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 for the coming years is to focus on farming, particularly planting maize, beans, and vegetables. I believe that by doing this, I can generate enough income to pay school fees for my children and ensure they get a good education. Along with farming, I also want to open a small business selling foodstuffs in my village. This way, I can have an additional source of income and provide for my family. I hope that with these efforts, I will be able to improve our living standards and give my children a better future. Farming and the business will help us become more stable financially and self-sufficient.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I am really happy with the way GiveDirectly operates because the officers do not discriminate during enrollment, and they don't ask for bribes, which is very impressive. They treat everyone equally and ensure that the process is fair for all. I have not seen anything negative or any weaknesses in their approach so far. The officers have been very professional and committed to their work, which has made the whole process smooth. Honestly, I only have appreciation for the officers and the organization for the good work they are doing. It has truly made a difference in our lives.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For years, my children and I lived in a house that couldn’t protect us. It was made of grass and mud walls, and every time it rained, the roof would leak. I felt helpless, watching my children sleep in damp conditions, knowing I couldn’t do much to change it. But when I received the cash transfer, it felt like a miracle. I used $430 to build a proper one-room house with iron sheets. Now, my children have a safe, dry place to call home, and for the first time in years, I feel like we have security. In addition to the house, I knew we needed clothes. Our old clothes were so worn that finding something suitable for important occasions was impossible. So, I spent $20 on clothes for my children. As a mother of three, and with my husband gone for four years, I wanted to make sure they had something decent to wear, especially now that life was slowly improving. Lastly, I used $10 to buy food for my family. Life before this support was a constant struggle, relying on casual jobs like charcoal burning, where I barely earned $3 a day, hardly enough to feed us. But now, after receiving the cash transfer, I finally feel like there’s hope. I am deeply grateful for this support because it has transformed our lives and given us the chance to focus on a better future.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
20000 KES ($155 USD)
access_time 2 months ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was at a prayer day at Emining Boys when I received a confirmation message that I had received $200 from GiveDirectly. I was with other recipients who also got the money, and it felt like even more blessings after the prayers. We all traveled back home to plan, and our journey was filled with joy, especially since most of us had received the money.
My first thought was about transforming my house from a traditional manyatta to a modern one. So, my immediate plan was to buy iron sheets to make this home project a reality.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference since I started receiving cash transfers from GiveDirectly is the ability to have rest days from the tiring casual and odd jobs. This is because I now have enough food to eat, which allows me to rest and recharge. I can also spend more time with my kids, which has greatly improved our family life. I am happy and grateful for GiveDirectly's support because, without it, I would never have had the chance to take a rest day in my life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After receiving $200 from GiveDirectly, I had already planned how to use the money. One of my biggest priorities was to transform my home from the old manyatta to a more modern one. I used $78 to buy iron sheets and am now waiting for the subsequent transfers to purchase more construction materials. This will allow me to build a bigger house that will be enough for me and my four kids.
Another challenge I faced was paying school fees, especially with the balance for my school-going children. I spent $15 to clear the fees and buy learning materials to ensure that my kids' education continues uninterrupted.
As a farmer, the floods had disrupted our normal life, so I wanted to get back to farming. I spent $50 to lease 0.5 acres of land, where I plan to plant maize. This will ensure that we have enough food at home, and I plan to sell the surplus to start a small business that will help sustain my family even after GiveDirectly's support ends.
I used the rest of the money to buy food for my family because, during this time, it was hard to find any casual job opportunities to earn money for food. This has really helped me, as I no longer have to overwork myself, and I’ve been able to take a few rest days knowing that we have enough food at home.
Enrolled
access_time 4 months ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
Currently iam living in small grass hatched house which is not favourable for my family because sometimes it's very hard to get grass in our village to prepair the roof. I am planning to use GiveDirectly cash transfers to construct iron sheet house for my family. I am also planning to use the remaining amount of money to invest in livestock keeping, lease a farming land, buy food and also buy clothes for my children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In our village people use to do commercial farming, Kenya seed company contract farmers to grow maize which is sold later to the company. I use to work on those farms as a casual labour when maize start to flower. So I decided to save some money to buy something for my family because I wanted at least to possess something for my own. And now I am very happy because out of my hard earned money I have two life goats in my compound.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Life has become unbearable for me and my family because I depend on casual labour and charcoal burning to fend for my family daily needs. Getting best stumps to use for charcoal is very hard because people we have already cleared all of it leaving out small stumps and this is the biggest challenges iam facing because If I had different source of income or be financially stable I could not struggle like this to cater for my family.