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 6 in the morning after I had just woke up when I realized that I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I became so happy as I knew that I would finally buy a dairy cow which I have been longing to own for so many years.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life so far is the fact I now own a dairy cow. This is currently the dependable living asset that I have been wishing to have for so many years but I could afford to purchase it due to low income. Previously I have been buying milk from my neighbors daily and it was always costly. And sometimes my family could take tea without milk which was not healthy. But again GiveDiretly had changed the whole story now because I am now a proud owner of a dairy cow. The money that I have been spending on buying milk from my neighbors I am now saving it and fulfill some other basic needs. Currently, I am getting an income from milk sales and I believe I will no longer have to strain to cater to my family's basic needs like before.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying some livestock such as a dairy cow at KES 30000. I have been longing to buy it for so many years but I could not afford it because it was very expensive to me. I also bought some iron sheets, building poles, and timber to renovate my house and construct a new house for my children. We have been sharing the same house which was not spacious and some of my children were forced to seek shelter at their friend's houses. In addition to that, I bought some new clothes for my children because the previous ones were torn. The remaining amount of money, I bought enough foodstuffs for my family.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means starting livestock keeping since I have wished to have a long term investment. I am planning to purchase 4 indigenous dairy cows at $800 and 4 goats at $200. This will mean a good future for my family because I will be able to meet our needs when they multiply. The income from the sale of milk will help me cater to my children's educational experiences and also meeting other basic needs like food and clothing.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening. It is at this time when I have peace of mind since I can think of how my next day will look like. Considering the many debts I owe my relatives, my day time is stressful for me and I usually don't enjoy it.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest hardship is the lack of a reliable source of income. This has hindered me from meeting my family's basic needs something that has stressed me a lot. Currently, I depend on charcoal burning as my hope but this job is very tiresome and pays little and sometimes I borrow money from my relatives.
