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?
My plan after completing high school is to pursue a college education. Unfortunately, my mother can't cover my tuition fees alone, so I'm considering poultry farming as an investment. I started with a few chickens, but there was an outbreak that killed all five of them. Initially, I planned to invest in chickens and then exchange them for goats, but after this setback, I've decided to save part of my earnings and buy goats instead. At first, I chose chickens because of their fast multiplication rate, but now I've changed my mindset. I believe that by raising goats and selling them, I'll be able to fund my college education once I complete my secondary school education. This is my goal for the coming year and beyond.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Since receiving my recent transfer, I used $60 to pay off my school fees. I'm currently in my second year, and ever since the transfers started, I haven't faced the issue of being sent home due to fee balances, which used to happen before. Life has changed for the better, as now I can easily afford to buy my books and any other school necessities. I also spent $5 on food for my family. With the remaining $27, I purchased some new clothes and a pair of shoes, as my old ones were starting to wear out.
I am grateful to GiveDirectly for the financial support.
22nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 USD)
access_time 4 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
After completing secondary school, I intend to pursue a college education. However, since my mother cannot afford to cover my tuition fees alone, I am considering poultry farming as an investment. Over the next year and beyond, I plan to gradually purchase chickens. I chose to invest in chickens due to their fast multiplication rate. Once they reach a sufficient number, I will sell them and use the proceeds to acquire goats. I believe that by raising goats and eventually selling them, I will be able to fund my college education.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon receiving my most recent transfer, I used $60 to cover my school fees as I am still pursuing my education. I made this choice to ease the financial burden on my mother, allowing her to focus on my younger sibling's fees. Before receiving support from GiveDirectly, I often faced being sent home due to unpaid fees and missed valuable time at school. Now, with the support I've received, I can fully concentrate on my studies by ensuring my fees are paid on time. Additionally, I purchased new clothes as my previous ones were old and torn. The remaining amount was used as pocket money while I am in school. I am truly grateful for this financial support.
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($24 USD)
access_time 8 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 save up enough to start investing in chickens. Currently, I have three chickens, and I believe with a good investment, I can go far. Investing in chickens is really a good idea because they can easily hatch and will make a lot of profit when selling them. The aim of this investment is to make money and save up for my colleagues' school fees. Becoming a contractor is my aspiration, as I believe it will greatly benefit me in the future.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a student at Mnazi Mwenga Secondary School, currently in Form Two. Whenever I get my transfer, the first thing on my mind is paying my school fees. My mom is the sole breadwinner of our family, and I always chip in to help her. This time, I spent $60 for fees, and with the remaining $42, I bought things like books and shoes that keep me active during class hours.
14th 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?
In the coming year, My top priority is to prioritize my studies and work diligently towards becoming an engineer. With the financial support from the transfers, I believe I will make progress in my education and secure a better future for myself and my family.
Additionally, I plan to invest in livestock as a source of income. This investment not only aligns with my aspiration to pay for my further studies but also allows me to support my family, particularly my mother, who has raised us singlehandedly, and provide her with the support she deserves. The cash transfers have opened up a world of possibilities for us.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Before the monthly cash transfers from GiveDirectly, my family and I faced many challenges. I'm currently in high school, and my education was hanging by a thread due to financial constraints. My mother, who has been our sole provider since our father passed away, runs a small grocery business. She works tirelessly to make ends meet, but the income is never enough to meet our basic needs including school fees and other school requirements. I have a younger sibling who is still in school and fully depends on her.
With the cash transfers, I now set aside $20 each month to pay for my school fees and $14 for all other school requirements. This has been a game-changer for us. I can now concentrate on my studies and strive for a better future. The burden on my mother has lightened,as she now has only one person to support. Without these cash transfers, I wouldn't have been able to continue with my education, and for that I'm so grateful.
10th 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 am presently in my first year of secondary school, and with approximately three more years remaining to complete my secondary education, my objective is to maintain uninterrupted studies by consistently paying my school fees, as I have always done. I anticipate that this effort will lead to achieving excellent grades, enabling me to pursue admission into a reputable university in the future.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used $20 from my June transfer to make a payment towards my tuition fees. My mother, who is essentially my sponsor, runs a local palm wine business. The income from this business is limited, and she also uses it along with the transfers she receives from Givedirectly to pay for my younger brother's school fees and cover our food expenses. In order to manage my own expenses, I made an agreement with the school to pay $20 every month whenever I receive a transfer. I'm pleased that the agreement has been successful so far, and I don't have any outstanding payments. Additionally, I contributed $5 towards food expenses and used the remaining amount from June's transfer as my pocket money, which helps me fulfill some of the school requirements.
6th 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?
I am really doing my best at school so that I can graduate with a very good grade and be able to join a good university where I will be taking engineering as my dream course. Most of my cousins have studied engineering and they are really doing well in life. I also want to save enough to buy more chicken and sell so that I can have more to invest and save.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I recently joined high school after a very long struggle of not being able to join school. I live with my single mother who happens to be a shopkeeper. She really works hard to make ends meet and the moment I received my transfers, the first thing that came into my mind was giving my mother $10 so as to appreciate her for all she has done for us. I also took $20 to pay for my school fees to help me at least stay in school and study just like my mates who are busy studying to make their future bright. The remaining amount of $4 I saved it as my pocket money so that when I have any emergencies I can easily solve it.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($25 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Givedirectly has helped a lot of people in the village. Businesses are emerging and the village is expanding each day. We are thankful.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am nineteen years old and in grade eight. My mother is a single parent and has been paying for my fees since I was young. She brews and sells palm wine locally. My father died when I was two years old. Currently, I pay $6.5 a term in school fees. My mother makes a profit of $5 a day and helps buy food for the family. I have two siblings, my older brother completed school, and my sister is in grade five. My mother has been struggling to raise us alone and this money has enabled me to support her, I give her $10 each month for food and spent $15 for my school fees, and bought my school uniform for $5.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($10 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received a confirmation message that I had received my first transfer at four in the evening while I had gone to fetch water. It was such an exciting moment, I did not expect it and it came as a surprise. I immediately rushed home to share the news with my mother who was equally happy because she had just received her share too.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Raising my school fees was a challenge before I received the transfer, but I am happy I have enough time for studies since I started receiving the money. I am no longer top of the list of those who owe the school arrears and I owe this to GiveDirectly. I am also glad that my mother is less burdened because we now have additional household income and thus she finds it easy to meet our needs.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am currently in secondary school and I had arrears of KES 600 for the examination which I cleared with part of the first transfer. The remaining KES 600 I gave to my mother so that she could buy us some foodstuffs. My father died while I was still a baby and since then, she has been taking care of the three of us from her small business that operates within the village. She does not make much from it, and I am happy with the additional income from the transfers, she will not be straining to provide for us.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Now that I am a candidate, I do not intend to stop my education at primary school level. This money will help in paying my school fees and buying the essentials needed at school like stationery, uniform, and shoes. This will also relieve some pressure on my mother.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Give Directly has renewed my hope for a better future because I will now be able to pay my school fees and probably chip in for food at home. I am very happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Having been brought up by a single mother, I watched her struggle to put food on the table, clothes on our backs, and send us to school. To date, her business does not make her enough money to keep us at school. My siblings and I keep being sent home for school fees. This is destabilizing because we are always behind on classwork.