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 was at my home busy preparing breakfast for my family when I received the mpesa message indicating that I had received the transfer in my account. It was such a joyful moment in life since I had never received such a huge amount of money at once. We together celebrated with my spouse for the aid. I remember it was exactly 9 am when I received my money. We left what we were doing to prepare to go to the Mpesa agent for withdrawal since we had already planned on how to spend our transfer.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Owing to a reliable source of income after starting goats rearing is the biggest difference in my life. At the moment, I am assured of my kid's education something that has relieved all the stresses about the future life of my kids. In addition, I am optimistic that I will be able to live in a spacious house like others in the village once I complete the construction. I will gain the respect that I had lost for a long time due to the bad condition of my house.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Constructing a decent and spacious house for my family of 7 has been my longing in my life. This is because my job of charcoal vending could not earn me enough income to support the needs of our family specifically education for the kids and food. After receiving my transfer, I used KES 30,000 to purchase the building materials which included 20 iron sheets 100 building poles, nails, and timber for the construction of a 3 roomed house. In addition, I use KES 13000 to support the education of the 4 children by paying part of their fee balance. Two are in secondary and the others are still in primary school. With the remaining amount, I used KES 10,000 to purchase 6 goats a future investment for my children's education. I will sell them to support their studies. Also, I bought enough food for the family.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I live in a one roomed hut with a family of six children. This house is not enough to accommodate my family. This forces them to borrow shelter from neighbours. Over two years, neighbours have been laughing at me as a failure and someone who cannot afford shelter for his own children.This has brought shame to me. However, I cannot do anything about it because I live from hand to mouth. I depend on charcoal burning business which earns me less than 2000 KES a week. This money is not enough to save and meet the basic needs for my family. My ambition is to build a two bedroom house so that my children can sleep comfortable under my roof. This house will cost me about 50,000 KES. Therefore, receiving this money means restoring dignity to my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My day starts at 6 am. I leave for charcoal burning in the forest. Everyday I walk about 8 kilometres to the forest. I spend the whole day collecting logs for burning and come back in the evening at 5pm. When I come back, I get to see my children who are my source of joy especially when they are happy and in good health. I take supper with my family as we make stories and laugh which makes me forget the stresses of the day in the forest. This makes me long for evening on a daily basis.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food insecurity has been the biggest hardship that I have faced in my life. Over the years, I have been depending on subsistence farming. However, due to the persistent drought in our village, this has changed. The land has become useless due to unreliable rainfall. This has forced me to engage in charcoal burning business which is not reliable because there are no trees and it is prohibited by the Kenyan government. However, since it is the only means for survival, I have no choice. I earn an average income of 2000 KES a week. This money is not enough to buy food and pay school fees for my children. Upon receiving this money, I will be able to buy food and ten goats as an investment for my children's education.
