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 remember it was morning around 7 when every one was screaming that Zalowa!!(the transfer is in) i left my phone in my bedroom and i rushed to check,the minute i got it i received the transfer message and wow i was super excited and when i got the message from GiveDirectly and I'm excited till now please receive my gratitude together with thanks because this has changed my whole life.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my every day life will be owning a house and having good beddings i will forever cherish this experience.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
To be honest Madam i have been having struggles with shelter,i have been living in rented houses half of my life all because i can't afford to build a proper house,when i got enrolled in the GiveDirectly programme I didnt know if i will really receive the money or not i had doubts because i have never seen an organisation giving out so much money like this and to me it was definitely my first time hearing and experiencing it so i didn't really get my hopes high.Luckly i really got the transfers and the first thing that came into my mind was to change my living standard forever by building a good house with ironsheet roof,I'm mentioning this because all my life i have been living in glass fatched houses and i don't know how it feels like to sleep in a house with ironsheet and not to be bothered with heavy rains,so since a house is kinder a big project i have started with buying house building materials so i bought 22 ironsheet and bricks only interms of the house,apparently I'm waiting for builders to start with the foundation,I also used part of the money to buy beddings (Matress and blankets)my body only knows the floor and i wanted to test how it feels like to sleep on a soft matress and i must say life is really good right now,i also bought 2 bags of maize just to add to the maize that i already have to cover us the remaining quoter of the year.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving the money from this program means most of my problems will be solved. I will be able to build another house, buy a mattress and kitchen utensils that I lack in my house right now. Since I do casual work for food, I'll be able to buy enough for my son and I since my husband is South Africa.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of the day should be in the afternoon, when I chat with my friends and there are no quarrels.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest hardship is my living conditions. My house is not safe, it is grass thatched and has no doors. Having no stable source of income since my husband only sends money once in a while, I usually go hungry because I don't usually have enough money for fertilizer to ensure good harvests.
