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 almost 5 pm when I was heading to the nearest water vending point to fetch water, and suddenly, I heard a message notification. Looking at it, I was very excited as I realized it was the cash transfer from GiveDirectly. The thought of how this money was going to help me flooded my mind. I didn't tell anyone about the money right away; instead, I continued with my evening duties. Later, I shared the news with my husband, who was equally happy. I couldn't stop thinking about how I was going to revive so many things, particularly my business where I used to sell soap and cooking oil.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
In the past, food was always scarce, and finding the money to pay for school fees for my four children was a constant struggle. However, everything changed when I started receiving the transfers from GiveDirectly. With this support, I feel hopeful for the first time in a long while. I plan to use the money to start a business, and I truly believe this will turn our lives around. Right now, I depend on farming to make ends meet which has been tough, but I manage. However, with the additional income from the business, raising money for school fees will become so much easier, and putting food on the table will no longer be a struggle. I see a future where we can finally thrive again, and that's something I never thought possible before receiving this help.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received the unconditional cash transfer, the first thing I did was use $45 to buy a goat. Goats multiply quickly and can be a reliable source of income or support during emergencies. Knowing that I had an asset that could help in difficult times gave me peace of mind. I decided to save the remainder of the transfer, planning to combine it with the final transfer to start a shop business. This is a business I understand well, having run a shop before until challenges like the lack of school fees and food forced me to close it. With the additional capital, I believe I can overcome these obstacles and run the shop successfully again. Additionally, I recently bought land in Lamu with my husband where we have started farming. This ensures that my family will not face food shortages and that any surplus can be sold to pay for my children's school fees. By securing our food supply, I can focus on growing the shop business without being overly reliant on it for our daily needs. This way, I am confident that both our farming and shop ventures will thrive, providing a stable future for my family.
Enrolled
access_time 5 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I have a family of seven members and I do casual jobs together with my husband. The income we get is low and caters for food and school fees for the children. Most of the time my children miss classes due to lack of school fees and this affects their performances. I had the desire to start a shop business but due to financial constraints I have not managed. I will use $800 to start a shop business. The market is good here in the village and I intend to make approximately $20 per day. I will also use $50 to buy one goat as an investment.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Poverty has been an issue in my family. It has made the family to take only ugali per every meal and sometimes we even go without it. However on 1st January 2024, I slaughtered a chicken for the family to celebrate and also cooked chapati in the morning. We had last taken such a meal since January 2023. My family and I felt happy and rejoiced.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Source of reliable income is the challenge I am facing in life. I do casual jobs making very little income that caters for food and school fees. Most of the time my children miss classes due to lack of school fees .
