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 was buying airtime via Mpesa when I realized that my account balance was excess by KES 55000. I immediately checked the previous messages and it was at this time that I realized that the money was from Segovia technology and my instincts told me that it was the money that I had been waiting for from GiveDirectly. I became so happy on realizing this and I immediately left everything that I was doing to go and cash it out since I did not want to fall victim to swappers.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My life has changed ever since I received my transfer since I was able to buy a dairy cow and a sack of maize and due to this, I no longer buy milk daily like before. Because of this, my spouse has been able to save the money that he usually spends on maize flour and milk. This gives me hope that we will be able to achieve our goals as a family using our second transfer after topping up with our savings.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I got married 10 years ago and I have been buying milk all this time. This was overwhelming to us as a family since we also had other projects that we have been doing one of them being a house that we had just completed when GiveDirectly came for enrollment. I usually make robes and sell them in our neighboring town and I usually earn at least KES 500 a week. This is the amount that I had been saving weekly in our merry-go-round group and I am glad that with the savings, I was able to help my spouse during the construction of our house. Upon receiving my transfer, I spent it to acquire some items that we needed as a family. First, I bought a dairy cow worth KES 30000 and KES 10000 on the purchase of a set of seats and a table since we only had three plastic chairs. I used the remaining amount on food and clothes for everyone.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My husband worked in a nearby school until recently when he was dismissed. He managed to save and buy a piece of land that we stay with our three children. Buying land depleted all our savings and we have to rely on casual jobs to feed our children. Receiving this money will be a relief to us since it will enable me to buy a cow. I plan to save KES 500 of the money in a merry-go-round every Sunday that I will get from selling milk daily to enable me to plan for the future of my children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I have been saving some money with the help of my husband until December when I withdrew them and bought a cow. This has made me happy because I know that with time, I will be able to get milk from the cow, sell the milk, and use some of the money that I will get to support my children.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The major challenge that I am currently facing is financial constraints. I do casual jobs and make ropes to get money to buy food for my children. The jobs are hard to get and the pay is little (KES 200) on a good day that goes into buying food for my children. I cannot save any of the money and have to rely on my husband to give me money that I will save in a merry-go-round that I am in.
