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?
The difference in my daily life since I started receiving these transfers is that I have never missed classes because of fees arrears. This was the case before the transfers because my mother's income from a small hotel business, could not sustain all our household needs and paying school fees for my siblings and I. In most cases when I was sent home for fees arrears, I would have to go for casual work or any other available work to raise money to go back to school. With GD transfers, I have been paying part of my fees arrears bit by bit and in as much as I have not cleared the arrears, I have never been sent home again.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My new goal, for now, is to focus my transfers in paying my college fees. My mother has always done a good job in raising my college fees and now that I have an income, I would also want to help her so as to reduce her financial burden. I would also want my other siblings to get the attention I have always got when it comes to fees.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my transfer on paying rent. Before the transfers, I used to depend on my mother to provide for my rent. Since I started receiving these transfers, I have been using them to pay my rent. I also used part of the transfer to gift my mother some amount which she requested to help her buy school requirements for our last born sister. The remaining part of the transfer I have been using as fare to and from school. I am still in college and goes to attend classes on a daily basis. Without the transfers, I would have been walking from school every day.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
3997 KES ($39 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I had already lost hope of ever completing high school due to a high fee balance that I had which forced me to drop out temporarily. The transfers helped me to clear my fees and eventually sat for my national examinations. I am now in college which is also fully funded by the transfers, which I know would not have been possible from my own pockets.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
After completing high school, I decided to join college to take a course in catering so that I can later have a stable source of income. I chose this course because it was not so costly and it only took a couple of years to complete which is favourable for my pocket. I do not earn much from the part-time jobs I usually engage in after school to take care of my needs, therefore, I fully depend on these transfers for college fees and personal need. This is why I cannot afford to have any other plans at the moment.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used part of the money I received this month to pay my rent of 2000KES as I was not able to earn enough from the casual jobs that I usually engage in. I also gave some of the money to my mother to help her buy some of the household needs then saved the rest for my transport to college for the rest of the month.
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
5000 KES ($49 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
As a part-time student, I do not have a stable source of income to depend on. I depend on the little support from my sister in paying for my school fees alone. I was struggling to pay my rent and upkeep. My life is now different because ever since I began receiving my monthly transfers, I have been able to pay for my monthly rent timely and spending the remaining amount for upkeep.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
Currently, I do not have a new goal. My desire now is to complete a course in electrical engineering that I started this year ever since I began to receive my monthly transfer. I majorly depend on the GiveDirectly transfer for paying my house rent as well for upkeep.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KSH 2000 of my most recent transfer on paying for my house rent. Since I am a part-time student, clearing my rent timely helps me to continue with my studies well and concentrate on paying the school fees alone, thus reducing the burden. I also took KSH 1500 to support my mother who runs a small business that has been our source of income as well as a source of my school fees. I did some shopping on the remaining amount on foodstuffs and other household needs.
4th Payment
Transfer Amount
5000 KES ($50 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My goal is to save part of monthly transfers so as to pay my school fees next year. I will thus help my sister to pay part of my school fees and she will be able to pay school fees for my siblings and meet other family basic needs without struggling.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life is that I am now able to meet my basic needs . In the past I used to depend on my sister to pay rent and buy food. I no longer depend on her as I am using my transfer to pay rent and food. My sister can thus save the money that she could have used to pay rent and buy food and use to pay school fees for my siblings. I have been admiring my friends who have smart phone and I am now happy since Give Directly gave me a smart phone.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spend my most recent transfer to pay my school fees. I have been depending on my sister to pay my school fees and at times she struggles a lot since she also pay school fees for my younger siblings. I decided to pay part of my school fees using my transfer since she was not able to raise all the money as my younger sister was joining form four and she was suppose to pay all her school fees.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
I was so happy when I started receiving my transfer since at first I did not believe that I will receive the money. Most people thought that the cash transfers was a scam and I was also about to believe like them. It was in the evening after coming home from school and I had left my phone at home when I saw the Mpesa message notification that I have received the money from Give Directly. I was so happy since I knew that I will be no longer depend so much on my sister to provide my basic needs.
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I plan to spend my transfers on starting a car wash business, going back to school and finally saving the remaining of my transfer. Starting a car wash business will enable me to make a profit that I can invest in education for myself. Finally I intend to save the rest of my transfers.
Describe your biggest worry.
My top concern is dying pre-maturely and especially before I live my life fully and achieve my goals. I have seen my peers lose their lives while still young and it has grown to be a fear to me as I have alot to live for in terms of my dreams and ambitions. I would not want to lose my life while am still young. My second concern is failing to achieve my dreams. I have plans to go back to school and to use part of my transfers to educate myself. I have a fear of investing in my own education and I end up not getting a job, or never utilising my education for any gain after all the finances I invest. My last concern is police violence. There has been rising cases of extra judicial killings especially here in mathare. Most times the young men and women killed by police are not even criminals, but they end up victims. This is a fear to me as I never know if I could lose my life in that manner.
What are your greatest ambitions?
My main ambition is to own a large hardware where I can sell construction materials and spare parts.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
My usual day begins at 6:00am when I wake up. By this time, I already know where I will be reporting to work as I work at different construction sites depending on where my assistance is needed. I then report to the site and assist with whatever task I will be assigned such as arranging tiles or stones for construction. I normally leave work at around 6:00pm in the evening and head to my house to freshen up. In my free time after work, I love listening to reggae music or going for walks in my neighborhood. I also enjoy spending time to assist my mother in her house, she is my neighbor.
