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.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Currently, I am a housewife. But when I heard about the program, I had the idea of becoming a livestock farmer. This is because my husband, who is a village elder, has two wives. This has been hard for him to manage using the earnings he gets. It is therefore my plan to have at least 10 goats, acquired using the funds that I will be receiving from give directly. so far, I bought myself one. Through earnings from this, I will be able to help my husband out with fending for the family.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give directly has done very well. Through the cash donations, my living standards have been improved. So got I got to buy myself a goat. However, it can do better if it considers those of us who might have missed out on our transfers for a later date within the month because it somehow derails our plans.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
attach_money
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The minute the money came I went ahead to purchase a meal in order to cater for my own nutrition since I had gone to bed on an empty stomach that previous night. I decided to buy five packets of maize flour which cost me KES 500. This would me enough to last me a while, plus it was way better than staying hungry. The remaining bit of what was left I decided to buy two hens which cost KES 600, in order to start poultry farming because after they lay eggs and hatched I could sell and be able to provide for myself since I did not work and my old age would not allow me to either way.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My old age barely lets me do any constructive work. I relied on farming initially but that too has been quite a great challenge since it barely rains and there is extreme and severe drought in our area. On the other hand going hungry has turned to being something normal but now that I have been introduced to this program I am so grateful because now hunger is not as big of a problem as it was before.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Having gone to bed hungry that last night before receiving the money and other nights before that, you can clearly imagine that I was so happy when I received the transfers and that is why the first thing I considered was purchasing a meal. I was grateful because I was starving and I was glad that day I would get a meal.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Old age has come with a lot of health issues. I have a problem with my knees, I can't walk for a long distance, and with no money to seek medication, it is depressing.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My health has not been good for the past few months, I am still under medications due to cold but amidst all these, I still feel joy and happiness in my life because I am alive.
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My house is in a poor state. It looks like I am living outside because only one side is covered with an iron sheet with no door and the rest are just exposed. I live with my co-wife and her children plus my husband in the one-roomed house because our husband has not been able to build a house for each one of us. I rarely get sleep at night, especially during the rainy season because we get rained on. I plan to save the money and start buying building materials in bits until they are enough to start building a new house.
