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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($444 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 do not have any new goal, this is because I had planned for the money with my family. I had some hospital bills to settle down and to pay school fees for my son who is in secondary school. I am so grateful for the transfer from GiveDirectly because all this was achieved without any struggle and now we are living a better life.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the people in the community to build better houses and pay school fees for their children. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly do not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 20,000 on paying hospital debt. I was involved in a road accident and I was admitted to the hospital. I was discharged and since I had no money to pay I gave out the land title deed as security as I look for the money. I am so grateful because I have paid the hospital bills and given back the land title deed. I spent KES 10,000 on paying school fees for my son who is in secondary school. He is now studying well. The remaining amount of money I spent on food, clothes and household items for my family. We are so grateful because GiveDirectly has changed our living standards.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($482 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was 5 pm and I was at my workshop. I was preparing myself to close for the day when suddenly I heard my phone ringing in my pocket hence notifying me of a new message. I pulled it out to check what it was all about and to my surprise, I found out that it was an SMS saying that I had received KES 55000 from GiveDirectly. I was so excited on seeing this piece of news. I hurriedly closed the workshop and I immediately went to withdraw the money before I could head home.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer brought a very big difference in my life and that of my family. I was able to clear the hospital debt and clear the school fees balance for the child who is in his final year of study at secondary school. I feel so much relieved and happy because I no longer have any debt.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 20000 of the recent transfer on paying back a debt that I owed the hospital where I had been treated. I had undergone head surgery at the hospital and I had not managed to clear the whole amount of KES 50000 that was needed for the operation. I had given out my title deed as collateral. I also spent KES 5000 on clearing school fees for my child who is in his final year of study at secondary school and I paid KES 3500 for another one in the first year of secondary school. We were being required by the school to clear school fees for the final year students so that they could concentrate on their studies and prepare well for their final examinations. I did not have the money to do so at the time. I am a mason and I also usually do some carpentry at my workshop. The money that I get from my hustles is what I usually use to cater for all the needs of my family, that is, buy food, pay school fees for my four children, and also to pay off some of the debt that I was owing the hospital. I am glad that I was able to clear the hospital debt and the school fees for the child who is in his final year at secondary school. I also bought one sheep with part of the transfer. I bought it so that it could remind me of GiveDirectly and also so that it could help me in the future. With the remaining amount of money, I bought maize for our consumption and clothes for the children. Thank you so much GiveDirectly for the help.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means ownership of assets to me.I am a father of 4 children and I separated with my wife 4 years ago.I sold out my livestock both cows and goats to cater for the hospital bill which amounted to KES 240000. After the separation I encountered a bad accident that led to head damage in the year 2020 and I was admitted in the hospital for 2 months.At the moment I have been unable to purchase any livestock because I spend my incomes on monthly check ups and also in payment of school fees.This transfers will therefore enable me to buy two dairy cows each at a cost of KES 35000.With this I will be able to be at bar with my brothers in terms of wealth.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The fact that I have been able to pay my children school fees as well as live in a decent house over the past 6 months has given me happiness.This has been through the assistance of the school management where I do manual work such as weeding and slashing around the compound.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My health condition has been a challenge for the past 2 years .I was involved in a terrific accident that led to head damage along Chebunyo road. This led to 2 months of hospitalization and hence everything came to a stand still.Being the breadwinner of my family and in unstable condition,I had to sell my assets to meet the needs of my children as well as the hospital bill.From that time my life has taken a u-turn because I have to start from scratch yet my health condition does not allow me to over work and this is truly painful to me.
