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 am glad that through GiveDirectly transfers, I have managed to buy five goats so far. This is a significant achievement in my life. I depend on burning and selling charcoal to raise income to support my children. Since my spouse also does not have a reliable income, I have to struggle hard to make ends meet. These transfers have relieved me from the financial burden of providing for my family's basic needs, allowing me to focus on long-term goals.
Given that the transfers have a specific timeframe and will eventually come to an end, I decided to invest in livestock, specifically goat rearing. In the coming year and beyond, I plan to continue using my transfers to invest in goats, as this is my future financial investment. Since goats multiply quickly, I intend to sell some once I obtain a good number and use the proceeds to buy a cow.
I want to buy cows for milk production because they will provide milk for both domestic and commercial use, and their waste can be used as fertilizer. This diversified investment strategy will help ensure a stable and sustainable income for my family in the future.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I recently received my latest transfer, which came just in time as my children had been sent home due to unpaid fees. I allocated $29 to pay the fees for my three children. I also set aside $14 to buy food for my family, which was crucial since we had nothing to eat that day.
I am also finishing the construction of my dream house and needed more poles, so I spent $10 to buy some additional ones to supplement those I had previously purchased. With the remaining $49, I bought a goat. I chose to buy a goat as an investment because they are easy to manage and multiply quickly, providing a sustainable source of income even after these transfers end.
I am incredibly grateful to GiveDirectly for their financial support. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to buy a goat, which is a significant step forward for me. I used to rely on burning and selling charcoal to support my family, but now I have a more stable and promising future.
22nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($26 USD)
access_time 6 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My main goal for the coming year is to get all the items I need to build my new house and start building it. I have finished buying the building poles and now I want to start buying iron sheets. I'm really happy and grateful for the money I got from the transfers, it's helping me a lot.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have been on a journey of gradually buying building materials for my house. My plan is to build a new house for my family, as the one we live in is small and not enough for us. Therefore, I spent $74 towards buying building poles for my house. I further used $24 to pay school fees for my children to ensure they continue with their studies uninterrupted. Finally, I used the remaining $4 of the transfers to buy food for my family.
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 9 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My main objective for the year ahead is to procure all necessary construction materials and commence the building of my new house. Over the forthcoming months, I plan to finalize the purchase of building poles before moving on to acquire the necessary quantity of iron sheets. I am overjoyed and deeply appreciative of the financial support I've received through the transfers. It has empowered me to invest in goats, and my herd has now grown to 20, marking a significant milestone towards building wealth and achieving financial stability.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I allocated a significant portion of my transfers towards purchasing building poles. The condition of my grass-thatched house has deteriorated, with rainwater seeping through its numerous gaping holes during rainfall. Enduring these challenges over the past five years, I've often faced sleepless nights due to the rainy conditions. $60 was expended on acquiring the initial set of poles, leaving 14 pieces remaining, which I aim to procure with my forthcoming transfers. Additionally, I settled a $14 school fee debt for my primary school-aged son. Struck by illness, I spent $10 on medical treatment, thankfully witnessing an improvement in my health. Furthermore, I invested $4 in purchasing four hens, anticipating their multiplication for future benefits. Finally, $14 was designated for purchasing food, ensuring sustenance for my family. I am deeply grateful for the financial assistance from Give Directly, which has significantly enhanced the quality of my life.
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?
I'm in the process of acquiring building materials like iron sheets and building poles to construct a new house. For quite some time, I've been residing in a grass-thatched hut that constantly requires maintenance. With a family of six children, none of whom have a proper dwelling, I believe this new house will provide a comfortable and secure home for all of us. My plan is to purchase a minimum of 20 iron sheets and the necessary building poles to facilitate the construction of our new house. This opportunity to have a decent home is especially significant, considering that we currently have an ample supply of food in our household. Building a house has been a challenging endeavor for us, particularly because of the difficult circumstances we've faced. My husband is no longer able to work due to his age, which has added to our challenges. Nonetheless, I am determined to see this project through to provide a better living environment for my family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I allocated a significant portion of the recent transfer towards the purchase of various building materials, including building poles, with the intention of constructing a decent, iron-roofed house. I had been residing in a grass-thatched house for several years, and the journey towards building a proper home had been quite challenging due to financial hardships. Additionally, I had the responsibility of supporting my children's education, as my husband, who is now elderly, could no longer work. I relied on casual jobs to provide for the family. The recent transfer has brought a glimmer of hope into my life, as I can now begin realizing my dream of building a comfortable house. I am currently in the process of accumulating all the necessary materials to kickstart the construction. Furthermore, I utilized a portion of the funds to clear school fees for my four children, amounting to $40. Witnessing them attend school without disruptions due to fees brings me a sense of peace. Another investment I made was purchasing six chickens for $18, which I am currently raising. My aim is to establish a thriving poultry project that will serve as a source of income for me and my family. Lastly, I used the remaining funds to procure essential food items and cover the medical expenses for one of my children who had been hospitalized. The transfer played a crucial role in ensuring that I could meet these urgent needs.
