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 at home busy doing some house chores. While at it, I heard my neighbors celebrating. I went out to enquire and I was informed that they had received funds from give directly. Even in my anxiousness, I still chose to wait until evening to go and pick up my phone, which I had taken for some charging, so I could ascertain if I had also received it. this was true, and I couldn't help but feel delighted. I was filled with so much gratitude towards the organization as this gave me the hope and means of sending my children back to school.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
There has been a great difference in my life ever since I started receiving these funds from give directly. I now have a new two-room house where I live with my husband, leaving the old one-room to my children. There's also sufficient provision of food. For this reason, we no longer have to be dependent on my mother for financial support. Most importantly, all of my children are now well and in school.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a mother of seven children. often, paying for their school fees has been a challenge. This was after my husband developed some illness that could not allow him to continue with this traditional palm wine brewing business. before I got the funds, I only had five of them going to school but since January, they were not able to continue with their studies as I lacked funds to clear the KES 5000 arrears they had. The other two children, five-year-old and seven-year-old, had not yet started school because I lacked funds. Other than school fees, it has also been hard to put food on the table. so, when I received the funds from give directly, the first thing I did was to settle the school fees arrears. I even bought some uniforms for the other two who were able to get the finances to enroll in School. I then bought a sack of maize cereal and I also got to plow my land. Finally, I used the money to build a new two-roomed house where I will live with my husband and leave the old one-roomed home to my children.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
The roof of my house fell after heavy rains last year December. I have been staying in a temporary structure since then. With 7 children, the situation is unbearable. The house is too congested. Such an environment is unhealthy for the children, particularly my 2-month-old daughter. With a zero source of income, building a new house is impossible for me. I plan to use 35,000 KES out of the transfers I will receive to build a new house. Receiving this money will ensure a decent life for me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The year 2022 started very well for me. I was blessed with a baby girl in the early month of January. Rahma is very beautiful. Her sound health gives me so much joy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food insecurity is the greatest challenge I am facing. I have a family of 7 children and we all depend on my husband who is a palm wine tapper in Kaloleni. He is the sole provider for us. With his little earnings (4,000 KES per month), maintaining this family is burdening to him. When an emergency occurs, for example, some medical expenses, that month will be worse because there will be very little money for food. Averagely, we take 2 meals per day.
