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?
It was around 7 am while still sleeping when I received a message alert on my phone. On checking, I had received KES 55,000 from GiveDirectly. I was very happy and immediately woke and relayed the good news to my family. We then planned and started spending it the following day.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving the transfers is building a more spacious and modern Iron roofed house. This is because I had desired to build one but couldn't afford it due to school fees arrears.
Secondly, I am also grateful because I now have decent clothing. This I couldn't afford before but GiveDirectly made it possible.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a mother of four and to feed my family I have been relying on my husband. He works as a quarry worker where he gets KES 1,500 per month. This normally helps in household consumption and school fees payment.
When I received my transfers I spent KES 38,000 on the construction of a spacious and 20 Iron roofed modern house. This is because earlier on I used to live in a tiny 5 Iron roofed house with my husband and two young kids. My elder kids used to sleep in their grandma's. But through the transfers, the latest house can now accommodate all my family.
Secondly, I spent KES 3,000 on a dairy goat and KES 800 on two chicken layers. These will help me during financial emergencies.
Thirdly, I also bought a bag of maize at KES 3,500. Before GiveDirectly transfers, I used to buy two kilos of maize at KES 150. But since the arrival of the transfers, there are no more of these.
Further, I spent KES 500 as a down payment for the solar lighting system. The daily repayment is KES 20 per day for one year. This has three lighting bulbs which help light the whole house, unlike the single light bulb I had before.
Lastly, I spent KES 6,000 on the latest clothing fashion for my family majorly for special occasions. This is because earlier we could only afford second-hand clothes which would go for KES 100.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have always wanted to own a big and decent house. As you can see, I live in a one-roomed house that acts as kitchen, living and sleeping area. It is very congested for my family of five let alone accommodate visitors. I am so excited as I will fulfill my desire to own a two-roomed house. I intend to use KES 20,000 to purchase building materials and KES 10,000 to pay for labor costs. The rest of the money KES 60,000 will go towards purchasing a piece of land to add to the one I inherited from my parents. In the future, it will benefit me and my family as I will have enough land to farm.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Four months ago, God blessed me with a baby girl, the only girl in the family. I delivered safely and my girl is healthy. Seeing her growing up well and happy is what gives me and my husband happiness in the family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My husband being the sole breadwinner, my family depends on him to cater to all basic needs such as food, clothing, and levies for my 3 school-going children. The KES 200 he earns daily from casual jobs is hardly enough to buy sufficient food for the family. We purchase foodstuff from the market to supplement the harvests from the farm which is little or none due to inconsistent rainfall. Therefore, food insecurity is a challenge we have been facing for a while.
