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.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
For a while now, I've nurtured the aspiration of building a kitchen. Unfortunately, limited finances have stood in the way of turning this dream into reality. To surmount this hurdle, I intend to utilize my second financial transfer to finally construct the kitchen. Most importantly, I am eternally thankful for the assistance that has remarkably uplifted my life.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In general, the assistance provided by GiveDirectly has greatly improved the quality of life for our household. Through the community sensitization process, we received comprehensive training about the program's functioning and the various stages it would lead us through. From my standpoint, there were no concerns or imperfections that required rectification.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Receiving financial aid from GiveDirectly has undeniably been a blessing for both my family and I. My livelihood revolves around farming and raising livestock, while my husband's health currently prevents him from working. Our children are now all grown. Upon receiving the second installment of funds, I promptly put my long-held plan of renovating our aging house into action. I spent $200 towards this renovation project. The remaining funds were dedicated to procuring essential groceries. In a surprisingly short span of time, I accomplished a considerable amount, all thanks to the financial assistance provided by GiveDirectly. This achievement was something I never deemed feasible due to our financial constraints. For this newfound capability, I am profoundly appreciative.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
20000 KES ($143 USD)
access_time 6 months ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was busy with my normal household duties when I received a message but since I cannot read, I had to wait till the next day to have my helper check. When he confirmed to me that it was the Givedirectly transfer that had been sent, I immediately planned to go and cash out and buy some needs that we wanted.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest change in my life has been being able to feed my family of four without necessarily having to sell a goat from my flock. Because there is a shortage of food, the drought has had a serious negative impact on us and raised food prices. My goats, including the one I recently bought, will be helpful in the future when it comes to providing for our other requirements.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Of the transfer, I spent about $80 on food for my family. Almost all of the crops we planted died due to the terrible drought, so we now have to buy food. In addition to the few goats I already have as savings for the future, I also spent $50 on an additional goat for rearing. I spent the remaining money on clothing and transportation to and from the cashing out place after giving my husband and daughters a token of $10 each.
Enrolled
access_time 9 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
For the longest, I rely on livestock to earn a living because it is the only farming that does well here. The prolonged drought has unfortunately reduced my income as goats fetch very low prices at the market. In extreme cases, I have lost countable heads of cows. As a result, my children have to support me financially because my husband and I cannot do any hard jobs to earn money. I am thankful because the transfer has come at a time we needed it most. It will enable us to add more goals to the five that I have and also buy food for a few months. I am happy that it will ease the burden on those I relied on and they can do other things with the money they used to give me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My husband and I are old and each time we wake up in the morning , we thank God. For the past six months none of us has had any medical condition and we are happy for that. We keep praying God for good health so that we can live longer to see our great-grandchildren and their success will give us joy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food insecurity is a challenge considering I live in a semi-arid area and the rains have been inconsistent for the past three years. I rely on my children to buy food for us and sometimes we are forced to sleep hungry for lack of it. With old age, proper nutrition is our desire but since we cannot afford it our health has worsened. If we had enough harvest from our farms it could save us the agony of hunger.
