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've been living in a grass-thatched house for years, but my dream has always been to have an iron-roofed house. To make this dream a reality, I've been setting aside a portion of my monthly income to gradually purchase building materials. So far, I've managed to acquire 22 iron sheets and some building poles, and I'm hopeful that I can begin construction soon. My primary focus is achieving this goal, as an iron-roofed house will provide much-needed protection from the rains, which have been a constant challenge in my current home. I plan to continue saving to buy the remaining building poles, timber, and nails, as well as to cover labor costs.
Alongside this, I am also using part of my transfer to boost on my poultry and goat business , which will support me in finishing up the building work and achieving a more secure future.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
my house was build made long a go -grass thatched seruioslt leaking
6600-two iron sheets
420-paid loan
1200-saved in chama-buy more goats and kitchen
390-saved
goat medicine-1200
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25th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 USD)
access_time 5 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I've been living in a grass-thatched house for years, but my dream has always been to live in an iron-roofed house. To reach this goal, I've been saving a part of my monthly income to gradually buy the building materials. So far, I've managed to get 22 iron sheets and some building poles and hope to start construction soon. My sole focus is achieving this goal, as an iron-roofed house will protect me from the rains, which have been a nightmare in my current house. I plan to save more to buy the remaining building poles, timber, and nails, and also cover the labor costs.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I constructed my current grass-thatched house a long time ago, and during the rainy season, it leaks seriously, forcing me to seek refuge in my neighbour's house. When I received my most recent transfer, I allocated $4 to purchase two iron sheets and a few polls. Additionally, I spent $3 on food, as it is a basic necessity and we did not have enough in the house. I also allocated $8 for airtime to communicate with other family members. Furthermore, I invested $10 in my chama to access potential loans for future financial problems. The remaining $5 was used to pay off debts for my prepaid phone, and the remaining $1 was spent on some clothes as my current ones are worn out.
22nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($26 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 have been living in a grass-thatched house for years, but my dream has always been to live in an iron-roofed house. To achieve this goal, I have been saving a portion of my monthly income to purchase the building materials gradually. So far, I have managed to acquire 22 iron sheets, and some building poles, and I hope to commence construction soon. My only focus is on achieving this goal because an iron-roofed house will protect me from the rains that have been a nightmare in my current house. I plan to save more to purchase the remaining building poles, timber, and nails, and also to cover the labor costs that will be incurred
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have been living in a grass-thatched house that I built 10 years ago, and it's in very bad shape now. Replacing the grass roof frequently has been a tiresome job for me, and it barely lasts three months before I have to replace it again. Currently, the roof leaks, and it has weakened the whole house. When I enrolled in the program, I made a resolution to save my transfers and buy building materials such as iron sheets and building poles to construct a decent iron-roofed house. With determination, I have acquired the 22 iron sheets and some building poles that I needed, and soon I will start the construction. I committed myself to buying at least two iron sheets every month, which costs me $18 each month. I can't wait to experience the comfort of an iron-roofed house after spending years in a grass-thatched house. Apart from saving for a house, I also saved for the past few months and recently used my savings to buy two goats, which cost $67, increasing my herd to five. I am currently working as a waiter in a restaurant, and I believe owning the goats is a good investment that will supplement my income. As they multiply, I can readily sell them, thus generating some income to sort out my financial needs. Lastly, I contributed the remaining amount with my family towards ploughing our five-acre farm during the planting season, which helped alleviate food shortages in our household after a good harvest.
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 12 months 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 and beyond, my aspirations include building a new house and potentially acquiring goats. The current house, built over six years ago, has a deteriorating grass-thatched roof that cannot withstand rains, leading to a cold and damp interior. I've been gradually purchasing building materials, having acquired four iron sheets so far. I also plan to keep livestock, specifically goats, as a sustainable source of income. Recognizing the uncertainty of future earnings due to the lack of a steady job, the idea is to sell some goats when needed. I'm pleased that the two goats obtained through the cash transfers have already given birth, increasing the count to four.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After the short rains started, I seized the opportunity to prepare for planting. This not only ensures a bountiful harvest for the entire household but also relieves the burden on my father, our main provider. To support this, I allocated $38 for hiring a tractor to plow an acre of land and purchase maize seeds. I'm delighted that the maize is thriving well. Additionally, I used $34 from the transfers to acquire 4 iron sheets. These sheets are intended for constructing a new house because my current structure, with a grass-thatched roof, becomes too damp during rainfall. My goal is to gather at least 14 iron sheets before moving on to other materials. I set aside $10 through a self-help group, with ongoing plans to save regularly to accumulate funds for building poles. The remaining funds were allocated to purchasing more food, particularly during days when my father faced challenges in his job selling water in town.
14th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($24 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?
