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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have already cleared my farm waiting for rain. For the past six months, we have experience drought that took the lives of my livestock, six goats, and four chickens. But recently we had rain and I am hoping for the rainy season to come so that I can cultivate my crops. This will help me not buy food, save money and start a business that will help me generate enough revenue for my family.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Givedirectly has helped me buy food for my family without strain. I have a lot of dreams that my life will turn out for the better. My children will go to school and someday they can better their lives. I have hopes for the future.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a widow with five children and six grandchildren that I take care of. I live in a single room with them. I produce charcoal and sell it for a living. In a week I produce four sacks of charcoal that I sell at $4 a sack. This money helps me buy food for my family which is not always enough. Food has been a problem for my family. Most days I do not get customers which means that on that day I won't be able to buy food for my family. We sleep hungry and most days I cry my heart out at night when my children complain to me that their stomachs are in pain because of hunger. I used the second transfer to buy food and build a house for my son who recently got circumcised and on the balance, I bought four goats.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
While I was on my way home from a meeting, I received a message on my phone but I did not realize it. When I reached home at around 6 pm, my young son took the phone as usual since he enjoys having my phone with him. As he was scrolling, he saw the message from GiveDirectly which stated that I had received KES 55000.00. He quickly informed me of the same and my heart was filled with joy. Though I did not want people to know about it, I ululated inwardly in happiness.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer has done a huge difference in my life. I was very skinny due to the hustle I was going through. fetching firewood for sale as well as making charcoals was a tiring job. As of now, I took a rest from the straining jobs after getting the transfer and I am glad I am now gaining some weight.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon withdrawing the money, I first wanted to make a mark on GiveDirectly by buying something that will keep the organization alive and felt at my home forever. Therefore, I bought four goats for KES 16000.00. I chose goats over cows because they are more resistant to drought. Thereafter, I bought a bed, a mattress and some bedsheets for KES 15000.00 because I had non and I used to sleep on the floor. I also paid KES 5000.00 for school fees for my children who were almost to be sent out of school due to school fees. Besides using the remaining amount of money in buying some food, I also paid a debt of KES 8000.00 to a shop where I used to take some items on a bill.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I'm a widow living with my two sons and a daughter who returned home after a separation with her husband. One of my son's could have been in form four this year in readiness to complete his high school education, but the odds worked against that. He had to drop out some time last year while in form three due to lack of school fees. I normally depend on burning and selling charcoal for a living, but occasionally I get support from my eldest son who works in Kaloleni town as a gardener. He doesn't earn much judging by his lifestyle, and so he isn't able to support me regularly. Getting this money will relieve me off the hard labor of burning charcoal to get money. It would make me really happy to have a proper sleeping place and some form of investment and so I plan to buy a bed, mattress and some beddings which might cost approximately 15000 KES, and also buy some livestock with the remaining amount preferably goats due to their draught resistance nature.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I have a very hard life down here because I'm not able to generate enough income through charcoal burning and most of the time I have to depend on support from one of my sons. I always feel really happy whenever sends me money and this happens a lot towards the end of every month. It really helped at the beginning of this month as I wasn't feeling well but still has a family to feed.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
We are currently facing inadequacy of food supply caused by this ongoing draught that has seen us skip two rain seasons. Sadly at these present conditions, we're not able to conduct subsistence farming that we majorly depend on in the village. At the same time I'm also a little too old to be able to produce enough charcoal to generate adequate level of income. Therefore we hardly get enough to effectively survive on.
