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?
Through the cash transfers I was able to set up my motorcycle taxi business which is now my main source of income. I would want my wife to also have something to earn a living increasing the income we make. I am saving towards starting a grocery stall for her using my transfers. I plan to use my money to ensure she gets vegetables and other groceries and using my motorcycle buy the vegetables from the market daily.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My father has been sickly for a long time. He has had a condition which has made his life difficult for the past 6 years. He has had issues with his bladder which means he has issues with control of his bladder movements. We had tried for a long time to manage his condition with medicine but on his last visit we were advised to have him undergo a surgery to which we pooled our cash together to pay for his surgery. I gave $30 from my transfers to the contribution of both his treatment and surgery. I spent the rest of the cash, offsetting my payments for my motor cycle at $42, buying uniform and shoes for my child at $10, and buying a chicken at $3.
26th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 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 want to express my gratitude to Give Directly for the financial support that helped me buy a motorbike. Now, I'm self-employed and feeling grateful. The daily income from my work brings me peace of mind because I can provide for my family. I took a loan for the motorbike and now pay it back in small installments every month from my Give Directly transfers. Before Give directly ,life used to be tough when I had no steady income and had to rely on unreliable casual jobs. I still owe $80 on the loan, so in the upcoming year and beyond, my main focus will be on paying it off.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I allocated $28 for food expenses to ensure my family's meals are covered. Additionally, $10 went towards purchasing uniforms, ensuring that everyone has appropriate attire. I also set aside $10 for a donation, as giving back to the community is important to me. Lastly, $52 was allocated for fees, ensuring that educational expenses are taken care of. These allocations reflect my priorities in providing for my family, supporting others, and investing in education.
22nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($21 USD)
access_time 9 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
In the past, I managed a thriving poultry venture, which unfortunately faced a setback when I encountered an accident. Subsequently, I had to sell some of the hens to cover my medical expenses. Now, having recuperated and secured a source of income as a motorcycle taxi operator, I am eager to revive the project and generate additional earnings from it. The support I have received from Give Directly has significantly transformed my life, and I am genuinely grateful for it.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The majority of my transfers were allocated towards procuring iron sheets to finalize the roofing of my two-room dwelling. The investment in four iron sheets, totaling $40, has brought me immense satisfaction. Thanks to the assistance from Give Directly, I now have a more spacious residence to accommodate my family of five. During the festive season, I allocated $20 to acquire new clothing for my two children, ensuring their presentable appearance and eliciting their joy. Furthermore, I allocated $18 to purchase food, providing essential sustenance for my family without any shortfall. Lastly, I dedicated $4 to procure two hens, marking the initial step in establishing a poultry venture. This strategic move lays the foundation for significant accomplishments as the project matures.
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?
Riding the wave of success from my flourishing chicken farming venture, I'm gearing up for an exciting expansion. Thanks to the unwavering support of GiveDirectly, I'm poised to feather my flock with more chickens, all while channeling resources to invest in my children's education. It's a harmonious blend of feathered ambitions and scholarly dreams, painting a vivid picture of progress and potential that's as captivating as it is promising.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a father of three amazing children and in the wake of a motorcycle accident, GiveDirectly's consistent monthly transfers have been a guiding light. Crafting a strategic plan, I safeguarded my children's education, by paying their tution fee of $20 that really made them very happy. I also spent $10 on tending to our necessities, and also embarked on a fruitful chicken farming venture with an initial $4 investment in two chicks. Today, with a flourishing flock of thirty chickens, I'm turning adversity into accomplishment, all thanks to the unwavering support that continues to propel my family's journey forward.
14th 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?
To be honest, the cash transfers have significantly transformed my family’s welfare over the period. I was able to build a new house for my family and secure goats, all credit to the monthly financial aid. When I got into a motorcycle accident, the same funds helped to pull me out of the medical bill debt at the hospital. As a lay here on the hospital bed with no strength to work, am relieved that my family’s needs are covered through the monthly transfers. More so, I plan to sell some of the livestock I acquired through cash transfers to fully cover my treatment bill. This is what motivates me to invest more through the cash transfers to be guaranteed security, especially during trying times. I wish to have bought more goats in the coming years and beyond.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Five days prior to the recent transfer, I was involved in an accident while on my daily runs as a motorcyclist. The incident left me with severe internal injuries around my chest and rib areas. Given the seriousness of the injuries, I could not raise enough money to cover the treatment processes. By the time I received the cash transfer, I was already in debt at the hospital and used $15 to clear part of the bill. Although my health was at stake, I could not have spent everything on the medication, considering that my wife and three children solely counted on me for their needs as well. As I had depleted my savings, I used $14 to secure food. At least, this would ensure that my family was properly fed as I recovered. Two of my children were in tuition debt, and I spent $5 to clear it so that they would be able to take their end-of-term examinations. Providing for my family even when lying on a hospital bed was a huge relief. The case would have probably been different were it for the cash transfer.
