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 planning to expand my poultry project from thirty chickens to as many as possible. In addition to buying one goat, I have started the journey of acquiring goats for my livestock keeping project. I have developed a keen interest in livestock keeping because they are profitable and easy to maintain, with a readily available market. Chickens, in particular, are easy to multiply, especially when well-fed, and I can easily sell mature ones to acquire more goats, which is my ultimate plan. Furthermore, I intend to open a shop targeting people in and around my village. Since there are few shops, this presents a business opportunity. This project will not only enhance our living standards but also provide a sustainable source of income for my family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon receiving my most recent transfer during land cultivation season, I allocated $17 to hire farm labor since we heavily depend on farm produce for our livelihood. Additionally, with the onset of short rains, we needed to act quickly. I have two younger siblings in primary school and two in secondary school, so I allocated $59 to pay their school fees, dividing the amount among them. My mother, who is our sole breadwinner, currently does not have an income, so I have taken on the responsibility of assisting in taking care of our younger siblings. We were also in need of food, so I spent $17 to purchase some. With the remaining amount, I decided to invest $9 in buying two chickens for my poultry project, seeing it as a future source of financial support once our transfers come to an end.
29th 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 plan to expand my livestock from thirty chickens to over a hundred, and from one goat to ten before this year ends.Being a farmer, I have developed a keen interest in livestock. Chickens, in particular, are easy to multiply, especially when well-fed, and I can easily sell mature ones to acquire goats. Additionally, I intend to open a shop where I can sell foodstuffs to people in my village. This endeavor will not only enhance our living standards but also provide a sustainable source of income.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
With three siblings currently in school, I allocate $1 for each of them every month for their exam fees, totaling $9 over three months. While my parents work tirelessly in metal-making sites, their earnings are modest. As for me, I oversee our livestock, which includes thirty chickens and one goat because I am currently unemployed and have a great desire for livestock. With the remaining $12, I purchase chicken feed to ensure the well-being of our flock. My dedication to managing our finances and caring for our animals stems from my desire to contribute to improving our family's livelihood.
26th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($24 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?
I used to think of dreaming as a pursuit of the ric but now I would county myself a dreamer. I have 30 chicken which I sell and buy as well as breed. I plan on increasing this numbers by much more. I also plan on starting a shop. When the chicken are many I can sell as significant number and buy goats which I can breed and sell off to have money and start a retail shop business for general household items.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Givedirectly transfers have had a transformative effect in my life. I have moved from a point of having no source of income to having 30 chicken which I rear to sell. I take care of them using Givdeirectly transfers. The new castle disease has been the biggest cause of lose of animals. I have used about $10 on medicine over the past few months as well as ensuring the chicken are well fed buy buying chicken feed which has cost me $20 in the last three months. I added three chicks in December to my flock at $1.5. I have siblings who are still in school I spent $$50 on getting them to school over the last few months.
22nd 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 current objective is to successfully complete the driving course I recently enrolled in. My aim is to acquire valuable driving skills that will allow me to earn a steady income rather than relying primarily on sporadic construction jobs. To achieve this, I need to settle an outstanding tuition fee of $200, which is a prerequisite for continuing the course. I intend to allocate my earnings towards this payment. Obtaining these driving skills will not only reduce my dependence on casual labor but also open up opportunities for employment as a driver. In addition to this pursuit, I am currently managing a poultry project with 24 birds. I plan to invest further in this project and, down the line, sell the chickens to fund the establishment of a shop business. My ultimate aspiration is to establish a stable and income-generating endeavor that will grant me self-reliance and self-employment. This will enable me to meet my financial needs with ease.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I want to express my sincere gratitude for the invaluable support that has, thus far, been a pivotal turning point in my life. Recently, I took the step to enroll in a driving school with the aim of acquiring essential driving skills. Up until now, I've been making ends meet through construction jobs, which have been my primary source of income. Given that I'm still in my twenties, I believe I have ample time to acquire new, more sustainable skills that can secure my financial future. The assurance of receiving monthly transfers has been a significant motivation for me to pursue this driving course. I'm truly thankful for this opportunity, as I firmly believe that upon completing this program, I'll become eligible for employment as a driver.To cover the costs of my driving course, I invested $70, and I eagerly look forward to completing it and embarking on a career as a driver. In addition to my pursuit of driving skills, I'm also managing a poultry project, which has proven to be a promising venture contributing to my financial growth. At present, I'm tending to a flock of 24 chickens, and I've allocated $10 towards purchasing chicken feed to ensure the continuity and success of this project. Lastly, I allocated the remaining portion of the funds for the well-being of my family. I purchased essential items such as beans and sugar, along with some much-needed household items like toiletries.
18th 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?
