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 3:30 PM when I was at my maize farm and received the M-Pesa message on my phone, confirming that the money from GiveDirectly had arrived. I was filled with happiness and relief. I immediately called my wife to share the good news, and she was just as happy. I told her I would come home in the evening so we could plan how to use the money together. I forwarded the message to her to confirm it, and we both felt a wave of hope.At that moment, I looked at the maize in my field, knowing I had no means to harvest it due to a lack of funds. I had been counting on this harvest to provide for my family, especially to take my disabled child, Fidel, to the hospital. He has been disabled for six years, and I was desperate to get him the care he needed. With the arrival of the money, everything changed. I was able to take Fidel to Kijabe Hospital right away, and I felt so grateful to finally be able to support him.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Before receiving the money from GiveDirectly, life was extremely stressful for me. My son, who has been disabled for the past six years, needed regular hospital checkups, but I often didn’t have the money to take him. The stress of seeing him suffer at home without the care he needed was overwhelming. I depended on fundraising to pay for his medical expenses, but it was never guaranteed that I would have enough. This uncertainty made life very difficult for my family and me.
After receiving the transfer, I was able to immediately take my son to Kijabe Hospital with the $100 I set aside for his checkups. It brought me so much relief to finally afford his treatment without worrying about finding the money. Additionally, the transfer allowed me to harvest 10 bags of maize from my farm, which gave us food and some financial security. Now, I am planning to focus more on farming to ensure I can continue paying for his hospital bills without relying on others. Thanks to GiveDirectly, my life has changed significantly, and I feel hopeful that I can better support my family moving forward.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Life has been very tough for me, especially over the last six years while caring for my sick and disabled child. I had no stable job to cover his medical expenses, so I often relied on fundraising to take him for checkups every two weeks. It was stressful because I never knew if I would have enough money for his treatments. When I received the money from GiveDirectly, I immediately used $100 to take my son to Kijabe Hospital for his medical checkup. It was such a relief to finally be able to pay for his care without worrying about where the money would come from. In addition, I was stuck with maize in my farm, unable to harvest it due to a lack of funds. I allocated $50 from the transfer to hire laborers, and I was able to harvest 10 bags of maize. This was a big achievement for me, as the maize will help feed my family and possibly provide some income. Without the support from GiveDirectly, I don’t know how I would have managed to harvest or take my son for his much-needed treatment. I also used the remaining $50 to purchase food, which was a great help.I have three children, and neither my wife nor I have formal employment. We depend on burning charcoal and doing part-time work on our farm to survive. This transfer has been a huge help to us, easing some of our burdens and giving us hope for a better future. I am truly grateful to GiveDirectly for making this possible.
Enrolled
access_time 4 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I have a disabled child who's about seven years old. He needs medical attention since he cannot walk or speak. I'd spoken to a doctor and recommended medical assistance costing up to $300. The transfer will help me support my child's health, hence giving him a better living.
To ensure sustainability and constant sources of income, I plan to do farming. Vegetables are my favorite, mature faster and with a ready market. We will plant an acre of vegetables. Spending at least $500 will give us maximum yields. We'll need fertilizer, fuel for pumping water and pharmaceuticals to prevent our crops.
Due to the frequent floods and the risk associated with it. We plan to negotiate to buy a plot of land on a higher ground for safety purposes. The rest of the transfer will be the down payment and negotiate a payment plan. The plot of land will give us a new safer home.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I'm a perennial farmer, planting maize, vegetables, watermelons or beans. Currently, I have one acre of maize. I hope to harvest and use it to support my family. It brings me joy knowing I have something to depend on to sustain my family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
In April this year, we experienced unexpected floods at our home. One rainy night, just before we went to sleep, found ourselves surrounded by water. Immediately after taking our supper. We were forced to relocate to a nearby center which was not affected. Luckily most of our household items were not destroyed. We relocated for two months and came back when the water levels had subsided. It worries me living here with my family, I cannot even invest in a good house since I'm worried about its safety.
