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.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After my home was swept away by strong winds, I have been living in a makeshift structure. However, my dream has always been to build a proper three-bedroom house for my family. To this end, I spent $38 of my transfers on building materials, and I am thrilled with the progress I am making in constructing our new home.
Ensuring my children's education remains uninterrupted is also a top priority. I allocated $45 to pay their school fees, allowing them to continue their studies without disruption. Finally, with the ongoing hunger crisis and our food stores depleted, I used the remaining $19 to purchase food for my family, ensuring they do not go hungry during this difficult time. The transfers I have received have been instrumental in enabling me to take these crucial steps towards rebuilding my family's home, securing their education, and providing for their basic needs. This support has been a lifeline, allowing me to work towards a more stable and prosperous future for my loved ones.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Once I have completed the construction of our new three-bedroom house, I plan to utilize the remaining transfers from GiveDirectly to further secure my family's future. My primary focus will be on ensuring my children's education remains uninterrupted by consistently paying their school fees. Additionally, I intend to start a small shop business where I will sell household consumables. This entrepreneurial venture will provide me with a sustainable financial net, allowing me to reliably take care of my family's needs in the long run. By investing in both my children's education and my own small business, I am laying the foundation for a more prosperous and secure future. The transfers from GiveDirectly have been instrumental in enabling me to take these crucial steps towards achieving my goals.
26th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($24 USD)
access_time 6 months ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Working as a casual laborer at construction sites has been my means of providing for my family of six. Previously, I relied on selling charcoal for income, but the ban on this trade significantly strained our financial situation. However, the arrival of GiveDirectly brought about a positive change, ensuring a steady additional income for us. I am particularly grateful for this support as it enabled me to undergo successful hernia surgery at Mariakani Hospital, facilitating my swift recovery and return to normal activities. With $34, I bought food and other necessities for the Christmas and New Year festivities, ensuring our family could celebrate joyously. Additionally, I used another $34 to enroll my son at Viragoni Secondary School, providing him with the necessary uniforms and books. The remaining $34 was allocated to pay school fees for my younger children in primary school. I am immensely grateful for how this project has not only impacted my life but also brought positive change to my entire community.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Currently, my family and I live in a makeshift house that is not sufficient or safe to live in. My top objective for this year is to construct a proper house for us. To achieve this goal, I plan to diligently save the transfers I receive until I accumulate a substantial amount to purchase the necessary materials. A better living space not only ensures our well-being but also allows us the dignity of hosting guests in our home. This assistance has been instrumental in enabling me to strive towards improving our living conditions and providing a better environment for my loved ones. I am deeply grateful for the support I have received this far.
22nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 11 months ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have been working as a casual laborer on construction sites, but I have experienced inconsistent work opportunities these past few years. This has posed a significant challenge in supporting my family of five, especially with school-going children who rely on me for their education and daily upkeep. However, I am grateful that GiveDirectly has brought a significant change into our lives. So far, I have directed $50 towards settling pending school fees debts that were essential for my children to complete their education. The remaining $62 was allocated to the purchase of food and other household essentials, a necessity as we faced the repercussions of a disappointing harvest season. GiveDirectly has truly been a blessing to my family, uplifting our living standards in remarkable ways.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I am hopeful that our upcoming harvest will be bountiful, as this will pave the way for me to pursue my ambition of venturing into cattle farming. My plan is to accomplish this objective by selling my goats and using the proceeds to acquire cows, which I will raise and subsequently sell when they reach maturity. This livestock venture promises to significantly improve my income, providing much-needed stability amidst the unpredictable nature of casual labor jobs. I find great satisfaction in the progress I've achieved thus far.
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($25 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
In February of this year, I fell ill and had to undergo surgery, which prevented me from working in the house construction industry where I usually find casual labor. At the moment, I am unable to do much, but there is hope that in the next three months, I may be cleared and able to resume such tasks. Currently, my main source of income to meet our basic needs is the cash transfers. Although my daughter, employed as a shopkeeper, occasionally helps us, her income is not enough to cover all our expenses. With the recent cash transfer, I decided to allocate the first $24 to provide meals for my family. Thanks to the transfers, we were able to alleviate hunger and have food at least once per day. I then used the remaining $10 to contribute toward my three children's education costs. Unfortunately, the amount I paid was not sufficient to cover the outstanding fees, and one of my children has been sent home today.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Given that my old house was destroyed by the recent heavy rains, my main objective is to secure a new house for my family. The urgency of this need has made it a top priority for me. Despite having a lofty goal, the constant struggle with hunger prevents me from allocating funds towards anything else. In the meantime, I built a temporary shelter using the iron sheets I had available before I fell sick and stopped working four months ago. With the ongoing planting season, there is hope for a successful harvest, which will enable me to use part of the cash transfers along with the small assistance from my daughter to build a more suitable and permanent shelter. My goal is to have a two-room house with mud walls and an iron sheet roof. While I would have preferred a house with concrete block walls, my financial reach does not allow for it at the moment.
