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 currently different from how it was four months ago?
I am a single mother and I majorly depend on casual jobs to meet my daily household basic needs. It had always been challenging for me due to the overwhelming ever-rising family needs. My daily wages was never enough to meet all the needs. My life is currently different from how it was four months ago in that with GiveDirectly monthly transfer has made our access to household daily needs easier and reliable. I am so happy that I enjoy peace of mind and engaged in less casual jobs unlike before. I currently have some money to save for other goals and any other financial needs arising in my family.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have bought some build materials and in the next four months, my new goal is to build a house. I have been living with my brother after we were displaced from our home when family land was partitioned. Building a house will give us a humble place and comfort unlike now we are using my brother's small house.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I had lived with peacefully in my parents' house after they both passed away until when our uncle shared the piece of land among our parent leading to us being displaced to a different location. I was forced to seek refuge in my brothers home and it has been challenging for my family. I have been buying iron sheets using my monthly transfer in order to build a new house for my family. This is the biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months since I am hopeful that soon I will once again get back to my humble home. I happy that Give Directly has made this possible since the scarce casual jobs and mobile saloon business I operate in the village on couldn't have raised enough money for both daily household needs and to build a new house.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to have built my own house thus will enjoying my comfort under my own roof. I expect to have improved my mobile saloon business buy selling wives to my clients to increase my income that will help me meet my daily basic needs and other necessities.
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is currently different from how it was four months ago in that my children are no longer send home to collect school fees because I pay their fees on time. Before it was not easy because I do casual jobs to earn an income and this could not gather for all the basic needs and also pay school fees at the same time.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal for the next four months is to complete building the house that I'm currently planning and also buy sofa set seats and other basic household items like utensils.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer is that I have bought materials for building ready to build a better and spacious house. Currently, we are living in a small mud house which cannot accommodate all my children comfortable, We stay in our brother's house and there is no privacy at all. My children do not have privacy as well as a good place to do their homework. I'm so happy because after the completion we will live happily and my children will enjoy living in a separate room and a place to study as well. Thanks to Givedirectly for the support.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in the next six months in that I will have saved enough money to enable me to complete the house that I'm building and also buy sofa set seats and other basic household items.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
I am a casual laborer as well as a saloon business. I have always been relying on this for my household daily basic needs and my child school fees. Since I have not fully established my saloon business, It is unstable sources of income. I only do it when am called upon by my known customers to me. I also rely on low paying irregular casual jobs. I always find myself spending all the earning from both casual jobs and saloon business on my household basic needs, items and on my child school fees and requirements. I currently see my life to be different from how it was four months ago in that I can currently saving something for future use and this has given me a hope of putting up a saloon kiosk to help me expand and make it more regular income generating business.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The new goal that I have in the next four months is to build a saloon shop within my home this will enable improve the business since I will be only one in my village hence will have more clients from within as compared to if I go to Longisa market.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest the difference in my daily life in the last four preceding the current transfer is the ability to save some money every month. I have always had a dream to establish a saloon business in but it has been an unrealistic goal for me since I rely on casual jobs and irregular salon business hence my income is too little to save for expansion since I spent all that I earn on my household daily basic needs and on school fee for my child. When received the monthly transfer from GiveDirectly, I joined a merry go round group of ten members. I always see this as a saving plan for me and in the near future, I see myself having a better salon hence will have more income. I am always so happy the merry go round group.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months to come, I expect my life to have changed in that I will have built a saloon business shop hence will have more clients hence more income. I expect my profit to help me meet my family basic needs easily unlike now. I expect to be saving something for my future life.
7th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is currently different from how it was four months ago in that I am currently able to save through a merry go round thing that had never been possible to me. I am also able to provide for my family basic needs maily cloths food and even better education. I have a hope of good thing to come in my life.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The new goal that I have gotten in my life that I didn't have before receiving the transfer is to build a house.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months is that I am currently able to save through a merry go round thing that had never been possible to me. I have a hope of building a house once my turn comes.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months to come, I expect my life I expect to be better in that I will be having anew house.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time almost 7 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My new goal is to start my own salon which will enable me to serve my customers from a central point. Through this business am intending to buy a piece of land where I would settle with my children since am staying with my brother at the moment.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I now live a better life than before since my children are settle in school I have humble time to look for money through casual job. Again I can now afford to provide my children three meals a day which has made me a happy mother. I am assure of monthly payment which will help me have basic needs for my family.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months I will be having a place to do my hairdressing and will not no longer be moving from one saloon to the other asking for casual jobs since I have skill. In the next few months I will buy equipment one after the other using my daily pay and GD payments.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life is that my children are going to school with good uniform. Secondly, my children are going to school full time unlike before I receive these payment when they would stay home due to luck of school fee. Through GD payment I am able to buy food for my family and these has brought happiness to my family.
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in my life is that I don't have a place to live that I can call my own.This is because I stay at home where I am not entitled to a share of my parents land due to our culture.I need to buy my own peace of land where I van build my home .
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is the morning hours.This is because I have had a rest and is just happy to see another day.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer on improving my hairdressing business.I will rent a commercial room and equip it in order to do the business better.This will enable me to earn a descent living.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
I am proud of being a good hairdresser.I was able to learn the skill without attending a formal training.I am proud because I do it so well and get customers who believe in my work.This way am able to fend for my family.