As a young man, my aspirations in the coming years are to build a sturdier house with an iron sheet roof, providing better shelter from the rains. Additionally, I want to establish a more sustainable source of income that will continue even after the cash transfers end. My dream is to keep goats as a form of wealth, drawing on my experience as a herdsman. I find great fulfillment in caring for livestock, and this venture would be a significant step toward financial security and a better future for myself and my family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Since I began receiving cash transfers, I have been saving $20 from each transfer through a self-help group. My ultimate goal is to accumulate enough funds to build a better house, as my current one is in poor condition. The deteriorating palm-leave roof allows water to seep in whenever it rains. As a herdsman, I know my job alone cannot generate enough money for a new house, hence the importance of saving. After setting aside $20 for savings, I spend the remaining $14 on purchasing food for my family. This not only supports my father, who works tirelessly to provide for us but also gives me the chance to contribute to our needs and ease some of the pressure off him.
10th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($26 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?
After I am done with my house construction. My goal is to start a livestock-rearing project in the next few months. I would want to have goats, chicken and cows so that I become one of the greatest livestock keepers in the area. To achieve this, I would want to ensure that I buy at least one goat per month costing $25 and within a year, I know I would have around 12 goats which I would later sell part of them to buy cattle and chicken.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The transfer that I received was of great help. I am currently in the process of constructing a house because the one that I currently have is in a dilapidated state and almost falling down. I have been struggling to engage in different income-generating activities so that I could raise money to help me with the construction, but the amount of money that I have managed to save so far is still way little. The transfers that I have bee receiving had been receiving had been of help in terms of buying different materials like roofing sheets, and timber, and also with the recent one, I managed to buy an iron sheet worth $10 and also saved $10 towards construction. With the remaining amount of $14, I managed to buy food to also enable my family to get something to eat and was very grateful to GiveDirectly for the support.
6th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($28 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 want to build a new, much larger and better house than the one I currently have. Since I built it five years ago while I was still in primary school, I didn't give it much thought. At that point, all I required was a place to sleep. I've already started setting aside $10 each month, and I intend to keep saving a portion of the transfers to generate money to buy iron sheets and nails. I won't include timber in my budget because we have enough trees at home. When I have reached this objective, I will work to enroll in a technical college. Though I haven't made up my mind yet, I will have chosen by next year the course I want to take.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The current house was built by myself when I was in grade seven. It is a single grass thatched roof room, and the roof is currently leaking. Every time it rains, I endure inconvenience since my household belongings get wet. Because of this, I intend to build a two-room mud hut. I therefore purchased nine pieces of iron sheets and wood for $94 using the transfers from the previous three months. I have not raised enough building supplies yet, but I'll buy more with the upcoming transfers.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES
access_time over 2 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give Directly works well by giving unconditional funds to the needy in the society. These cash transfers enable people like me to realize dreams that we previously thought were unattainable due to a lack of funds. There is nothing wrong with how the organization operates in my opinion.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My father is the sole provider for our family of ten. His job of selling water on the streets of Mombasa only allows him to put food on the table. This is why I used the transfer as an opportunity to meet my personal needs, such as clothing. KES 1,000 was spent on two pairs of trousers, one pair of shorts, and three t-shirts. At least, I would change my clothes and stop wearing the same outfit for an entire week. I used the remaining funds to purchase iron sheets. The goal is to construct a new one-room house for myself. I currently shelter under the kitchen structure, which is in poor condition and could collapse from rains or strong winds at any time.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was sitting under a tree outside the house thinking of what to do to help my grandfather. I received a text message in my phone and after reading it loud; I knew I had received my first transfer. Emotions overwhelmed me as tears rolled down my cheeks. I felt thrilled because I knew the money would help me a lot.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer has made an enormous difference in my life because I could seek medication attention for my grandfather. I was very stressed I could not get a job and money to help him. I am happy that he is recovering and I am grateful for the help I got through the transfer.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I live with my grandfather who fully depends on me. He fell ill two weeks before I received my transfer. I work on manual jobs such as fetching water and building other people’s houses. At the time he fell ill, I did not have money to buy him medicine or take him to the hospital. I unsuccessfully looked for a job in the village, but my efforts proved futile. The scarcity of jobs caused by the harsh economy has contributed to the struggles that I am facing. Therefore, when I received my transfer, spent it all in seeking medication for my grandfather whose health condition was deteriorating. I am happy that his condition is improving and thanks to the transfer, he could get medication.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I finished school last year and currently am at home planning what to do with tomorrow.
I plan to enroll myself to do a welding course at the local centre for about 4 months, and start my practicals.
Am hopeful after my training I will have built a lot of good network around welding field, and it will be easier to get job openings, and with a good income I can provide for my mother and siblings.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I helped my cousin in studying for his Kcpe exam, and great news they scored 347 marks which was always his dream, now he has been called to a national school and am proud of him.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Currently what is find tough is seeing my mother go through tough life of educating my siblings, providing basic needs for the family and yet I cannot do anything about the situation, it's so disheartening.