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 a sunny afternoon, and I was knee-deep in the fields, clearing away the overgrown bushes, when my phone buzzed with a notification. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I pulled it out to see the message that I had received the promised cash transfer from GiveDirectly. My heart soared with joy and happiness, and I couldn't help but shout in excitement. At that moment, all the dreams and needs I had put on hold due to lack of money flashed before my eyes. The first thing I thought of was finally being able to buy enough food for my family and pay school fees for my three school-going children. It felt like a heavy weight had been lifted, and I knew that life was about to change for the better.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
For years, my family and I often went hungry, sometimes enduring entire days without food. But everything changed the day I received a cash transfer from GiveDirectly. Now, we enjoy three meals a day, and the constant worry of hunger is a thing of the past. The joy didn't stop there; I used the money to buy a proper bed and a mattress. I used to wake up sore and exhausted from sleeping on an old, worn-out mat, but now, I wake up refreshed and full of energy. This gift has transformed our lives, providing comfort and stability that I never thought possible.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my GiveDirectly cash transfer, my priority was my three children's education. With $60, I paid off their school fee arrears, ensuring they wouldn't be sent home anymore. I wanted to make a lasting investment, so I bought a cow for $130 and a goat for $30. These animals would provide milk and eventually more income. For the first time in years, I also treated myself to some comfort, spending $50 on a mattress and $60 on a nice bed. Finally, I could rest without waking up in pain every morning.
I used $16 to renovate our mud-wall house by putting in a cement floor, reducing the lice and termites that plagued us and weakened our house. With the remaining $50, I bought food to support my son, who works as a casual laborer and carries the heavy burden of providing for us. The relief and joy I felt were immense. Thanks to GiveDirectly, our lives have improved, and I can finally see a brighter future for my family.
Enrolled
access_time 9 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
A modern bed and a mattress are things that I consider worthy to focus on once I receive this money. What I have wanted most is to ensure I live my old age peacefully. My current bed is made of ropes and I use rugged sacks as my beddings. This is a situation that I have wished to change and I intend to spend $200 of the money to make this desire come to a reality. On the other hand, I will renovate my house by reinforcing its walls with cement and stones, also I will smooth-finish the floor. This will cost me utmost $400 of the transfers. Part of the transfers ($200) will help me to buy 1 indigenous dairy cow to act as my long-term project while the remaining amount will support me in installing a solar panel for lighting at home. This will bring peace to my life and generally, this is what receiving this money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The good harvest this season! Yes, I always feel grateful to God because it has been a great sigh of relief to me and my household. Since we currently have enough food, my mind is at peace and I can now get some time to rest from the tiresome work of making charcoal. What a happy life!
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The nature of livelihoods in our area is very challenging because, whenever your spouse lacks a decent job, he engages in looking after the animals while the wife gets involved in casual jobs to feed the husband. This has been the case for me and I find it difficult due to the strenuous nature of the jobs. Charcoal burning being the main casual work has drained my energy and I always feel weak. Thanks to God, this season we had good produce on our farms. I, therefore, consider the lack of a reliable source of income as my biggest challenge.
