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 in my house cleaning when I heard my phone ringing. It was unusual to receive a message at that time, also, I had not expected to receive any SMS. I was with my helper who check my phone and discovered that I had received my transfer. It was the happiest moment of my life since I had never received such a huge amount of money. I was pretty sure that I will be able to fulfill most of my development projects.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I was able to acquire building materials as well as start the construction of a decent shelter for my family. I am looking forward to completing the construction something that will help me bring my family of 10 members together under one roof.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 3000 to pay food debt at our nearby shop outlet where I had been taking food staff on loan. I also spent KES 32,000 to purchase building materials including 25 iron sheets, timber, and building poles. This was for the construction of a new decent shelter for my family of 10 members. The house that I had previously was very small and about to collapse. My 4 grown-up children were forced to seek shelter from my neighbor something eat away my joy. I also spent KES 7000 on clearing the school fee arrears of my 5 children who primary school. With the remaining amount, I bought adequate food for the family.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means building a new house for my family. I am currently living in a small house that is not enough to accommodate my whole family. I have a family of eight children. Some of them are teenagers and we cannot sleep in the same room. This forces them to look for shelter from other neighbors. I used to have a two bedroom house but unfortunately it caught fire and burned down to ashes. This made us to erect a single room structure which we cook and sleep in the same room. This makes it difficult to even host a visitor for a night. I intend to use the first cash transfer from Givedirectly to build a two bedroom, iron sheet roofed house which will cost $500 in total. I will then use the second cash transfer to buy two beds and mattresses, food and pay school fees for my children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I have no specific time of the day that I become happy. This is because, the situation of the two siblings who suffer mental health issues breaks my heart as I helplessly watch them. The only time that I may become happy but not really happy is the time that I get out of the compound for charcoal burning business. This is because when I am away from them, I tend to forget their situation for a moment as I engage my mind in other things and as I interact with other colleagues in the forest. However, the moment I come back, I get stressed up by their situation.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship that I have ever faced in my life is poor health of my two siblings. They suffered mental problems for over two years now. What breaks my heart the most is that I used all my savings that I got from my charcoal business to take them to school, but after finishing their secondary education, they got mad and now they are helpless. I cannot do anything to help them but just watch as they suffer. Their mental health issues affected my health too as I developed high blood pressure due to stresses of this situation. This has contributed to me and my family to live a miserable life.
