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 exactly 12 noon when I was at my friend's house when my phone started ringing. Since I was curious I decided to check what the notification was all about. I couldn't believe what I saw, Wow! it was the Mpesa message from GiveDirectly that I had anxiously been waiting for. I couldn't contain my joy and even rushed back to share the good news with the rest of my family members.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that the financial help from GiveDirectly empowered me to own a dairy cow. I have desired to keep them in my homestead but due to the poverty life that had stricken my household, I could not afford it. The little I could earn from the casual jobs was only enough for my children's daily bread and some other basic needs. I settled in purchasing the dairy cow mainly for my children. Since they are currently in primary schools, by the time they will be joining secondary school, I am positive that I will have saved a lot from the sale of the milk from the dairy cow. Also, some few litres will be for my family consumption and this will be a surplus to their meals making them healthier. If it were not for the financial support I would not have achieved all these.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying some livestock which includes a dairy worthy of KES 15000. I later bought some building materials which include building materials which include building poles, timber, ropes, and a few pieces of iron sheets. This was for the construction of a new house since the previous one had collapsed a month ago and I used to seek shelter from neighbours and friends for all that time. Also, I paid school fees for my children who just resumed a week ago after the long holiday. With the remaining amount, I bought enough foodstuff for the family.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My house's superstructure is collapsing but I have failed to do means of repairing it due to the many responsibilities I have plus the fact that my husband's charcoal work earns him very little. Receiving this money means spending 30000 shillings to repair it since I will be required to buy the poles. On the other hand, I also plan to have a long term project of rearing livestock and this means spending 30000 shillings to buy 2 indigenous daily cows and the remaining amount will help me to clear school fee arrears for my children and also to buy food.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I consider evening as the happiest part of my day because it is at this moment when I find an ample time to rest. Unlike in the morning and afternoon hours when I am usually busy with household chores, that drain much of my energy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am a house wife and I mostly depend on my husband's casual work of burning charcoal, a job that earns him very little. This means sometimes, a day may pass without eating a meal if he fails to provide for us. Therefore, I usually feel the unstable source of income as the biggest hardship that I have ever faced in my life.
