What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Two years ago, my house collapsed after heavy rainfall because it was weak and couldn't withstand the weather. Fortunately, I had built a small kitchen separately, which was not affected by the collapse. I moved into the kitchen to save money to build a new house, rather than seeking refuge with neighbors. I work as a mason in the village, but sometimes struggled to find work, making it difficult to save for a new house. On top of that, three of my children had started high school, adding to my expenses. I almost gave up on my dream of building a new house, considering all the other needs that required my attention. However, I'm grateful for the help from GiveDirectly, which has given me hope again. When I received the funds, I used most of it to buy building materials like iron sheets, nails, and poles. I'm currently in the process of building a new house for myself and my children, which will provide us with proper shelter after spending years sleeping in the small kitchen. Additionally, I was able to pay school fees for my six children, amounting to $120, with three in high school and the rest in primary school. I can now relax knowing that I've taken care of my children's education expenses, allowing them to continue their studies without interruptions. Lastly, I also purchased food and household items that we needed.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest challenge I have been facing for the past two years is the lack of proper shelter. My house collapsed due to heavy rains and I couldn't afford to build a new one right away. Since then, I have been staying in my partially affected small kitchen, which was still stable. I have tried to save money to build a new house, but my work as a mason is not always reliable. There were times when I couldn't find work for a while, making it difficult to support my family and pay for my children's education. When I joined the program, it reignited my goal of building a new, spacious house. With the first transfer, I was able to buy iron sheets, nails, and building poles, and I am now in the process of constructing the new house. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for helping me turn this dream into reality. Thanks to their support, my children are now able to attend school without interruptions, as their fees have been paid on time.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I had just finished my masonry job in the evening and was preparing to leave the construction site when I got a message on my phone. I was very tired and all I needed was a good evening's rest after the day's work. I was hesitant to read the message, but when I finally checked my inbox, I could not hold back the joy that I felt upon realizing that it was an M-Pesa notification. I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly, and I could not wait to disclose the good news to my wife. I have been grappling with a lack of a better shelter for quite some years, and all I wanted was a new shelter. This was an opportunity for me to accomplish this!