10th 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 intend to pay three of my children's tuition with the money I will receive this year. This is my main worry, especially since it happens frequently that I fail to pay my children's tuition and they are kicked out of school. In addition, I also intended to purchase a few goats, as I did the previous year. I discovered that I have so far purchased three utilizing funds provided by the company last year. In the event that I experience financial hardship, I hope to continue buying farm animals as a long-term investment. I would also like to finally complete building my house because the roof is still unfinished.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I received the transfer prior to the Christmas festive season. Because I do not have any other source of income, the cash came in handy for my family. I, therefore, spent $15 on new clothes for my daughter, Mwanaisha, and son, John since they were anticipating some gifts. They were overjoyed to receive a Christmas gift as a result of the transfer. The balance of $19 helped me to purchase maize flour and wheat flour because I was short on cash for food at the time. These enabled my family to have enough food during the festive season. Without the transfer, we would have not celebrated the Christmas the way we did so. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for its timely support.
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?
With my recent transfer, I used KES 2000 on buying two iron sheets. I intend to accumulate them to build a house. I have been living in a small single-roomed and grass thatched house. Since we are four in number, I always feel uncomfortable to see my children squeezing themselves to spend on the floor because I could I had not been able to expand my own house. However, with the current support, I have developed a goal of building a three-roomed house, which will serve my family better. The rest of the transfer helped me to buy food because I am a bodaboda and my income is too low compared to how it was at first.
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, is doing an excellent job. I am grateful to them and hope that they continue to work in the same spirit to help the economy.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent Kes 2200 on myself to get decent beddings. I slept on a little, worn-out mattress that wasn't very comfortable. My sleeping conditions had been bugging me, but there was nothing I could do about it. My roof also has a hole in it that leaks whenever it rains. I've set aside the remaining Kes 1000 to purchase iron sheets to repair my leaking roof.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($10 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 work very stressed and worried about where I would get earnings from. The previous day I was not lucky to make any money. I have my parents who depend on me. It has been hard to support them with my inconsistent earnings from my motorcycling work. So, when I got the funds, I was very happy. I felt like a burden was lifted off me. In that, I had money that would help in fulfilling my duties by starting a poultry farming business. This would assist in generating more income for me.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Getting earnings for my motorcycling work is uncertain. The motorcycle I use is also not mine. So, with the profits I get, I have to share it with the owner and also put aside some funds for the fuel. This leaves me with very little pay. Other than that, I also live in an incomplete iron sheet constructed house. Since I did not have funds to aid with its completion, I used Polythene to cover it instead. When it rains, water drips in and most of my belongings get drenched. Now that I'm receiving these funds, I feel like all this will be resolved as I will use the cash to improve my house. I have a deficit of 9 iron sheets to complete its construction. This will cost me around KES 7920. Therefore, every time I get the transfers, I will invest in buying one or two sheets. I believe my living conditions will be improved thus making me more hopeful. Therefore, there is a great difference in my life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a motorcyclist (boda-boda operator) and my daily earnings are KES 600. Even though I do not have a family of my own, I find it challenging to meet my needs. It is my desire to complete the construction of the iron sheet house that I live in. Where the incomplete part is covered with polythene. I have been unable to do so due to limited finances. To fulfill this, I plan on starting poultry farming. So, using the funds I got from give directly, I bought one chicken at KES 350 the remaining amount I plan on buying two more and some poultry food. This will bring the total number to 5. I will rear them up until I have 50 chickens, which I sell, then use the profits to purchase some iron sheets that will facilitate the completion of the house construction as I invest the rest of the money in another project.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
With the harsh economic times facing the motorcycle taxi industry, being self-employed is my compelling ambition. I have been working as a motorcycle taxi driver for 5 years now. Over the last 2 years, I have been struggling to keep up with this occupation. The motorcycle is not mine, which means I have to remit an amount ( 400 KES ) to the owner by the end of the day. It even became worse when the fuel prices were increased. Just picture working for a whole day and you only manage to get the 400 KES for the motorcycle owner. It becomes stressful when your parents expect you to come home with even a packet of maize flour, only to show up with nothing. I am planning to use the transfers to invest in poultry production. I currently have 5 birds, I will then buy another 15 to make it 20. This will cost me 4,500 KES. With so many hotels in Mariakani, the market for my chicken will not be a problem. A fully grown bird will be retailing at 800 KES. Supporting my parents with food will no longer be a bother.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I got involved in an accident last year. My limb was fractured. With continuous medical care, I am glad I recovered and I am back on the road.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Inadequate customers for my occupation is the difficulty I am going through. Making a meaningful income in the motorcycle taxi business depends on the number of passengers you ferry. January is always a tough month. I used to make 1,500 KES daily in December because it was a festive season. Passengers were all over. As of now, I hardly make 5,00 KES per day.
