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 can still remember very well I was preparing breakfast for my children when my phone ringing so loudly, this was so unusual. On checking its content, I realized it was an Mpesa message from GiveDirectly. I was overwhelmed with joy because I was positive I will accomplish all my heart desires through the money.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Having have renovated my house has brought the biggest difference in my daily life. It has always been my wish to renovate it for all these years but I had not been able to achieve this at my own cost due to a lack of finances. The rainy seasons were the worst days of my life because I could not sleep at night because of the condition of the roof. I am now boosting because I managed to upgrade it through the transfer. I no longer have to worry about the rains like before in addition to that, it has brought peace in my family at large.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent a larger portion of my first transfer on buying some building materials such as iron sheets, nails, and timber. This was for the renovation of my house which had a leaky roof especially during the winter season we never had peace. I also bought some new school uniforms for my children to replace the old ones which were old and torn. The remaining amount of money, I bought sufficient foodstuffs for my family and some other household expenses.
Enrolled
access_time almost 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am illiterate and life has been tough due to lack of skills. I have wished to educate my children through primary school, secondary school to college level. Currently, I have 4 children in primary school and One in secondary.Receiving this money means acquiring quality education for my children since I am planning to spend $ 400 on clearing fee arrears of my daughter who is in form four. The remaining amount will assist me in expanding my small business in the village.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Evening is the happiest part of my day because I usually relax my body after a whole day of doing my household activities.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of financial resources to fulfill my desire of providing quality education for children has been my biggest hardship. I am always afraid that I may fail to educate them because they are constantly out of school due to lack of fees.
