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.
I am grateful to GiveDirectly because receiving this transfer has enabled me to buy a pair of oxen that I had yearned to have for a long time. For the first time now, I will be using my own oxen to plough the whole farm. I was previously using hoes to cultivate my farm which was tiresome and not convenient with larger acreage. I also used to hire from neighbors which were costly for me. My farming will greatly improve because I will be able to prepare my farm early and timely to catch up with rains which are sometimes unpredictable in our region for better harvests. Better yields for me means that I will be able to overcome the risk of food shortage in my family which we have been facing and have surplus produce to sell to meet other family needs. This is the biggest difference in my daily life and I thank GiveDirectly for the financial support.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received a message notification early that morning and when I checked who the sender was, I was overwhelmed with joy due to its content. It was a Mpesa message confirming that I had received money from GiveDirectly they had promised us. I celebrated with my family for this fortune knowing that the amount will transform our lives better.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent KES 4000 to pay for my children's school fees. I cleared their school fees for them to continue comfortably with minimal interruption in their studies. I also spent KES 30000 to buy a pair of oxen to help me in my farming. I was using hoes or hire oxen from neighbors. This was costly thus less effective in my whole acreage due to financial constraints. I am now happy that I will have my own pair of oxen meaning I expect my farming to improve. I also paid KES 20000 to clear the cost of a piece of land that we have been using for a long time. I had initially paid a small amount since I couldn't afford to clear the whole amount at once. I thank GiveDirectly for supporting me financially because I now have full ownership of the farm and I can do my farming without any hindrance.
Enrolled
access_time over 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a reliable source of income so that we can comfortably cater for our needs such as food and education. We plan to start a grocery business within our community. I will be buying the stock from our main market in Bamba and distribute it to households in our area. We also want to purchase indigenous goats that we can rear at home which we can sell to meet emergency needs when we do not have cash at hand.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Because we can only afford two meals in a day, I prefer to work in the morning when I have a full stomach and the sun is not too hot, this makes it the best part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
We struggle so much financially because my husband and I don't earn much income from the charcoal making and fishing economic activities that we engage in. It takes me 3 weeks to fill a sack of charcoal that is ready to sell and even so am not guaranteed of getting a buyer. My husband on the other hand, makes at most 3 dollars a day from fishing in the nearby river which he does 3 days in a week. From this, we feed, clothe, treat and even pay fees for our children's education which is certainly not enough. However, the river is almost dried up at the moment because of low rainfall thus causing more frustration.
