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.
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be updated on Magdalene's next check-in.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($517 USD)
access_time almost 4 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I can still remember this day just like yesterday when I was heading to the farm at around 6 in the morning. Then my phone started ringing, which was notifying me of a new message. Upon checking its content, I realized it was Mpesa message from GiveDirectly. I had finally received my first transfer. I felt so happy and I even decided to go back home and started planning on how I would utilize the money.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I have been operating a tailoring business for so many years in my village. But then this business hasn't been doing well simply because I did not own a sewing machine, instead, I used to hire from friends. This was the main reason why the business was not running well since the little I was getting in a day I had to share it with the owner of the sewing machine. Considering this has been my family source of income in that, every household need has always depended on the business. Therefore after receiving my first transfer, I bought a new sewing machine which is now making my business run smoothly. The little I get is all mine unlike before whereby I used to share with the owner of the machine. This has also made me cater to all my family needs without straining like before.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent a larger part of my first transfer on buying a sewing machine which cost KES 35000. This is what is I have been longing to own for a long period of time since I am a tailor by profession and I have never been able to purchase one. I am also planning to buy a dairy cow which will be the living asset that I will lean on just in case of any financial difficulties. I then saved KES 6000 of the transfer.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
After completing my secondary education, I enrolled in a tailoring course but unfortunately, I discontinued due to lack of school fees. It is my desire to complete the course and be self-employed because currently, I depend on my husband who is a construction worker in Mombasa. I, therefore, intend to use the transfers to, first of all, pay the required fees in college and to acquire a sewing machine that will help in bettering my skills. Secondly, I will invest in livestock raising as a long-term plan. As they continue breeding, my children's future education will be sustained. And that is what receiving this money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Evening is the happiest part of my day. This is the time when I get adequate time to relax after attending to household chores all day long. Normally, my day starts as early as six in the morning, and after preparing breakfast for the family is when I engage in household chores like cleaning and farm work.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of adequate resources has been the biggest hardship in life. Before, I used to depend on agriculture but unpredictable weather conditions have been a constrain lately. Every time I plant crops like maize, I get dismal harvests that cannot sustain us up to the next season. And because of that, a huge portion of my husband 's earnings go towards meeting the expenses of food, leaving other crucial needs like education, clothing not adequately attended to.
