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 around 6pm just while relaxing outside my house after the day's work in the shamba when I heard an SMS alert on my phone. On checking, my helper confirmed I had received KES55000 from GiveDirectly transfers. I was very happy and ate supper joyfully that evening.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving the transfers is building of a semi-permanent house.This is because I had desired to build a house over the past few years but all my savings would end up in school fees payment. Through GiveDirectly transfers, I am better dressed with latest clothing fashion but before we could only afford second hand clothes.I normally rely on vegetable selling business and my husband's casual labor in order to feed the family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES40000 on constructing a 22Iron roofed house.This is because the house I had was old, tiny and grass thatched and have now turned it into a kitchen.I also spent KES5000 on latest clothing fashion which are more decent as compared to the second hand clothes I had before. I also spent KES10000 on purchase of a sack of maize and settlement of food debts that I had accumulated.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a better house for me. I am currently living in a grass-thatched house. The roof leaks and it's very cold during the rainy season. I will spend KES 40,000 on building a two-bedroom house roofed with iron sheets. The remaining I will use KES 40,000 to buy a dairy cow since I do not have one. I will also buy clothing's for myself and my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In May my son was enrolled in Karatina University. Despite the challenges of getting school fees, I am hopeful that he will complete his studies someday and get a job thus helping out the rest of the children. He is my first and only child to join the university in the compound.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest challenge we are currently facing is an inadequate food supply. My husband usually gets a daily wage of KES 200 from his casual job. This amount does not meet the family's needs as well as paying school fees for the two children in secondary school. With the poor rainfall in the area and unproductive farms, we are forced to buy foodstuffs for the family consumption .
