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 biggest difference in your daily life.
Owning the pair of oxen is the biggest difference in my daily life for I had none and I was greatly troubled during the planting season for hiring was expensive to me. Through this pair, I will be able to cultivate a bigger acreage for robust yields that can last longer in feeding my family.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was woken up by a message notification on my phone. On checking to confirm who the sender was, I realized that it was from GiveDirectly informing me that I had received the transfer I was anxiously waiting for. I felt happy about the transfer because I knew it would change and improve my life.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent part of the transfer on buying a pair of oxen to improve on my farming for better harvests. Previously I could not manage to cultivate a bigger acreage of my land and the harvest could not last long of which after some time we were forced to spend on buying food. The cost of hiring from neighbours was also high. I am at peace now that I have my own pair, I will increase my acreage for better yields. I also purchased iron sheets, building poles and other building materials to construct a house for my teenage children because we were living in the same house and could not enjoy their privacy. They are now staying comfortable and at peace in their own house. in addition to these, I paid for tuition fees for my daughter who had joined a training institute so as to get skills that will make her self reliant in future. I also paid for school fees for my children for them to continue comfortably with their studies.
Enrolled
access_time 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I desire to educate my nine children so that they can get jobs and take care of me in future. Besides, they will also be able to live a descent life free from poverty. I can only achieve this dream if I have a stable source of income. Therefore, I will use this transfer to start a grocery business, and also purchase oxen that I will use to scale up farming and hire them at a fee. This will mean curbing food shortage and generating income to finance their education.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My life is full of uncertainties and I always get stressed thinking about how I can give my children a better future. As I spend the better part of my day uprooting trumps to burn charcoal, I wear out due to loneliness and cumbersomeness of the job. I only get company in the evening when my children are back from school. Having them around relieves my stress thus making evening the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My husband burns charcoal in the forest where he stays up to one year. He supports the family with 1000 shillings a month which is supposed to meet all the basic needs. Since this amount is not sufficient, I also burn charcoal in the village though it is illegal. This earns me 400 shillings which mostly caters for food. I tend to neglect educational costs that have led to the accumulation of 5000 shillings debt. I can therefore say that financial instability is my biggest hardship.