I would like to become a chicken farmer. I am still a student now in my form two education. I have learnt that with sacrifice I can achieve my dream and I have sacrificed in terms of how I spend my transfers to ensure my school fees is paid in full but also gotten Chicken to continue adding to the flock and now I am at 24 chicken. I would like to grow this even further to ensure this chicken business is stable. Through this transfers I hope to grow a business that will feed me until I clear school and also get something to do after I clear school fees.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have been using my transfers in an almost similar way in the past months except the month of June. In April and May I used all my transfers to pay school fees. I go to a school where my monthly term fees is $8 and I need this paid monthly, Receiving Givedirectly transfers has allowed me to pursue an education I would not have had. I paid the entire $34 in April and May to settle my school fee debt. In June I spent $20 to buy 5 chicken and $5 on food while I got a bag of chicken feed at $9.
14th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 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?
Since am still in form two, my focus is on completing high school with great grades that will secure me a spot at the university or college. I would be happy if I graduated from high school and throughout university without having to miss classes from unpaid school fees. Although this is a nearly impossible wish given the tough economy and low financial status of my family, I hope to be able to finance my education through Give Directly’s cash transfers and my chicken-rearing project.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Taking care of my six siblings and me by herself has caused a lot of strain on my mother. The food stand she operates hardly puts daily meals on the table, sometimes we sleep hungry at least twice a month. Furthermore, there are times we miss classes for days due to unpaid school fees. To support her and alleviate these hardships, I mostly spend cash transfers on school fees for my siblings and me. I used the entire February transfer to clear my overdue fee debt, which had cost me two days of learning. Am happy that I have never missed school since that day. In January, I spent $15 on my tuition and the remaining $19 on my siblings had been frequently sent out of class to collect the money. In December, schools were closed for the holidays, so I spent $30 to buy six hens for rearing. Keeping poultry is a project that I initiated through the transfers, and am excited about the progress am making; I currently have 32 chickens. Whenever we are stuck with finances, I usually sell these chickens to cover my family’s needs.
10th 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?
My mother is a single mother with four children. She is the breadwinner of the family. She takes care of us with grace and I am thankful for that. I am twenty years old and in Secondary school in form one. When I was in primary school I had to stop school for three years due to lack of school fees. Luckily after three years, my mother come up with the fee and I went back to school which I am grateful for. Every month I take $27 to school for my fees.
6th Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($26 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am an orphan, and since my father's death, I have relied primarily on my grandmother for support. This is because my mother does not have a steady source of income and must rely on casual jobs like charcoal making to provide for us. So, when I received my recent transfer, I used the entire KES 3000 to pay my school fees. I recently joined form one, and the GiveDirectly's support greatly relieved my grandmother of the burden of raising the entire school fee. I am hopeful that if I focus well on my studies, I will be able to succeed in life and be able to support my mother, who has been living in an extreme poverty for over a decade.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($27 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give directly has really helped me with my education. I have been able to study with so much ease unlike before when I would frequently be sent home due to school fee arrears. The organization has really progressed me.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Coming from a very humble background, my parents would often struggle with the payment of my school fees. In one term, I am often absent from school for a month. This causes me to miss out and it affects my performance. So when I started receiving these funds, it's been a while since I was sent home due to school fee arrears. It's only this week that I was sent home due to arrears of ksh2000. So, I am awaiting my third transfer to settle it. So the only use I has done with the funds is to pay my school fees.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I saw the text message at noon. I was from school during the lunch break. I was very happy when I saw the text message. I quickly went and informed my mother about the good news. I was all smiles because I knew the money had come through at a good time when I needed money to pay school fees.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The money has made a big difference. After paying school fees, I currently do not have any stress or any fear of being sent back home. I am using this opportunity to catch up with others and also put more effort into my studies so that I can be successful later in life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am still a student. I am currently in class seven. I am a focused student who wants to learn and work hard in school. The major challenge I am currently facing is school fees. My parents are very poor and I depend on them for everything. This term alone I have been sent home several times. This has also even affected my performance in school. Once I am back at home, I sometimes find it hard to catch up with the others once I am back in school. I want to work smart and hard so that I can be successful in life land a good job and help my parents and my siblings. I want to become a doctor once I am done with my education. When I was enrolled in the program I saw it as an opportunity that will boost me in my education. When I received the transfer I spent it all on paying my school fees.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am now optimistic that I will join high school once I complete my primary exams. I was giving up on this because I have been on and off school so many times. I will use this money to pay my outstanding school fees balance of 500 KES, pay for my primary exams, and see myself through high school.
I would one day want to be a teacher but my current goal is to just complete high school.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In September one of my uncles was empathetic with my situation and offered to pay my school fees arrears for the term. I was so happy and humbled by his gesture.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
It has now been five years since it rained. Getting water has been very difficult and I have had to make major adjustments at school. I have to wake up thirty minutes earlier than I used to just to go and fetch water for home consumption. In the evening I also have to leave school early to do the same.
It has interrupted my study time and also my free time.