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 ($435 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The new goal that I have is to enroll in a machinery and plant operation college after getting my form 4 certificates. My dream is to specialize in learning how to operate excavators. This is because my brother is working in the same job making it easy to link me up with the company where he currently works.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well in enrolling the eligible households without discriminating or demanding anything payment. Additionally, through the meeting, the officer trained us, and we were able to get proper awareness of the program before registration. I feel they should change the time they spend operating in the field up to 5:30 which will cater to people who are at work during the time of 8 am to 4 pm.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Boosting my business of supplying bread in our area has always been a desire in my heart. After receiving the transfers from GiveDirectly, I invested $350 in boosting it by purchasing more stock. Currently, I am happy that the business has been thriving well since I received the transfer. I can sell 40 crates of bread per day making a profit of up to $70 per day unlike before when I could manage selling 12 crates of bread. Additionally, I used $80 to clear the fee arrear at my former secondary school where I completed learning but did not receive the results due to the fee balance. Lastly, I spent $50 to purchase a motorbike on hire purchase that would assist me in transportation. Also, I was able to employ one person to assist me with work paying him on a commission basis depending on the number of crates he sells.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($464 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was relaxing on my bed at around 6:30 PM after having a very tiring day when I realized that there were two new messages on my phone. I decided to check who it could be only to realise that they were both from GiveDirectly, alerting me that I had received my first cash transfers. I was so happy and felt blessed because I was certain that finally, I will be able to revive my business.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that my business ( selling bread) is currently running so smooth without any hiccups. This has been the only source of income in my household since my spouse is still in schooling. I have been experiencing lots of challenges like insufficient capital, and low profits which were a result of inadequate funding. I could hardly take good care of my four family members. Sometimes my children would be sent home for fees and would stay for about two to three weeks. This has been demotivating them as well as stressing me. Therefore I had to think of a long-lasting solution to this recurring problem which was to boost the business. I am so thankful that for now I no longer complain, I have been making a very good profit of KES 4000 in a day whereby initially I used to earn KES 1000. This has empowered me to pay my bills on time and cater to all my basic needs without struggling.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 20000 my first cash transfer on boosting my business ( selling bread) in the nearby town centres. Being my only source of income, I was so worried that it might end up collapsing because of the insufficient capital. I am now a happy and hopeful entrepreneur because the moment I revived it, it has been perfectly doing well with good returns. I later bought a goat at KES 4000 and a dairy cow at KES 22000. These have been the well thoughtful assets that I have been longing to own and I am glad I finally achieved my dream. I settled for them because they can survive so well in my region. Additionally, I paid school fees of KES 6000 for my two children who are both in primary schools. With the remaining cash, I had to buy foodstuffs and other household items.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have a family of two. My wife is just a housewife with no job. I work as a salesperson. I buy bread from Kilifi and sell them at Ganze villages every day. Last year 2022 in May, I got an accident while on my normal duties and got a fracture on my right shoulder. I got some medication but my situation is still not good. When I seat down, I cannot stand up so fast as before and during night time I feel much pains on my shoulder. Sometimes I fail to go to work because of this problem. I earn a monthly salary of KES 15000 per month. This years 2022, I decided to take my wife to college. She is doing an accountancy course at Kilifi. So most of my salary goes to school fees. I will use KES 70000 to go for a checkup at Kilifi hospital. This money will cater for all my medication. When all goes well then I will be happy to be doing my job everyday. I will also use KES 40000 to add one more room in my house. I am happy that Give directly will improve my living standard.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My wife started her accountancy course at Kilifi college this year in January. In March 2022, she got a bursary of KES 20000 from the county government of Kilifi. She cleared all her first-year balance. I am now expected to pay KES 60000 for the second year. She pays the same amount every academic year for three years. The bursary brought happiness in my life because it relieved me of some of the burdens I had.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My work is to buy breads from Kilifi and sell in the Ganze villages. This happens everyday with motorbike. The distance from my home to Kilifi is approximately 70km. Covering such a distance to and from every day is so tedious. This has affected my healthy. My shoulder has so much pain. So lack of good employment is a challenge I am facing in life.
