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 8am while I was just seated at home relaxing. I heard a message from tone from my phone and I requeated my helper to read and interpret what it was all about. Even before she concluded, I started dancing since the mentioned figure was too high and I had never received such a figure before.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference that I can attest is that, before receiving the transfer, I used to rely on making charcoals which is a very tiresome task and not reliable source of income. But for mow, the transfer made me to fulfill my desire of keeping goats as well as my family has an access to food not as before.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I withdrew the money, the first thing I planned was to buy some livestock and rare them as an investment. Concerning that, I bought seven goats for KES 35000.00. Thereafter, I decided not to do any other thing apart from buying food for the family sinve it was a drought season.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have longed to start a project that will sustain me and my family, but all the plans I had have been fruitless as the money I get from selling charcoal can only buy food. It is never enough to start a project. Receiving this money means using 30,000 KES to buy 10 goats. Goats can easily adapt to this area which is prone to droughts, they also give birth twice and within a year I will start getting milk as well as selling them to help me in my daily expenses. I will use the remaining amount of money on food.
What is the happiest part of your day?
When I sell my sacks of charcoal, the money I get brings joy and happiness to me as it means putting food on the table.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of food. The prolonged drought made farming difficult as maize could not survive in this hot weather and maize is our staple food when we do not harvest then it means to hunger.
Unclean water. We depend on water from the dams which is not clean and the dam is very far. I take 2 hours to bring 20 litres of water.
