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.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($458 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 have a new goal of empowering my hotel business the more. When covid struck, I had to close the business and since I was a student in school, I could not be able to make it running immediately after the easing of the measures that were put in place. I am planning to now plough back profits from this business and be more financially stable through this business. My greatest fear is to be poor and I will do everything that I can go make sure that we are not.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly did very well in giving us money unconditionally and through this money we were able to do various projects that saw us empowered. I feel proud that I was able to build a better house and that I was able to clear school fees for myself. I am sure to stay in school for a longer time without having to worry of where to get the fee. Moreover, this has given me ample time to find money to support the rest of my family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used KES 20000 to pay my own school fees and used the remaining amount of KES 30000 to build my own house. I am still a student in secondary school and a father of three. I received the money at a time that covid had really hit the country hard and there was no source of income at all. I had had to close down my business too because of the restrictions that were put in place. As for the house, I saw this as an opportune moment to build a more spacious and a more decent house for my growing family since for a long time we had lived in a very small house that would hardly give us the comfort that we so much needed.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($484 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received the transfer from GD at night but I knew about it in the morning after reading the Mpesa message. I became so happy on seeing this and decided to call one of my friends who informed me that it was indeed true that God had blessed us. I informed my spouse about it and she became so happy upon hearing that and we decided to wait until the congestion at the Mpesa shops was over so that we would cash out ours.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
There's been a big change in my daily life ever since I received the transfer. I have three children in school and paying their school fees on time was a challenge since I depend on a small restaurant that I operate in the neighborhood and it has not been doing well of late. Because of this, I was owing most of my friends and my children had also been informed that they would be sent back home anytime if their school fees were not cleared. With the transfer, I was able to pay their school fees and settle my debtors and this has given me peace of mind. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for enabling me to achieve this and change my lifes story within a short time.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I own a small restaurant in the neighborhood and it was not doing well due to hard economic times that made most people prefer eating at home. Because of this, I had taken a loan from some of my friends so that I would boost it and also pay school fees for my three children in school. My transfer came in handy as I was able to spend KES 20000 to repay the debts that I had and used KES 30000 to pay school fees for my two children in secondary school. I am glad that they're doing well in school and have never been sent back home hence they're able to concentrate on their studies. Using the remaining KES 4000, I bought some food to celebrate the financial breakthrough that we had undergone.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means better education for my children. I have 3 children all in a boarding primary school. Yearly, I part with KES 21000 as their schools fees. I have a small bussiness in a nearby shopping centre which daily earns me KES 200 as profit. This can only sustain my family basic needs such as food and is not enough to cater for everything including school fees. I am planning to use KES 15,000 from the transfer to pay school fees for next term. The rest I will use to start dairy farming by purchasing one dairy cow worth KES 30,000 which in about two years can calf and produce milk that I can sell to generate income. I am happy because Givedirectly will help me to achieve this ambition.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Resumption of normal business operations after ceassetion of curfew hours is what brought me joy as a businessman. I can now operate my business upto late hours hence increased daily sales and more profit.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The challenge I am facing currently is financial constraints. The business I am operating now is not doing good and the income I get from it is not enough to pay school fees for my 3 children in boarding primary school and at the same time meet other family basic needs. Sometimes they are sent home to collect school fees in arrears and this disturbs me alot.
