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 in the middle of sweeping the house and taking care of my five children when a message suddenly rang in. I immediately stopped what I was doing and checked my phone to confirm the receipt of $182.4 from GiveDirectly. I couldn't contain my excitement and started screaming, though not too loudly, as I was overwhelmed with joy. I waited patiently for my husband to return from tending to our livestock, and when he came back that evening, I shared the news with him. We had prepared a list of what we wanted to spend the money on beforehand, so we knew exactly how we were going to spend the funds.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Before receiving the transfer from GiveDirectly, I struggled with stress, especially when I saw my five children squeezing into one bed. I would often check on them in the middle of the night and sometimes find one of them on the floor, exposed to mosquito bites. This sight would fill me with worry and anxiety. However, after receiving the transfer, I was able to provide them with an additional bed and mattress, which has brought me immense relief and happiness. I am now stress-free and have hope that better things are coming.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Before receiving the cash transfer, my husband and I struggled to make ends meet through charcoal production and occasional casual jobs. We could only afford two bags of charcoal every two weeks, selling each for $4, which barely covered our food expenses. Casual jobs paid $2-$3 per day, limiting our focus to just food and leaving other essential needs unmet. Our five children were forced to share a single bed, leading to uncomfortable sleeping. We decided to invest in a mattress and bed for them at $90. Additionally, we lacked chairs and a table, relying on a single plastic chair for my husband and traditional wooden chairs for the rest of us. We bought two more plastic chairs and a table for $30. At the time of receiving the cash, my daughter was undergoing treatment for a dog bite, requiring two antirabies injections costing $25, and I had a leg problem that needed medication spending $15. Despite still experiencing the issue, I planned to seek further treatment. With the remaining $22.4, I prioritized food for our family.
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access_time 4 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I have to device other ways to provide for my family now that I have been advised not to engage heavy duties for the sake of my health. I will budget KES 20000 to open a kiosk in the village. To create time for my children for their studies during the evening hours, I will use KES 40000 to buy a plastic water tank for my family. This will save them from fetching water for the family when they come home from school in the evening. My dream of poultry farming will not be left out when I receive the transfers. I will plan KES 5000 to establish poultry farming. This will bring back my happiness of supporting my husband to provide for the family. I will also consider taking my three children to private school, this will help them access quality education.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My sister Anastasia Kirati who is living with us had lost hopes of joining a secondary school due to lack of school fees. At that time we were struggling to raise money for my medication, we had nothing to pay for her education. Things miraculously happen, my mother who lives in Lesua village received their first transfers from GiveDirectly in January. We managed to enroll her in Ngambo secondary school although she joined late. I was happy that my sister got another opportunity to chase her dream of being a teacher.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I used to walk for about four kilometers daily to my farm, little did I know that this will cost me. It was in October 2023 when I felt a sharp pain on my heel, I thought it was just an ordinary pain and took some rest for a week. The situation worsened and I could not walk from my main house to kitchen and prepare food for my family. My husband Essien Parsusumet was concerned about the pain and took me to Marigat district hospital for medication, an x-ray was done and it was found that I had developed calcaneal spur on my two feet. This has totally changed my life and the life of my family. I feel bad that I am now unable to work and support my husband to provide for the family. My husband is now the only sole breadwinner and this is making us struggle to put food on the table. My children would come back from school and spend their evening on their homework and revision, things are not the same again. They are now helping me fetch water since I was advised to take rest and avoid heavy duties.
We are also struggling with the high cost of medication, I have to visit my doctor monthly which costs me about KES 5000.
