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 overwhelmed with joy the moment I received my first transfer. Everyone in the Village was equally happy for thy had also received their portions. I rejoiced with my family and started planning how best I would use the money.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Before GiveDirectly came into my life I did not any livestock in my compound. This is because of the poverty life that had stricken my homestead. Currently, I am a proud owner of a dairy cow which has started transforming my life in many ways. First got milk which is for commercial purposes and this enable me to cater to the daily expenditure. Also. the remaining liters ar for my children's consumption. This acts like a surplus to their daily meals making them wealthier. Owning the dairy cow makes the biggest difference in my daily life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on hiring someone to plough my farm since it was the planting season. I later bought some building materials like iron sheets, building poles, and timber for the construction of a new house for my son. In addition to that, I bought a dairy cow and an ox plough. The remaining amount of money I used it in buying some foodstuffs and other basic household necessities.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Coming from a polygamous household, one of my biggest desire is to have financial freedom and be able to cater for my needs with much ease. At the moment, I share a common room with my co-wife and given that we have children, most of the time there is congestion and lack of privacy. Receiving this money will, therefore, enable me to put up my own house and be independent. I also plan to start up a grocery store that will generate an income and the proceeds will go towards meeting household and educational needs of my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Afternoon is the happiest part of my day, this is the time when I take time to rest after morning chores. I mostly engage in household chores and charcoal burning --thus getting the slightest chance to rest is so valuable.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of reliable sources of income has been the biggest hardship in life. At the moment, I rely on charcoal burning and since the desired trees are no longer readily available, I'm. forced to walk miles away searching for this precious commodity. This has affected my income generation and as a result, I'm unable to adequately provide for my family.
