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 relaxing with my grandchildren at around 7 when I discovered that I had received my first cash transfer. I was so happy and decided to share the news with all my children who were not at home. We honestly couldn't afford to sleep that night just thinking about how our lives will change.
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 now have goats that I am rearing on my homestead. These have been precious assets that I have been yearning to own but I couldn't afford them because they were a bit expensive. I however purposely bought them for my children who are still in primary school. I am so convinced that by the time they will be transitioning to high school, the goats would have increased in number and I will be in a good position to pay their fees without any struggle. My spouse and I are both jobless and the only hope we have is for our children to acquire good education so that they can have a brighter future. I am so happy to see that my dream has finally come true. Apart from that, in case of any financial challenge, I can be able to sell some and settle the issue.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 12000 of my first cash transfer on buying four goats. I have been yearning to own them for so many years but I could not afford to own them because they were quite costly. I am now positive that soon I will have many of them within a short period which is an assurance that I will be able to achieve a lot through them. Additionally, I bought a bed at KES 10000 which has now replaced the traditional one which was made of ropes. I have been experiencing so much pain all along and I now feel relief. I also cleared fees of KES 10000 for my four children in primary schools . Finally, I bought food and decent clothing for the kids.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Education of my grandchildren has been my priority for long. My children in town engage in casual jobs which are not paying well and can not guarantee their children education. I will use KES 40,000 from the GiveDirectly transfers to pay for my grandchildren school fees. I will later use a further KES 15,000 to buy goats for domestic rearing. I will later sell the goats to buy food for my family. Doing all this will make me happy.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am always happy whenever I afford to put a meal on the table. Eating has been happening by luck because we are yet to harvest anything in our farm for the second season now.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Seeing my grandchildren home because I have been unable to pay for their school fees is the greatest challenge I am currently facing. They have been missing classes and this has really affected their academic performance.
