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 had visited my cousin when I heard the neighbors celebrating receiving their transfer. At that moment my phone was with my helper, I had to return home to confirm on my phone if I had received the transfer like others. I was so happy when I was informed that I had received the transfer that GiveDirectly promised during the enrollment stages. We decided to prepare to travel to the Mpesa shop to withdraw the transfer since I had already planned on how best to spent it.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is I am living a happy life seeing the different construction materials in my house. I am optimistic that I will be able to fulfill the dream of owning a decent shelter for the family once I complete the construction. I can't hold my joy of finally living in a nice irony roofed house like others in the village.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My desire has been to construct a decent and spacious shelter for my family. This is because the one I had earlier was very small, grass-thatched, and leaks during the rainy season. I spent a large portion of the transfer to purchase building materials like iron sheets, building poles, timbers for the construction of a new house. Furthermore, I set aside KES 15,000 for labour charges. Additionally, I saved some amount which I am planning to start goats keeping, a reliable source of income for my family. The remaining amount assisted me in purchasing enough food stocks for the family.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means getting a new and safer house for my household. Currently, I am living in a grass-thatched house that is leaking during the rainy season. I am planning to spend my entire first to construct a 2 bedroom house so that we can live a decent life. I will also spend KES 30000 to buy 10 goats that will act as a long-term investment project for my family. The remaining amount will cater to household expenses like food.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the morning, waking up healthy with the rest of my family despite the life challenges.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial instability is the biggest hardship that I have ever faced in my life. This is because I can not work anymore due to my old age of 82 years. The only source of income I depend on is the cash transfer from the Government that is meant for the elderly population. This amount is very minimal of KES 2000 and cannot fully support all household needs and sometimes we skip meals something that stressed me a lot.
