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 I have seen so far in my life is that my children now have plenty of food which has resulted from the improved farming methods funded by GiveDirectly's transfer. The additional cow has made land tilling very easy and timely which has seen my farm produce rise much higher. I am happy that my children have had enough and always available food for their consumption.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was out in the field grazing my cattle when I received a message alert in my phone. Before I could check it, a second one streamed in! Unfortunately, I could not read the two messages having not gone to school at all but my instincts could tell me that the messages were not just the ordinary ones. I chose to wait for my spouse to report back home in the evening and read for the messages. To my surprise, the truth of my instincts was confirmed. I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I felt so happy and grateful to God for the cash.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I bought two cows with a portion of the first transfer that I received. I had one cow before but I saw it wise to buy another one so that I could use both of them to plough my land. I am a maize farmer and I need this manpower to enable me to take care of my land. The maize I plant is for my own consumption as it is the main staple food in my area. The remaining portion I spent on transferring the purchased cow from the point of sale, which was in a different village, to my home
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My husband is a farmer and I plan to buy 2 dairy cows so that I can start a business of selling milk in our village. The profit that I will be earning from the business will be spent on paying school fees for my children and partly will go towards expanding my maize farming business.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the morning when I go to my farm at around 6 am when the rest of my family members are still asleep. This is the best time as I am able to concentrate on the farm without any distruption from the family members who equally need my attention.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
On April 2018, I got a loan from Kenya Women Finance in collaboration with other women. I paid my part but the others defaulted to pay hence making us to be blacklisted from securing other loans. This has really affected my family as I depended on the loans to run my farming business which is the main income source for us.