10th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES
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?
We live in a single room house that offers no privacy and cannot accommodate us comfortably. This is because we share it with our children and it also serves as our kitchen and living room. My aim is to build a more decent two room house so that we can use our current house as a kitchen and our children will also sleep in it. Even though I do not have a means of facilitating this, my transfer will come in handy as I am planning to be using part of it to purchase the necessary materials in bits.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
GiveDirectly has been a blessing in our lives. With the transfer that I usually receive, I am always at peace knowing that some of our bills will be sorted. This case was not different when I received my most recent transfer. This is because I was able to spend it on paying school fees for my children and in buying food that would last us for some days. Currently, I am happy and at peace since my children are continuing with their studies and we can at least afford to have a decent meal as a family.
5th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES
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?
This year, I want to gather all the materials I'll need to construct a house. My house has a leaking roof and is in disrepair. It's time to completely replace the roof because the old, porous, and rusted iron sheets have done me well for the last six years. I want to save enough cash to buy new iron sheets, building poles, sand, cement, and building stones. I will start building the two-room house that will house my husband, six children, and I as soon as these materials are ready. The little money I make from selling charcoal prevents me from being able to do all of these things. I intend to reach this objective by the end of this year with the aid of the money from the transer.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I was quite relieved when I received the trasanction especially because at the time I was gravely ill and I had failed to seek medical attention since I had no money. The moment I realized the arrival of the money, I immediately went ahead to spend KES 2,000 in trying to get treatment because my situation was dire. After I started feeling well, I went on to spend the remaining KES 1,400 to ensure that my family and I had a meal.
therefore I purchased six packets of maize flour and I was constantly buying clean drinking water as well.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES
access_time 2 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I am quite grateful for the generosity of the Organization and this is because the transfers have really come on handy when in comes to my day to day life. For instance, paying school fees and nutrition were quite a challenge but the donations have definitely put ease to the financial burden.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Drought has affected us back to back for a couple of years now which has led to lots of cases in starvation. I remember when I noticed the arrival of the funds I felt a sudden surge of relief especially because we had nothing to eat that day. I quickly went on to spend KES 1,000 by purchasing half a dozen packets of maize flour. Afterwards, I used another KES 1,000 to settle tuition debt for my two children because it had been two days since they had been kicked out of school. Lastly I decided to leave the balance of KES 1,000 in my savings account because I wanted to buy a goat but it would not be enough so I decided to put away that money as I waited for more.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Throughout my life, I never received free financial assistance of the magnitude that GiveDirectly provided to me. As a result, when I realized I had received my transfer, I could not contain my joy. I was overcome with joy as I remembered God's faithfulness. Because it was late at night and I was with my husband, we shared our experiences and continued to express our excitement together. That day marked a significant beginning in my life because it made it possible for me to overcome the financial constraints I had been experiencing for some time.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Following my dream of resuming livestock raising after a previous setback caused by extreme and prolonged drought, receipt of the transfer has given me renewed hope that this is possible. Since receiving my transfer, I am pleased that I have purchased a goat and am on the right track toward achieving my livestock-raising goal. It has had a positive impact on my family, so I can say it has made the biggest difference in my life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Because my ambition has always been to start raising livestock. I chose to top up my transfer of KES 1,200 with some of my savings as soon as I received it to purchase a goat. So far, I only have one goat after losing several others due to the prolonged drought that caused widespread livestock deaths in our community. With this change, I am more optimistic that my dream of raising livestock will come true soon. As a result, it will be easy for me to provide the necessary support to my family.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Imagine sleeping on the floor for over five years now! This is the condition I have been through with my family of nine. It has been a hell of an experience enduring the pain, discomfort and the cold mud floor. Receiving this money would mean an end to this condition because I plan to buy three beds and mattresses for my family. I will spend a total of 15000 KES. On monthly basis I will be saving 1800 KES til I raise enough money for this project. I also have four children who are in primary school lacking school fees. I will be paying 6000 KES per term for their school fees. The rest of the money will be spent on food and buying new clothes for my family as they have torn ones right now.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I always feel glad when my family is in good health and have enough food. Despite the challenges we go through I do motivate and urge my children that all will be well and they should work hard in school.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My family of nine depend on charcoal burning occupation which is tiresome and not have good returns. This has made it difficult for me to provide for them. Sometimes we can go upto two days without food and those in school sent home for fees which has negatively affected their academic performances. It is always stressful to me as the parent when I am unable to provide for the family's daily needs.