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?
In the upcoming year, I intend to invest in goats. Currently, I have ten chickens, and while they generate some income, I believe owning goats will be a more lucrative and sustainable investment for my family's future. I plan to start by selling a few chickens and saving to purchase my first goat. Once I acquire the goat, I will continue to care for my chickens while gradually growing my goat herd. As the goats multiply over time, I aim to build a valuable resource that will provide us with income, ultimately securing a better life for me and my family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a father of one, working as a motorbike rider to earn a living. The motorbike I use was acquired through a loan, and I had a remaining debt of $100 that I borrowed from a local savings group. Managing this debt has been challenging, but with the last three transfers totaling $102, I made a significant step toward financial freedom. I used $90 to pay off a large portion of the debt, bringing me closer to fully owning the motorbike. This was a crucial decision because once the debt is cleared, the motorbike will be mine, allowing me to save more and better provide for my family. With the remaining $12, I bought some food for my family. Though it wasn't much, it made a difference in ensuring we had enough to eat. These monthly transfers have been a lifeline, helping me manage my finances and move closer to being debt-free. I am grateful for the support, as it has given me hope that soon, I will fully own the motorbike and be in a better position to secure a stable future for my family.
25th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 USD)
access_time 7 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My main goal is to use my future payments to invest in livestock, specifically goats. I'm also skilled at designing clothes and earn money by sewing but i want to major in livestock farming because it has good returns. I want to start raising goats to make extra income to help my mother, who sells livestock but sometimes struggles because her income isn't steady. With more money, I can also support my five siblings with their school fees, especially since we lost our dad. I love seeing them do well in life. I'm already part of a savings group where I put in $12, and it will be my turn to get money in December. I'll use that money to buy more goats and partly pay for my siblings' fees. Life is tough, so I need to work really har
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used $32of my transfer to clear my motorbike loan, which was a significant relief. In a bid to enhance our financial stability, I invested $9in purchasing three chickens for rearing. Additionally, I allocated $39 towards purchasing food, ensuring our family's basic needs are met. Recognizing the importance of farming and considering my responsibility to care for my child, I set aside $20 to support our agricultural endeavors.
21st Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 11 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have had a dream of being an animal rearer. I now have chicken. I never thought I would own animals until I received Givedirectly transfers which ensured that I had the money to purchase the animals. My plan is to continue building on the chicken reserves and once the numbers are significantly large I will sell of a number chicken and get goats. The goats will later be sold off to buy cows, I plan to continue this until I have enough animals to take my child through school.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I had bought a motorcycle on loan months before Givedirectly came in as a way of making an income. I have since used a portion of my transfers to help pay out this loan. I use $10 monthly to pay off the loan from the transfers and I did this monthly for the last three months. I also have been trying to rear chicken as a business. I spend a portion of my transfers monthly to purchase them, I spent $12 in October, $9 in November and $6 in December. I bought food monthly, I spent $10 in October and November while in December due the festivities I used the largest amount of $18. In November I bought my child clothes worth $5.
17th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($24 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My primary goal is to upgrade my living space to accommodate my growing family's needs. Currently, I reside in a one-room house, which has become increasingly cramped as my family expands. To address this, my objective is to construct a spacious two-room house that can provide a more comfortable living environment for my family. To achieve this, I have devised a financial plan, setting aside approximately $30 towards the project and aiming to commence construction when I have accumulated at least $100, ensuring a secure and improved home for my loved ones.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
A few months ago, I found myself in a financial bind, having taken out a loan to purchase a motorcycle on credit due to a lack of available cash. Managing the debt had been a constant struggle until GiveDirectly stepped in with their much-needed financial assistance. The regular transfers they provided played a significant role in helping me chip away at my outstanding debts. With the most recent transfer, I was able to make a payment of $20, leaving just $50 left to clear. Beyond debt relief, GiveDirectly also allowed me to put $14.70 towards purchasing food for my family of three, alleviating the challenges we had faced in ensuring our basic needs were met. Their support has been a lifeline during these challenging times.
13th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($26 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I hope to accomplish paying off my motorcycle this year. My primary aim is to ensure that the ownership is transferred to me. Consequently, my income will increase, and supporting my family will no longer be stressful. My secondary objective is to keep goats after paying off my motorcycle. Goats are valuable live assets, especially for people without a stable source of income. In the future, I will sell them to raise cash for my personal development and my children's educational needs.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For the past two years, I have been running a motorcycle taxi. I was using someone's motorcycle before I organized to acquire my own. To realize an increase in my income from this sector, I bought a motorcycle on credit. I have been paying for it monthly. So whenever I received my recent transfer, I used $ 20 to make part of the payment. I also acquired food for my family worth $ 14. I am glad and grateful to GiveDirectly because the transfers have been helping us to obtain food at a time when famine is ravaging. As a family, our lives have been better.
