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 relaxing at home after the daily chores around 6:00 PM when I received a message from GiveDirectly that confirmed the receipt of the transfer. No one else was at home then and could not even celebrate since I was not very sure whether I was comprehending the message that I had received. I waited till my husband came later in the evening and on showing him the message, he was so excited about confirming that we had received the full amount we had been promised for the first transfer. Even though we could not withdraw right away, we celebrated and thanked God for the huge support we had just received.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the investment in livestock that has given us hope of soon getting enough milk - not only for our household use but also for sale as a source of income. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for the great support that we received, and still looking forward to a great future once we receive the second transfer.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For a long time, we had been dependent on my parents' dairy cows to get at least a free liter of milk every day which was not always guaranteed since the seasons could differ. Over this period, it has been my prayer that I would one day get enough money or raise enough savings to buy a dairy cow for my family of five. The first transfer that I received had to make this project come true. Due to the high prices of livestock during that period, we settled on buying a heifer that was KES 25000. I am determined to rear it to maturity when it will calf down and provide us with enough milk. I also purchased two sacks of maize at KES 8000 that we are still using as foodstuff, clothing for my family of five at KES 14000, two chairs and a table at a total cost of KJES 6000, and saved the remaining amount as a contingency in case any financial demand comes up before we receive the remaining amount.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money will enable me to buy a dairy cow. I plan to use KES 40000 to buy a dairy cow that will provide milk for my children and sell some. My husband and I rely on small jobs in our area to earn some money that pays less, KES 300 on average daily. Selling milk will boost the money that we earn and allow me to save some for our children's education since that is our major concern.
What is the happiest part of your day?
We have had challenges with farming in our area because of drought but in the last six months, I planted and harvested enough food that fed my family. I am happy because I was able to provide for them without struggling so much.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Our area is semi-arid and most of the people do farming as a way of getting income. We rely on farming since we get to weed and harvest when the crops are ready and get paid. The money is still less since it allows us to buy food only. The lack of better sources of income is our major challenge.
