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?
I am both a teacher and a student pursuing a Diploma in teaching to advance my education. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for providing me with the opportunity to further my studies. Next year, in April, I will be sitting for my Diploma exams. In addition to my studies, I have plans to invest in livestock and poultry. Currently, I do not have any, but I aim to start by purchasing small chicks. As they multiply, I intend to sell them and eventually acquire goats. I plan to use the August transfers to purchase chickens and goats. My goal is to build up a substantial livestock and poultry base so that my family and I can become more self-sufficient without facing significant challenges. This investment will contribute to our long-term stability and independence.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a father of three children. My house previously lacked adequate lighting until I opted for a D-light token, which proved durable enough for me to take out a loan and install it in my me. This system requires me to pay $5 daily or $15 monthly, totaling around $330. Thanks to GiveDirectly, I now have reliable light in my house, and I have $30 left to pay off my debt.In addition to being a teacher, I am also a student pursuing a Diploma in teaching to further my education. I allocated $24 towards my school savings and used $45 from recent transfers to cover expenses related to the D-light token. I also managed to clear my children's school fees amounting to $25. With the remaining $8, I purchased food to sustain my family for the week.
22nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($26 USD)
access_time 6 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I aspire to not only complete my Diploma studies but also to embark on a new journey in livestock farming. Once I've achieved my educational goals, my plan is to utilize the funds from my transfers to invest in goats and cows, with the vision of seeing them multiply and thrive.
My intention is to diligently nurture this livestock investment, allowing it to grow over time. With dedication and hard work, I hope to see the numbers of my livestock increase, ultimately leading to a profitable venture. The income generated from selling these animals will serve as a stepping stone towards establishing a business and create a stable source of revenue for my family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a teacher, and I recently decided to take a significant step forward in my educational journey by transitioning from a Certificate to a Diploma Program in Early Childhood Education. This shift required careful financial planning, and I'm proud to say that I managed to allocate $30, which I had saved from my transfers, towards my college fees. It's a small investment in my future, but it represents a big step toward achieving my academic goals. Within the line of education, I have one child in school, and to ensure that my child's education remains uninterrupted is a top priority. I further used $14 to cover school fees, ensuring my child can continue learning without any disruptions.
In addition to educational expenses, I've also been managing other financial responsibilities like repaying a loan for solar energy lighting. Each month, there is a certain amount that I need to pay, and therefore I allocated $45 from my transfers to ensure timely repayment.
Lastly, I allocated the remaining $13 to purchase food for my family. It's a basic necessity, but one that holds immense value in ensuring my loved ones are well nourished and cared for.
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 10 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My goals this year are very straight forward. I would like to finish my diploma which is to be completed in December as well as buy a few animals. I am not hired by the government for the work I do because of the limitation of my level of education, with a diploma I am better placed to try getting Government sponsored jobs. I would like to be an Educator but in a much more stable capacity. I also want to buy animals to just build a business in animal rearing which I hope to also achieve from this transfers.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a trained Early childhood educator, I have a certificate in this training and this certificate is allowing me to get a job as a teacher. I had wanted to advance my training and get a diploma. I enrolled and have been attending school but the money for the training has been high hence has forced me to take out loans. I took out a loan of $80 which I have been paying using my transfers. In November I paid $20, in December I paid $30 and in January I paid $20. I now only have $10 left unpaid. The rest of the cash in November went into buying food at $12 and fueling my motorcycle at $2. In December I paid my debts owed the solar company that installed my home solar system at $2 and fueled my motorcycle at an equal amount. In January I mended my children's uniform at $5, I bought them books at $3.7 and paid for the solar debt again at $3 and finally fueled my motorcycle at $2.
14th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($23 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 construct a three-bedroom house for my family as our current residence is too small to accommodate us adequately. To accomplish this objective, I am committed to consistently saving my transfers through our savings club. Additionally, I plan to invest in goats and chickens, with the intention of selling them once they reproduce and their offspring reach maturity, thereby generating additional income for our family. I am grateful to Give Directly for giving my family this chance to change our lives.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
As a primary school teacher, my meager earnings made it challenging to provide for my family's needs. Life was undeniably tough, but I am immensely thankful for this project, which has made the seemingly impossible attainable. I am delighted to share that through saving my transfers, I managed to install solar lights, bringing much-needed power to our home, a luxury we couldn't afford before. Additionally, I was able to purchase a motorbike, greatly easing my daily commute to and from work and benefiting both myself and my wife. Regrettably, my son was diagnosed with a hernia, necessitating urgent treatment and surgery. With careful savings amounting to $102 accrued over three months from my transfers, I was able to provide the necessary funds for his medical treatment. Fortunately, the operation was a success and he has now fully recovered and returned to school.
10th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($25 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?
