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 almost 4:00 PM, and I was busy weeding my maize on our home farm. Suddenly, my phone buzzed with a notification. Curiously, I checked the message and saw it was from Mpesa, but I was not sure what it said because I did not know how to read well. My son was at home, so I hurried over to him to help me read the message. When he told me it was the first GD transfer of $182.4, my heart leapt with joy. I couldn't wait to go to town the following morning to withdraw the money and use it to cater to my son's education and other essentials. Thank you, GD.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life since I received the transfer is the sense of peace I now feel. I have settled half of the school fee arrears of $100, which will allow my son to stay in school. I promised to clear the remaining amount using the second transfer. Before, I had to do farm work, which paid very little and made it difficult to cover both our basic needs and school fees. This was especially challenging because the maize farming I relied on was affected by the persistent drought we have experienced for the past two years. This situation sometimes forced me to ask the community for financial help, which was something I felt embarrassed about. The transfer has lifted a huge burden off my shoulders, allowing my son to continue his education without interruption. It gives me peace of mind knowing that he can concentrate on his studies without the constant threat of being sent home for unpaid fees.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have been yearning to own livestock because they provide milk and are a source of income through their sales. The transfer gave me the amazing opportunity to buy two sheep for $100. I chose sheep because they reproduce faster, three times a year. I am excited that the sheep will provide me with milk for my family. Soon, we will not have to drink tea without milk anymore. I am also hopeful that I can support my three children's education in the future by selling the sheep.
Additionally, I used $50 to pay school fees for my son in secondary school, allowing him to return to school without the constant fear of being sent home to collect money. This has been a huge relief, lifting the heavy burden of seeing him at home while his peers are in school. Previously, I would clear his fees by selling maize from my three acres of land. Unfortunately, my farming was severely affected by the persistent drought we experienced last year, which dried up our crops. I spent the remaining funds on food, ensuring my family had enough to sustain us. Lately, finding farm casual work has been impossible because nearby farms were swept away by floods that we experienced last month.
Enrolled
access_time 7 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I have a 2 acre arable piece of land that I leased in the beginning of this year. This was because at that time, I was pressed to clear school fee arrears so that my son could seat for his secondary level final exams. As a result, I am left with no land to cultivate and grow food stuff for my family. I intend to reclaim my land by shortening the lease period through refunding the balance of the lease amount. By doing this, I will start farming by injecting $300 in order to cater for all pre and post harvesting processes. This will mean that, I will have sorted the issue of food insecurity in my household. As for the remaining balance, I plan to renovate my house and buy 5 dairy goats.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Being a casual labourer, I was very happy last month to have landed a job of harvesting tomatoes in one of the field in our village. The acreage was big and this meant that I was able to work there for an extended period of time with a daily wage of $4. As a result, I was able to buy food for my family in that period without difficulty.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am a widow with no passive income. I solely depend on casual jobs from other people's farm in order to fend for my family. The jobs are unreliable to an extend of only getting them during the weekends. This means that I have to venture into charcoal burning in order to supplement on my family's needs. I am also forced to lease my only 2 acres arable land that I could have cultivated crops for both subsistence and surplus for commercial purposes. My biggest worry is that I am running out of energy to be able to continue carrying out these menial jobs because of my age and having no hope of breaking this cycle.
