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 early in the morning when I left home to the lake to fetch some water leaving my phone in the house. I left it because I usually do not have early morning calls. When I returned at around 7am, I found a message on my phone. Upon checking, this was the best message I have ever received. It was the promised transfer of KES 55000.00 from GiveDirectly. Due to the happiness that engulfed me, I knelt down and prayed a thankful prayer to the Almighty God for connecting me with GiveDirectly.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Before GiveDirectly graced our village, I was living in a hardship condition. Sleeping on the floor was not my wish but I had no alternative due to poverty. As of now, I am a happy parent with a happy family since we are sleeping well in good bedding not as before. I can sincerely attest that, if it were not for GiveDirectly we would not be living well the way we are now. My secondary child is also happy at school since he is learning comfortable because the fee was all paid.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I withdrew the money, I first bought two beds and three mattresses. I did this because for a while my children and I have been sleeping on the floor despite having a house. I also used KES 15000.00 to pay school fees for my secondary school child who had been on and off school due to school fees. Thereafter, I took KES 5000.00 and used it in the process of getting some birth certificates for my young children and for the remaining amount, I bought some food for the family.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money will offload a big burden on me. I have a variety of things that I intended to do but insufficient finances have made it impossible for me to achieve them. One of the most important things that I would do when I get these transfers is to educate my children, buy beds and mattresses for them and finally build a new house since the one I currently live in is almost collapsing. I plan to spend 25,000 KES on school fees, 30,000 KES to buy 3 beds and mattresses for my family to be able to sleep in a comfortable place, and finally spend the remaining 55,000 KES to build the house and daily food.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I have a sewing machine at home that gives me small customers every other day but what made me happy is during Christmas when I had a lot of work to do because everyone wanted to have new clothes for Christmas. During that time I made a lot of money that is still pushing me up to now since Jan is another month where business is not doing that well.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
It stresses me when I see my child in secondary school being sent home most of the time for school fees. Not being in a position to pay his fees on time is not something that I am proud of. Surviving with my other four children on the other hand and making sure that they are fed every day is another task that is very heavy on me because I do not have a consistent flow of money. Lack of money is therefore the challenge I currently face in life.
