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 attending a burial at Sintaan when suddenly, I noticed people talking excitedly, saying they had received money from GiveDirectly. My phone had been acting up and wasn’t showing Mpesa messages, so I couldn’t check right away. The whole time I was wondering if I, too, had gotten the money. I waited until I got home and grabbed my husband's phone to check. Sure enough, there it was – money from GiveDirectly! I felt such relief and happiness because now, finally, our tomatoes would be taken care of.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Before receiving the unconditional cash from GiveDirectly, we were in a bit of a tight spot. Our one acre of tomatoes needed staking, and we were planning to take a loan from Boresha Sacco to cover the costs. It was a risky move, but we didn’t have many options. But then the GiveDirectly cash came through, and it was a complete game-changer. We were able to cover the staking costs and other production expenses without taking on debt. Now, we’ve already made sales worth $1500, and our production costs were only $800. That’s $700 in profit, and the best part is we don’t owe anyone a single cent. It feels amazing to know that we’re making money and aren’t trapped in a cycle of debt.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When we received the unconditional cash transfer, the first thing that came to mind was the tomatoes on our one-acre farm. They were at a critical stage and needed staking to keep the fruits off the ground and prevent them from rotting or getting diseased. I used $150 of the money for the stakes and hired a few people to help get the job done. It was a worthwhile investment because the tomatoes are a significant source of income for us. The moment my children heard we had received the money, they immediately asked for new clothes. They wanted to look as good as their friends, so I spent $6 on clothes for them. They were so excited, and seeing them happy brought me a lot of joy. With the remaining amount, I focused on stocking up on essential food items for the household. I bought 5 kilograms of beans, 3 kilograms of rice, and 2 kilograms of sugar. These staples would last us for some time and ensure we had enough to eat. I felt relieved knowing that, at least for a little while, we wouldn’t have to worry about food, and I could concentrate on other pressing needs for our family.
Enrolled
access_time 4 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
We have an acre of tomatoes which are three weeks old. The first transfer will assist us to buy pharmaceuticals, fertilizer and sticks to support our tomatoes. It's well timed since it's about time when we need more money. We expect to earn about $1000 from their produce.
Our two children in primary school will also benefit, we plan to spend $200 on their education. Good education will better their future.
Additionally, we intend to buy sheep. They breed well and easy to manage. We'll spend $300 to buy 5 sheep. They can be sold in the future to cover our children's education or during emergencies. The rest of the transfer will be saved and on standby for farming purposes. We are regular farmers and need money to buy seedlings or even ploughing the land. The transfers will be of great help to our family and we're happy.
What is the happiest part of your day?
We have about an acre of vegetables in our compound. I had planted recently, and luckily the floods did not destroy all of it. It has been our main source of income and food. This has been our source of happiness. I intend to plant more since they are easiest to sell.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Floods have been our biggest concern in the last 6 months. It displaced us, and we were forced to relocate for about one week. It recurred three times. We also lost 3 chickens and their structure was destroyed. The floods also destroyed one acre of maize plantation leading to food shortage. We've been forced to depend on relief and doing extra jobs to earn income to buy food.
