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.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For over 15 years, I worked as a butcher in Mombasa town. During this period, I could cater to all my family's needs (Food, school fees, and clothing). Things turned worse when I fell ill and underwent an operation. I became very weak, and I had to leave my job. Since then I have struggled to provide for my family (4 children). I currently engage in lightweight jobs such as weaving mats and from it, I earn very little and cannot support my family fully. Because of the low income, my family has to sleep hungry and skip meals. The law of demand in purchasing the mats by customers forced me to incur debts by buying food on credit, which I cannot pay. Therefore, when I received my first transfer of Kenya Shillings 1200, I spent it all on buying food for my family to prevent them from starving.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life since receiving the transfer is being able to buy food for my family. My illness has been the biggest obstacle to finding food for my family. We have had to reduce the number of meals and also sleep on empty stomachs to survive the hard times. The situation is currently different since we have food and we no longer skip meals as we have plenty to eat thanks to the money from the transfer.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The phone rang loudly as I was about to go to bed. After reading through the message, I found out that I had received my first transfer. I could not believe it and I had to call my son who confirmed to me indeed that had received my transfer. I felt joy inside my heart knowing that the money will be of great help to me and my family through buying food.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I had a kidney operation in November last year and so I'm still nursing the wound. This has been posing a very big challenge as I I'm not able to walk fast and for a longer distance. Still I'm also not able to get involved in any income generating activity as I have not yet regained my condition. It's been such a big challenge having to depend on my sons for financial support when I have my own burden to curry. It feels so bad to have to ask for money to pay school fees for my own child and to provide for the family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I was very happy last year in the month of November when I got a kidney operation at no cost! I had been struggling with a lot of kidney problems and in last year, one of my sons registered me for a National Health Insurance Fund . I made contributions for a couple of months then came November and I had to use it. At first I wasn't sure if I could get money for the operation and whether my card was ready for use. Though I was still in pain I celebrated in my heart when I was informed that my car could pay for everything.
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I'm an old man who's currently retired with my youngest son at class eight. I still need money to be able to finance his education and to provide basic needs for my family. I have been majorly dependent on my two other sons who are taxi drivers in Mombasa town. They have tried their best over the years to provide food and other basic needs for my family, but still I always feel like I'm over burdening them. Getting this money will enable me to afford life on my own especially on providing food. Since I stopped working four year's ago I do not have any source of income and so this is going to be my chance to start creating wealth again by venturing into livestock farming.
