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?
Next year, I hope to enroll in a tailoring college and pursue my dream of furthering my education. To achieve this, I have been diligently saving a portion of the monthly transfers I receive from GiveDirectly. Every dollar I set aside brings me closer to my goal, and with each passing month, I see my college dream becoming more real. By saving now, I will ease the burden on my hardworking parents, who already provide for my siblings and me. I want to take responsibility for my future and lighten their load. Once I get into college, I will be able to focus on my studies without worrying too much about finances.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a young lady still living with my parents, eagerly waiting to join a tailoring college. My parents, who do casual jobs, have always provided for me, but I wanted to take some steps to lighten their load. With the recent three transfers, I first used $25 to pay off my secondary school fee arrears, which had been preventing me from getting my certificates. I felt such a sense of relief and joy when I finally held those certificates in my hands. It’s a big step towards my future, as I know these documents will open doors for me when I start my tailoring course. After settling that important matter, I spent $9 on personal effects. I wanted to feel more comfortable and take care of myself as I prepared for the next phase of my life. The remaining $68, I decided to save. I plan to keep adding to this amount with each transfer I receive, so when the time comes to join the college, I won’t have to struggle too much. This way, I can ease the burden on my parents, who have worked hard to support me. I’m confident that saving now will give me peace of mind and help me move forward smoothly when the time arrives to pursue my dreams.
22nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 USD)
access_time 3 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I am planning to join college once I finish my computer classes. To achieve this goal, I want to invest my transfers in a goat-rearing project. Since my parents are jobless and raising my fees would be difficult for them, I need to plan well to ensure I use my transfers wisely to continue my education. Therefore, I want to buy goats and keep them at home. I appreciate that since I started receiving these transfers, I am able to pay my fees, relieving my parents from the financial burden. When it’s time for me to join college, I will sell some of my goats to pay my fees. This is my dream for the coming year and beyond.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my most recent transfer, I allocated part of it, $68, to pay my college fees. This has been possible because I now receive transfers from GiveDirectly, which has provided my family with financial relief. Additionally, I used $6 for bus fare to and from school. I also spent $3 on buying books for my computer classes, which I joined immediately after finishing my form four studies. With the remaining $25, I purchased foodstuffs for my stay while attending school. Currently, I am not staying at school but with a relative.
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($24 USD)
access_time 7 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My main focus right now is joining college and continuing with my education. From there, I plan to venture into livestock rearing to generate income. I hope to establish a stable source of income for myself and my family. I'm so grateful for the support that GiveDirectly has provided us.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I had school fees arrears when I was completing my high education, and I paid $30 from the GiveDirectly transfers to clear the arrears. My father lost his job in November, three months before I cleared high school. Since then he has not been able to secure another. My mother, on the other hand, is unemployed, and providing for the family has been a struggle with my four siblings still in school and fully depending on them. I then saved $60 to pay for my college fees as I'm soon joining college and pursue computer studies. I was left with $12 to buy my personal items. It's been a while since I bought myself something, and being a new year, I had to. Before the GiveDirectly transfers, I would say affording school fees for us was a struggle, and putting food on the table was not easy. I'm so happy with how GiveDirectly has transformed our lives.
13th 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?
Teaching is my passion, my intention is to further my education and eventually build a career in teaching. Once I secure a job, I hope to ease some of the financial burdens that my father currently bears. Additionally, I will use the transfers to purchase and raise goats as a source of generating an income, which I currently lack. I am eternally thankful for the assistance provided by GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I'm currently a high school student in my final year of study, financing my own education. With the last three transfers from GiveDirectly, I allocated $90 to cover my school expenses. Prior to benefiting from the transfers, there were long periods when I couldn't attend school due to a lack of school fees. We would often be sent back home, together with my four siblings. The most my father could manage was to send one of us back to school, while the rest had to wait. This waiting period was quite lengthy, as no one could predict when he would have the money. He worked as a casual laborer at a bakery in a different town and would return home once every three months. I'm so grateful for the GiveDirectly transfers, although he occasionally assists with my school expenses, the majority of his earnings are used to support my siblings.Meanwhile, my mother is primarily engaged in farming for food production, and I utilized the $32 left from the transfers to meet our other essential needs.
I take great pleasure in the fact that we can now comfortably pursue our education.
10th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($25 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?
