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?
I was sitting in my compound engulfed in thoughts of where I would get money to buy supper. My phone vibrated, and I checked it out but could not read the message because I was illiterate. Later that evening, my grandson broke the good news that I had received my first transfer after reading the message. I was thrilled, and it filled my heart with joy as tears rolled down my cheeks. I knelt down and prayed to God, thanking him for the miracle.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Completing building the house is the biggest difference I have had since I received the transfer. It is three years since my husband died and could not finish the construction of the house. My children and I persevered in the chilly weather during the night because we did not have anywhere to sleep. I am happy that the house is complete and we now comfortably stay in the house with no problem.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After my husband died, my life took a turn for the worst. He left behind a house that was halfway completed, which I am currently living in. When It rains I stay awake to guard my property because of the leaking roof and water sips through into my house. I earn a living through the sale of charcoal and I earn little (KES 350 per sack) due to the low sales caused by low demand. When I received my first transfer, I spent a large portion of it on buying 20 bags of cement, windows, doors, and building stones to improve the state of the house. I also spent KES 9500 on buying a bed. For over 30 years, I have never slept on a bed because I did not have money to buy one and slept on the bare floor on top of carton boxes and pieces of “Makuti”. Because of my poor source of income, I skipped meals and sometimes forced to sleep on an empty stomach. It is for this reason that I bought food in bulk and have plenty of food.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means upscaling my agricultural techniques. I do agriculture on a 5 acres piece of land using the traditional method. That is using a hoe . I own 15 acres of land. The five acres gives me a harvest of 10 bags of maize. The food lasts for 6 months. Upon receiving the money, I will buy a pair of oxen and a yoke. This will cost KES 38000. With the use of the oxen, I will cultivate all the 15 acres of land and get a proximately 30 bags of maize. This will take me the whole year. I will use KES. 60000 to change my house from mud to a permanent one. The remaining KES 12000 will be used to pay school fees for my children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
A private company by the name Mombasa cement brings water to the community every Friday. The water is free. This has really relieved us. So the free water has brought happiness to me.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of water is the current challenge I am facing. Our village has faced drought for the past two years now. This has made all water pans to go dry. A 20 litre plastic of water goes at KES.70 and it is not clean.
