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 with so much gratitude that I received the great news on the receipt of the first transfer from GiveDirectly. It was around 8:00 am when I first got the news from the village members who had already received their own. I had left my phone at the nearby shopping center where I had been taking it for charging services. I had to rush there and lucky enough, the first message that popped up after putting it on was from GiveDirectly. With the fear of the rampant mobile money fraud, I had to withdraw them from the immediate Mpesa shop and called my wife who advised me to pay for some construction materials first before taking the remaining amount home to my family.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the construction of a spacious new house that has comfortably accommodated my family of five. Having a separate kitchen, sitting room, and bedroom is an amazing feeling to me after several years of struggling within a small space with my children. I am grateful for the humble space that we now have and to GiveDirectly for giving us such generous support that made my dream come true.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I had been living in a small hut with my family of five that would always force us to move the bedding outside every morning to give a sitting space for us. On receiving the first transfer, the construction of a new house was inevitable. I had to purchase 24 iron sheets each KES 800, 30 building poles at KES 250 each, paid the labor charges of KES 4000, and later obtained furnishing paints at KES 1400. I am happy that the construction is now complete and has allowed me to obtain a new bed and bedding at a total cost of KES 10000. At the moment, we are enjoying a comfortable sleep and a relieving rest even after hard days. I also spent part of the remaining amount on buying foodstuff worth KES 4000, new pairs of clothes for my family of five worth KES 5000, and the remaining on transport costs for the construction materials ad other household items.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means improved housing. I have one small grass-thatched house. This house tends to get smoky during cooking and may not be comfortable preparing food in presence of a visitor. So when I receive this transfer I will spend KES 30000 of the transfer to construct an iron roofed and more spacious house. This house will boost my self-esteem and have the courage to invite guests to my house.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Our area is prone to drought and most of our stable food is sweet potatoes because of their ability to withstand low rainfall. 2 weeks ago we have received consistent rainfall and we are hopeful that food crops which we had planted and were on the verge of drying up have started to sprout. This has given us joy and happiness in our lives since we foresee food security improvements in the near future.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The Challenge I am currently facing is financial constraints. I work in a quarry nearby as a casual laborer. My work entails the loading of tractors that come to buy stones used in house construction. My earning per day is KES 150 per day. This money is usually insufficient to sustain all my household needs including purchasing food. Most of the time my earnings are go-to food and nothing more to save.