I'm interested in buying goat to support my college education and fulfill my dream of becoming a secondary teacher. I'll carefully consider the purpose of the goat, choosing a breed that holds good market value, such as dairy or meat goats. It's important to plan a budget that covers the initial investment and ongoing expenses, including shelter, food, and healthcare. Balancing my responsibilities as a goat owner with my studies will be a priority. I'll also develop a strategy for selling the goats when they reach an appropriate age or size. While raising goats for profit can be challenging, I'm ready to put in the necessary effort. Exploring alternative funding options will be beneficial as a backup plan. Ultimately, my goal is to gain the qualifications and experience required to become a successful secondary teacher. I'm excited about this opportunity and will work hard to achieve my aspirations.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
In the midst of my Form Four journey, I found myself in a challenging financial situation. Despite this, I prioritized my education and took action. With only $30, I paid my school fees, knowing that investing in my future was crucial. The remaining $3 was wisely spent on books and pens, which became invaluable tools for my academic progress. It was a moment filled with mixed emotions, as I understood the significance of self-reliance while also feeling a sense of determination and resilience. Even without immediate support from my parents, I remained focused on my educational goals, determined to overcome obstacles and succeed in my studies.
6th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 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?
My parents do not have a reliable source of income except for running a small unsustainable business. Consequently, they struggle to raise our school fees. From the time I got enrolled in the program, I developed a goal of using my monthly transfers to pay my fees. I am optimistic to complete my secondary education end of this year. It will enable me to get an opportunity to join college and pursue a course in education. I aspire to become a teacher to contribute back to our society.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am the firstborn among five siblings. I am in form four, and I hope to complete my O'level of study by the end of this year. When I received my most recent transfer, I had fee arrears of $80. I, therefore, opted to spend $30 on paying my school fees arrears. I was sent home to collect school fees two days prior. I am glad courtesy of the transfers, I could make fee payments and resume learning. Currently, I am advancing well in my studies, and I am grateful to GiveDirectly.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($25 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give directly did well to provide the funds in my village because most of us that are incapable of affording our tuition fees can use the monthly funds to cover at least part of the fees. Personally, all my plans to complete high school and go to college would not exist if they did not enroll me in the program.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am the firstborn in a family of five children. My father works in a bakery and my mother is unemployed. We have been having financial issues that have affected our education because my father is the breadwinner and his earnings are not enough to meet all our needs. I am in secondary school and my siblings are in a lower primary school. It has been a struggle for my parents to raise the $110 school fees per term for me. As soon as I received my transfer, I used $25 to settle some of the outstanding school fees to enable me to continue with my classes and bought some of the required textbooks with the remaining cash. I am grateful because at the time they sent home me, my parents didn’t know how to raise the cash and pay the school fees within that short time.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($10 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was filled with a sudden surge of complete happiness when I noticed the money had come in and this is because I was looking forward to paying for my tuition and my parents were struggling so I knew this was definitely going to be a huge relief for them as well.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The funds mostly assisted me when it came to my education because through them I managed to settle the debt that I had and I was allowed back to class without the fear that I could be get kicked out at any moment, so it was definitely a burden that was lifted off me.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The following day after I had received the money I decided to settle my tuition debt, so I ended up paying KES 1,000 for myself because my parents were struggling financially to make ends meets because they had no jobs and they also had my four younger siblings to look after as well. I was left with KES 170 which I decided to buy a kilogram of rice because it was a meal that me and my family were craving.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I'm currently a form three student attending Mnazimwenga Mixed Secondary School. I have been having problems a lot with school fees as my father who normally pays for me doesn't do so in time regularly. This has affected my performance a lot over the time. And being a first born in a family of four, I strongly feel my father won't comfortably make it and so when I start getting these transfers I want to just relieve him a little bit off paying my school fees. He works with a particular food production company in Mombasa town focused on bakery products. I do not know how much he earns but he doesn't seem to be doing so great, and because he still has a long way to go, I want to just help him out when I can.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I remember two months ago precisely in February this year, my mother bought me a particular African dress called kitenge which are beautiful and expensive. I was extremely happy because I really love them and the only reason I do not have a lot of them is because I can not afford it. This to o me was the best gift I have ever received.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest challenge has been raising and getting to pay school fees in time before I'm sent home. I have struggled a lot with this and sometimes even got to be out for longer than three weeks when my father had problems paying school fees in time. Again whenever I'm sent home to collect balances, I have a long chain to deal with starting from contacting him, then he takes days to look for money and get back to me which I interferes with my learning.