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 the happiest mum that morning I saw the transfer notification from GiveDirectly. It came at the right time when I needed it most, since I was financially helpless because of the corona virus pandemic.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I am happy that I will be able to pay fees for my children who have been out of school since the onset of the Corona Virus Pandemic. They will be resuming their studies in their final years. It would have been difficult to raise enough money since the pandemic has left me unstable financially. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for the financial support.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am planning to spend the transfer on paying for my children's school fees. They are in their final year of study. Their resumption to school was so abrupt owing to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. I would not have managed to raise their fees in such a short period of time. In addition to this, I am also planning to pay for a piece of land that I had acquired for farming.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Besides casual jobs, subsistence farming is my other source of livelihood. However it is not sustainable because my current piece of land is not so productive. The much I can harvest is one bag of maize that is supposed to feed the eight of us. This food only lasts for one month and I am required to buy for the rest of the year. Since I do not have a stable job, it is equally difficult to provide enough food for the family. I can simply say we are not food secure and my biggest dream is to purchase a better piece of land to curb this problem.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the morning after a night of good rest. I am always very jovial because I feel quite energetic to face the day's hustles. This is because I have a family to look after and they give me a reason to work harder.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My husband being a polygamous man, he has totally neglected us and he concentrates more on the other family. This has reduced me to the sole provider of 7 children something that is not easy. I burn charcoal to fend for them but the 1000 shillings I earn every month is not enough. Financial instability is one of the major reason why my son missed secondary education and he is also a casual labourer. It means getting basic needs which include food, clothing, medical and education is not a walk in the park for my family. All these are results of parental negligence which is my biggest hardship.