Fueled by unwavering determination, I am passionately saving every penny from my transfers to fulfill my dream of acquiring goats and cows. The mere thought of building a flourishing herd fills my heart with hope and excitement for a brighter future. Through careful financial planning and a deep sense of purpose, I am driven to achieve not only financial stability but also a profound sense of fulfillment and self-sufficiency. With each passing day, my anticipation grows, as I know that this endeavor will bring me closer to a life of abundance and security.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
As a devoted teacher facing the challenge of a long commute to school, I made the decision to acquire a motorcycle through a loan to ensure punctuality. The distance between my home and school proved to be quite considerable. Initially, the lenders required a monthly payment of $30 for the bike loan. However, I reached out to them and explained my situation, and thankfully, they understood my circumstances and agreed to a reduced payment of $12 per month.With this financial burden eased, I took $10 and utilized it to pay the fees for my two beloved children, ensuring they could continue their education without any interruptions. With the remaining amount of $12, I made a wise investment in purchasing a source of light for my home. This illuminated my living space, enhancing its comfort and providing a warm ambiance for my family.By making thoughtful decisions and managing my resources wisely, I aimed to prioritize both the education of my children and the well-being of my household.
5th 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?
I bought a motorcycle in hire purchase and delight solar, and I aim to clear their payments. The motorcycle makes life a little bit more bearable for me by assisting with my commute to work operations. I would occasionally use it to fetch water for the family. I picked it up in October of last year, and since I anticipate some payment next month, I want to clear the payment by the end of March 2023. Because delight solar has been giving my family enough lighting, I feel good having it around. My other goal is to keep livestock after I finish paying my motorcycle loan. They are priceless and can support my family when we run into trouble.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have teaching experience, and I currently work as a school board of management employee in one of the schools. I had to spend a lot of money on transportation because the school was far from my house. I agreed to buy a used motorcycle on credit with the vendor and make monthly payments of $50 in order to reduce the cost of transportation. Since I am the only source of income for the family, it was initially difficult to raise this much money in one month. I'm happy because it has been simple since I entered the program. Every time I get a transfer, I add it to a portion of my savings and use that money to pay for the motorcycle. The motorcycle was the finest decision because I no longer have to pay for transportation to work. Additionally, it makes doing errands simple for me.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($25 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did an excellent job in our community, enabling many families to realize their dreams through investment in their ideas. GiveDirectly's cash support was the best idea, which we all embraced and committed to various projects of our choosing. I only wish they could have provided a more comprehensive education in addition to the transfer to assist people in making better decisions that will not only serve the current challenges but also help them in their future lives after the transfers.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received the transfer, I was relieved because it meant that my plan to buy a motorcycle from a friend who was selling it had been strengthened. We had agreed on a $150 initial deposit and subsequent monthly installments of $50. I needed a motorcycle to help with transportation to and from work, which was prohibitively expensive when I used public transportation. I am glad I have been using the means for the last two months after paying the first deposit, as I have been making the agreed-upon installments. I topped up the entire amount with the $20 I had in my savings with the most recent transfer. I hope to clear the entire amount by the end of December, and I hope to enjoy its services in my daily commuter to the workplace ad back.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($25 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I had never had anyone so kind as to offer me an unconditional cash transfer in my life. However, when I realized I had received my financial assistance, I felt not only happy but also good. That act restored my faith in humanity, and I immediately considered renovating my home. It will benefit my three children, who have been bearing with us during our difficult situation. I am deeply honored, and I am grateful to GiveDirectly for such exceptional assistance.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Since I received my transfer, the biggest difference in my life is having begun extending my house. It necessitated the need to start building an additional room. It will improve my family's living standard by creating an additional conducive room for studies for my three children. As a result, they will not be distracted by family activities. Having begun to extend my house to have an additional room for my children is a dream that I had been having but could not execute due to my low level of income.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
At the moment, I live in a single house that is too small for my family of five (three children, my wife, and myself). As soon as I received my transfer, I planned to use it to build an additional room for my three children. As a result, I spent KES 3,000 on round poles. I'm always struggling to find them a place to sleep in our small single-roomed house. They will be more comfortable with an extra room, and they will have more time to focus on their studies with minimal disruption from the family.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have a family of five people and all my three children are school going, with the current education system in a few years they will need high school fees.
Receiving this money means saving 2000 KES every month for the first three months and buying two she-goats as a project to take care of the school fees in future.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am a Muslim and during the month of Ramadhan, I was always happy and cheerful as I know it is a holy month and Allah blesses me abundantly.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am a part-student doing a certificate course in Early Childhood of Development Education(ECDE) and school fees are a challenge as I have a family that depends on me and where I am working I am getting a peasant pay which cannot support my education as well as taking care of my family expenses.