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 biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I now own goats. With the goats, they reproduce twice a year and to add on that they require little supervision compared to other domestic animals. When they reproduce and mature I shall sell some in our local markets and use the money to handle other family needs. Apart from that, I will exchange some for a dairy cow so that I can get milk and sell purposely to double my income. And according to me, these are the well-thoughtful assets that will help me in the near future. Thanks to GiveDirectly for making an impact in my living standard at a time I almost lost hope.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 10 pm when I heard my phone vibrating. Since I am illiterate, I asked my spouse to confirm what the notification was all about. After checking it he realized it was an mpesa message from GiveDirectly they had debited my first transfer in my account. I was so glad because I knew some of my dreams were now achievable.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying twenty pieces of iron sheets, timber and nails to renovate my house. My previous house was small and in a critical condition, almost falling down. The rest of it I used to buy a bed and a mattress because previously I used to sleep on a mat. Apart from that, I bought five goats as my assets. It has been my desire to rear goats in my compound but I could not afford it due to my poverty life. I then bought enough foodstuffs for my family that would last a month since we haven't been harvesting for a while because of drought. With the remaining amount of money, I started a vegetable business to boost my income.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
For many years, it has been my desire to build a better house for my children. Sadly, this has not happened because of financial constraints given that my husband is a casual laborer and his income is hardly enough to feed the family. At the moment, we live under a leaking roof, a situation that has subjected my children to cold every time it rains. Receiving this money, therefore, means a better and warm house for my children because I will be able to construct one for them. Again, am concerned about their education, and as such, I will invest part of my transfers in livestock raising. With this, am certain my children will not encounter any financial hindrance in attaining the highest level of education they desire.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Evening is the happiest part of my day. This is because most part of the day is packed with activities here and there. From attending to household chores to taking care of the children. It is even worst when am out there in the forest burning charcoal. As such, it is only in the evening when I get time to rest, and that makes it the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of a reliable source of income has been the biggest hardship in life. At the moment, my husband works as a casual laborer in Mombasa. His is an on and off kind of job, something that is unreliable and the income is not sustaining at all, not even enough to meet his travel expenses home. Most of the time, he stays away for up four months. As a result, I engage in charcoal burning business in order to meet other needs of the family. Juggling between housework and this job is frustrating. Most of the time am exhausted since the job is laborious and male-dominated. Am glad this money will bring him closer to the family. We plan to assist each other is raising livestock for sale.
