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 remember I was in the middle of my daily casual jobs together with my friends when I received a message on my phone. With little expectation, I went to see it and to my shock, It was a Mpesa message confirming that I had received money from GiveDirectly. The good news left me overjoyed not knowing whether to end my casual job there or to continue. I shared the news with my friends and we all got happy with it.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I primarily depend on casual jobs and farming as a source of income in my family. I practice mixed farming to increase the returns and it is always my happiness and desire to see my farming expand and do better. Even though I struggle to inject some resources to improve this, my daily household needs take much of the resources that whatever I put into farming was never felt enough. Ever since I received my transfer, I feel my life has greatly changed after I bought sheep and saved KES10000 that will soon use to buy a heifer. This is the biggest difference in my daily life since I have added an asset that will soon reproduce. I feel have security to lean on during a financial crisis. In addition, soon I will buy a cow using my saving thus increasing my assets. I am hopeful of a better life for my family and I since these will greatly increase thus giving us more assets to lean on.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent the entire transfer on my family's wellness. I used KES33000 on my household items and daily basic needs. I bought food, furniture, a water container, bedding and clothing. I feel looking at my happy family, satisfied and healthy family enjoying the comfort of our home. In addition, I took KES19500 to invest in farming. I bought chickens worth KES5000, sheep at KES4500 and saved KES10000 so that I can add to my second transfer to buy a cow.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means that my two young kids and the entire family shall be well nourished. This is because I will buy a cow to provide us with milk for consumption. Besides, we shall be selling any surpluses to earn income for purchasing other food items. Overall, we shall be much grateful to GiveDirectly for ensuring that we enjoy some food security since we are currently struggling to get something to eat.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I always wake up very early in the morning to go search and handle some house-construction jobs. Hence, the happiest part of my day is in the evening when I have reunited and shared some meals with my jovial family members. I usually feel satisfied as a caring and responsible father.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
As a casual laborer working within our vicinity, the frequent lack of job opportunities acts as the biggest challenge I have faced. I am a father and the primary breadwinner for my family. So, I usually do manual tasks on house construction projects since I do not have the necessary skills and knowledge for handling white-collar jobs. Unluckily, we could sleep while partially hungry due to absence of income for purchasing food.