14th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Due to my current situation, my wife currently provides for our family financially. I had surgery because of a hernia ailment I had that weakened my joints and made me sleep almost the whole day. The only thing that gives me hope is the monthly transfers that I normally receive and the fact that God is always there to provide for all my needs. The moment I received my transfers, I decided to buy food for my family using $12 and water at $3 in order to relieve my wife of some burden. The remaining amount of $19 I took and paid my children's school fees. It really made my children happy and proud to be in school and study just like their mates are.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
We have not experienced rain for nearly five years. All plants and wells have dried up, making it difficult to even procure food.The money we get we usually think of getting food to sustain ourselves. The only thing I pray for is that it rains so that I will be able to save enough money and start my own business. The fact that it is not raining, is limiting my saving policy and hence delaying my business plan. I want to open a big shop where I will be selling flour, drinks and even clothes to deal with a variety of products and ensure I make enough profit to support my family and keep it moving.
10th Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($25 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am currently bedridden due to Hernia. My wife who has a grocery shop is currently the breadwinner of the family. Before I succumbed to the illness I was working at a masonry getting a pay of $6 a day. I have five children, four are in school and one is married. It has been hard for me to work because of the pain. Paying school fees has been a problem so we had an arrangement with the school head teacher to be providing timber for the school which would be reduced from my daughters' fees. Receiving this money has made it easy for me to buy food for my family without straining my wife.
6th Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($26 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Drought has impacted us in the most terrible way, especially considering that most of us were farmers and relied on the harvest essentially to ensure nourishment for ourselves and our families. That is why when I finally realised the donation had been sent out, I ended using KES 2,000 by purchasing ten packets of maize flour since we barely had any food and the kids needed a meal. Then I ended using the balance of KES 1,000 that remained and paid school fees for my two children because it had been a week since they had attended class.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($27 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a small scale farmer who rely on farming and lately it been a dry season which left all the farmer with no harvest.I spent KES 2000 of my transfer to pay my daughter's school trip and and used the remaining KES 1000 to buy food for the rest of the family at home.My biggest challenge has been food because I rely so much on the maize farm I have.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly is doing well by providing this funds because personally it has not been easy for me to provide for my family.I am unemployed and suffering from hernia and high blood pressure.My health issues are making it even difficult to secure a job.I am very happy that I was enrolled in this program because with the monthly transfers am able to meet domebof my basic needs
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have four school-going children. A form three, a class eight, a class six, and a class four. Their total school fee arrears were KES12600. Often, they would be sent home due to it so I am forced to take them back so I could convince the headteacher to allow them to continue with their classes. The most earnings I can get from my work as a handyman at a construction site is KES1000 weekly. On my bad weeks, my wife would help out with the earnings she gets from her scarf selling business where a scarf earns her a profit of KES50. Since I had no food in the house, when I received the funds from give directly, I used KES1000 for food purchases and the remaining KES200 to reduce my children's school fee arrears.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Providing a meal for my family is my main priority. After this is to renovate my antiquated house. To accomplish this, I plan on joining a Chama, borrow a loan of KES50000 that I will repay using the funds I will be receiving from give directly. So currently, I have not seen much difference other than the food provision for my family. However, I believe in the near future, there will be a notable difference in my life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
This is a great project. Even though the money is not much, it has helped in boosting my finances. When I received it, I was working at the construction site. My shift had just begun and since I needed the day's wage too, I continued with my work. Once I was done, I collected my pay then I headed home to share with my wife the great news. Since we never had any food in the house at that time, she went out to buy some for the family. That was the day we had a decent meal as a family. I felt blessed.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I used to ferry charcoal to Mombasa, a job that earned me good money (10000 KES) after every 3 weeks. This amount was enough to fully cater to my family's basic needs but I was rendered jobless when I got diagnosed with a hernia. To complicate my life, my 2 children who are 15 years now are suffering from sickle cell anemia, a disease that has drained me financially. Imagine with my work of vending firewood, I am required to cater for their hospital bills, it has been a very hard life for me, and sometimes, I fail to take them to the hospital when I lack money. Hence, I consider financial instability as the main challenge that I am currently facing.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In July 2021, my daughter was sent home due to a lack of school fees. This depressed me a lot and I decided to approach their principal and sign an agreement that I will be supplying the school with firewood, and in return, my payments to cater for my daughter's school fees. This gave me the feeling of happiness because I knew my daughter will settle in school. Hence, I consider this as what has brought joy to my life.
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Living in small structures made of iron sheets has made my life so miserable and the community is looking at me as an irresponsible man. This is because I lack the money to construct decent houses for my family something that has turned us into a laughing stock. With the promise from GiveDirectly that I will be getting transfers for 5 years, I intend to save my money in a Sacco at least 1000 KES every month for a year. This will allow me to get a huge loan to enable me to construct a better house for my family that will restore my long-lost dignity. The other transfers will help me to support my 2 children who are suffering from sickle cell anemia for 15 years now. I will be using some cash to cater for their transport expenses which is 2000 KES for one appointment after every 2 months. Therefore, this is generally what receiving this money means to me.