. I can now get water here at home because the compound has its own water pan. The rains brought happiness in my life.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My house leaks very much during rains season. The rain water and the wind has caused me pneumonia. It is very hard to accommodate visitor in my house during rains season. Lack of a permanent house is the current challenge I am facing.
