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.
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Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($470 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was already at work when I got a message. Since I could not read, I continued with what I was doing up until the evening when I went back home. I asked my daughter-in-law to help me read and she confirmed that I had received funds from give directly. I was ecstatic. My very first thought was to connect my compound with water, to control the water problem we were having and also reduce the cost we incurred whenever we bought water from our neighbors.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
To say the least, I feel I'm better off ever since I received the funds from give directly. We were able to connect water in our compound, there is also an extra washroom that we built using the money to accommodate our growing numbers. Moreover, my house, which had very old iron sheets, has been repaired and I no longer sleep on the floor as I was able to buy myself a bed.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a mother of seven, 4 have already finished school and 3 are still in school. To fend for them, I work as a stonemason where my daily wage is KES 500. Since my family has now grown, as some of my children have taken in wives, I wanted to add a toilet. There was also a scarcity of water in my area, to curb the water problem, I also wanted to connect water in my compound. So, when I got the funds from give directly, I started with the water link which cost me KES 20,000. I then added a toilet in a compound to accommodate everyone. Furthermore, I also never had a bed, so I also bought one and two mattresses. Whatever amount remained I used to repair the roof of my house which had old iron sheets. To replace them, I bought 10 of them and hired someone to repair it
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I work as a casual laborer on a mining site. My ambition has been to refurbish the roof of my house which leaks during the rainy season. This problem has been there for ages but due to financial constraints, this dream has never come to pass. Receiving this money means decent shelter. I am planning to spend KES 60,000 on the renovation. This will enable us to live a comfortable life especially when it is raining. In addition, I will spend the remaining amount to start a business that is going to generate income for my family of 6 partners.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Last months December I managed to receive KES 20,000 from my savings (community-based group). This amount enabled me to clear all the debts I had in shops and school fees. This brought a lot of joy to my life because currently, I live a comfortable life knowing that no one will come and owe me.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of a reliable source of income is the biggest hardship I am a currently facing. After the death of my husband who was the bread winner, I had to start working in order to provide for my family needs. My casual job earns me KES 300 in a day which is not enough to cater for my basic needs such as shelter.