9th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($28 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My primary goal is to use my subsequent transfers to buy a new sewing machine. I am a skilled fashion designer. I have been offering tailoring services to earn a living. The current sewing machine is the only one I own, but I want to buy another one so I can rent it out to a friend for a monthly fee. That will enable me to generate additional income and support my mother, who is a livestock trader. She struggles a lot because her income is inconsistent. With the increased income, I shall be able to support her in terms of raising fees for my five siblings since we are father orphaned. I delight in seeing them progress in life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My husband and I were blessed with a child a year after our wedding. Since we don't yet have a home, my wife and son stay at my mother's place, and I stay at my brother's. As a man, I don't feel at ease or proud of the arrangements, and it makes me feel inadequate. As a result, I purchased a motorcycle on credit with the understanding that I would pay $20 per week until the total was paid in full. Currently, I work as a motorbike taxi, and anytime I have a transfer, I put $20 toward the loan. I spend the remaining $14 each month on food for my family. I will have enough money once I have paid off the loan to enable the building of a house.
6th Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($25 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I recently got married, in the month of August. But I had never built a house before. I have been sleeping at my elder brother's house the entire time. I have been living in the same house since I got married. Despite having plans to build mine soon, I have never moved out. As a result, when I got a transfer I spent $30 on three iron sheets. I am still trying to raise funds to buy more building materials. When I have my own house, I will feel more at ease. It is due to my wife's discomfort living with me in my brother's house.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($26 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly, in my opinion, does exceptionally well by opting for a safer model of the Mpesa platform for sending cash transfers to its beneficiaries. Sending money through Mpesa contributes significantly to our safety because no one knows when the transfers are made except those who benefit from the same program. Furthermore, it conducts follow-ups as away to reduce cases of fraud while promoting accountability and transparency among community members. Though a few people who were unable to enroll in the program have expressed concerns about it, I have not observed anything that it does not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have been living with my older brother since I could not afford to build my own house. When I first started receiving transfers, I decided to use them to build a house. As a result, when I confirmed receipt of my most recent transfer, I spent KES 2,850 on three iron sheets that I intend to use to construct a new house. Having my own house will be a huge step forward in my life. So I will have my freedom and can start furnishing it before I decide to marry. I am extremely grateful to GiveDirectly for its assistance.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($26 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was at home sleeping and the message must have been received the same night although my phone was off charge. After charging my phone the next day I was delighted to see the mpesa message. I felt elated and at that moment I rushed to the hardware and came home with three pieces of ironsheets.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving this cash transfer is am a step closer to living my dream of owning a home.I believe that in the next few months I will be able to gather all the required building materials and eventually save enough to pay the construction contractor. I have also been struggling on paying for my motorcycle. I am hoping with the five year support plan I may be able to raise KES 2600 per week for the next eighteen months in order to own the motorcycle.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My goal has been to have my own home because at the moment am living with my mother and at my age our culture dictates I should have my own house. My whole cash transfer of KES 3000 was spent in buying three pieces of ironsheets which is the beginning of my house project.I intend to buy all the building materials so as to make it easier for me to start the construction project.Currently am working as a motorcycle rider and am supporting my mother and my four younger siblings.Its been quite a struggle to support the family especially when I have bought the motorcycle on hire purchase and am expected to pay back in installments of KES 2600 per week.On a good day I earn about KES 400 which is barely enough to support my family and very tight to save up for the payment plan
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
At the age of 23 and I am still sleeping in my brother's house is disheartening. The urge of owning a house made me take a motorcycle on loan so that I can start saving something from my daily income. I planned to have a roof under me in a short while but the flow of money from my business is not consistent which has made it difficult for me to achieve this. These transfers will however help me to buy building materials in bits until I get enough paraphernalia to kick off the project. The project will nonetheless, will still take time to be completed but the good thing is that at the end of it I will have a place to call my own.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I had dreamed of starting a business for a long time now. In Oct last year, the dream came true when I bought a motorcycle that I currently use for a business of ferrying people from one point to another. This has brought joy and happiness to my life because I can do a lot that I could not do before I started the business.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The rise of fuel and the poor economic situation in the county has made things worse. I am forced to raise the transportation cost of ferrying someone from one point to another. The clients, on the other hand, have no means of paying that much which forces them to trek hence decreasing the daily income. My challenge is an insufficient lack of finances to do my projects.