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 suspect the money message came at night because when I wake up the money was already in the phone. I got this revelation of having the money in the phone after hearing people saying that they have received their transfers and since I do not know how to read and write I solely depend on people to confirm for me. That very morning I told my helper to confirm and he told me that the money was in my M-pesa account. I was filled with joy thanking God for seeing me through via GiveDirectly who came for my rescue at the time I needed help the most.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest change in my life is that I used to stay in a small, leaking and a grass-thatched house but with the transfer that I received from GiveDirectly, I am living comfortably in a nice house. I hadn’t imagined that one day I would move out of this hat and go into a decent house. In the eyes of many who have good life, they may think I moved from hat to a hat but as for me I regard it as a mansion comparing to where I was.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I withdrew the money, the first priority was to construct a house. This is because the house I was living in was a small grass-thatched house and it leaking profusely during rain seasons. After settling the house issue, I bought some goats so that my home can be complete as the saying goes; a home without livestock is an incomplete home. Thereafter, I looked at how I have been surviving, it was a miserable state thus decided to save the rest of the money for family upkeep.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means improving my living standard. My husband passed away five years ago. Since then ,I have been living in a one bedroom house with a grass roof. The house leaks during rains season. The rains and the wind has caused pneumonia to me. Upon receiving the money, I will build a two bedroom house at a cost of KES 60000. I will also buy ten goats as investment at a cost of KES 45000. The remaining KES 15000 will be used to buy food for the family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The county government of Kilifi brought relief food in our village two weeks ago. This has brought happiness to me because I can at least have two meals a day
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of food is the current challenge I am facing. This area has a lot of drought that has really affected agricultural activities. Agriculture has been the source of food to me and it's now four year without rains in the area. It is hard to get food now because I am jobless.
