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?
The moment I received my transfer, I can recall that I was in the kitchen garden tending to my crops. I heard my phone ringing. Since I am illiterate I called my son to check what the message entailed. Upon checking he broke the good news to me that I had received money from GiveDirectly. Words cannot describe the immense joy that I felt, the news was refreshing to my ears. This is because I knew that I would be able to accomplish my goals in a short period. This was a dream come true thus I am forever grateful for the support that empowered us financially.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Paying school fees for my children is the greatest joy that I have. This has never been easy since I lost my husband. But I am happy and relieved that I was able to pay the money on time with disposing of any of our properties. Secondly, I have accomplished my dream of purchasing a dairy cow within a short period. This is a big relief because I would no longer worry about where I would get money of purchasing milk daily. I am forever grateful for the support that uplifted my life tremendously.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Buying milk daily can be costly since I do not have a reliable source of income because I depend on farming and traditional medicine which is not certain. I am a widow and a mother of three children. Therefore upon the receipt of my transfer, I bought a dairy cow worth KES 20,000 to cut the cost of buying milk daily. I then paid school fees arrears of KES 15,000 to my children. Additionally, I used the remaining amount on foodstuffs and clothes. My family is happy and grateful because of the transfer that transformed our living standards.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
In our culture cows are valued to the point that when one has many he is seen to be wealthy. That's why dowry is paid in form of cows. As we speak I do not have even a single cow and this makes me feel incomplete. I used to be a farmer but at the moment my body is weak and I had to abandon all agricultural activities hence no income to buy a cow. I desire to buy a cow worth KES 40,000 which will produce at least 7liters of milk every day. Milk is sold at KES 50 per liter and that means I will be earning KES 350 every single day. Receiving this money will make me feel proud that I also have my own cow
What is the happiest part of your day?
I have a daughter who got married 10-kilometers away from my home. Last month she came and stayed with me for a whole 3weeks and she was of great assistance to me. She could cook, wash dishes and even wash my clothes. She kept my house tidy and I was very happy about this kind gesture.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Accessing safe and reliable water for household use is the biggest challenge that I face. At the age of 65, I cannot carry a 20-liter Jerry Can full of water on my back like I used to do previously. What makes the situation worse is the fact that I live alone with no one to send to fetch in a nearby stream. This forces me to make countless trips using a 5-liter one and this leaves me very exhausted. I have developed chest pains as a result of doing this daily and I am worried that if I do not stop it might be worse than it is.
