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 9 pm when I and I were about to go to bed. Before I retired to rest, I checked my phone and realized that my transfer had been sent. That day I came home very late because I had a lot of engagements. I had over-worked myself thus I was too tired. Despite that, I felt so happy at that moment because I least expected I could receive that money on that day. I immediately informed my wife who was equally glad to receive such good news.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Since I received the transfer, I have noticed better performance in my wife's business. She runs a grocery business that had not been performing well due to a hike in food prices. However, when we were able to pump in some additional money, it generates a relatively better profit than before. Initially, she could realize a net profit of KES 150 however currently, she can make a net profit of KES 250. I am indebted to GiveDirectly for the financial aid.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a motorcycle taxi and my daily income is always insufficient to comfortably support my family. My wife also does a grocery business. When I received the transfer I opted to boost her business with KES 600. Her business has been cushioning some of my family's needs especially when I am down financially. I used the rest of the transfer to buy food. At that time we did not have sufficient food. All our savings were over and we had depleted some of the foodstuffs we had.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I was employed in one of the companies in town untill the spread of corona pandemic when my employment ended. Without option, I returned to the village and spent the savings I had made in buying a motorbike. About two years before I was unemployed, I had started building another house for the current, a 2bedroom, is small to accommodate a family of 8. As a motorbike rider, my daily income cannot surpus 500KES. I have been saving 150KES each day towards roofing the house until a month ago when all the cash saved was spent for my daughters preparations for her national exams. It is with great joy that am going to see my house finished upon receiving the GiveDirectly money. My plan is to combine the cash we receive together with my wife and save 5000 KES each month for the next five months. With 30 000KES I will be able make a roof for the house. A portion of my transfers, about 20 000KES will be directed towards taking my daughter to a vocational training institute to persue tailoring.
What is the happiest part of your day?
After life showed me its wrath, I chose to be a broker as an alternative source of income. Luck knocked my door last month when I successful sold a land and got 30 000KES as commission. Without hesitation, I bought 20 iron sheets out of the 40 required to get the roof set.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Sharing a house with my grown up children had deprived me privacy and enjoyment of my marital life. For the last three years, I had tirelessly made effort in constructing another two bedroom house untill last year when I was greatly affected by lack of a reliable employment after losing my job due to corona pandemic. Seeing the house stalled for this long has denied my heart joy.
