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 5 pm and I was at home lying in my bed since I was not feeling well. Suddenly, I heard people in my neighborhood celebrating and talking about receiving the transfers. Hearing this made me happy and curious to know if I had also received it. My phone was off and I had left it charging. I woke up and I switched it on. I was pleasantly surprised when I got an SMS which read that I had also received the KES 55000 from GiveDirectly. I was so happy that I forgot for a moment the pain that I was feeling. I gave thanks to God because the plans that I had were now going to be fulfilled.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer has brought a big difference in our lives as a family. I managed to finally fulfill my wish of building another decent house for my family. The house is still under construction but I am hoping that I will be able to finish it soon with the little money that I still have. Having built an iron-roofed house, I have also managed to collect clean rainwater for my household use just like some of my neighbors. I am also happy because I managed to send my child to school having cleared the whole academic term school fees. My children are happy because they have new clothes to wear and enough food to eat. The maize prices have at the moment gone up, a 2-kg tin is being sold at KES 200 and I don't think I would have managed to afford to buy enough for them. For this, I am so much grateful to GiveDirectly for their big help. May God bless you.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My priority upon receiving my recent transfer was building another decent house for my family. We have been living in only one small grass-thatched house. My children are getting older and there is no appropriate place where we can sit down together and talk. For the longest time, I have been hoping to build another house but I didn't have the money needed to do so. The little money that I usually get paid at a saloon where I am casually employed is only enough to buy food for my three children and pay for merry-go-round group contributions. I am thus grateful to GiveDirectly for the support. Other than the above, I also spent KES 18000 on paying school fees for my child who was joining secondary school. I had no money for the school fees and we were being required to clear the whole school fees for the first academic term. I have another child in his second year of studies at secondary school and my only plan was to organize a fundraiser and ask help from the politicians to get money. I am glad that I didn't have to resort to doing so. I also bought a bag of maize for our consumption at KES 4500 and a bag of rice at KES 700. Thank you so much GiveDirectly for the support.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Currently I live in a 0.1 acres piece of land which is too small and cannot even sustain subsistence farming. I could wish to extend with the same size. I also do in-house hairdressing. Setting up a salon premise in Chebunyo town will boost my work. I am extremely happy for the greenlight shown by Give Directly as it forge ahead towards uplifting the poor.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Since I settled well in my own piece of land in October 2022, my thoughts and mental health have really improved. Initially I used to temporarily stay at my father's household and conflicts used to arise regularly. I am glad and happy living in peace with my three children.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I face school fees challenges. From the little I get from in-house hairdressing, I pay school fees for my son who is in form two and my late brother's son too. The burden is too heavy to bear and it worries me alot if my son will eventually complete schooling.
