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 want to finish school and I believe I will be able to finish my second year thanks to Givedirectly. I have so far cleared my first year school fees and I am looking to move into the second year of study where I am required to have about $700. I am saving in the village savings group to allow me facilitate this. With this money as well as a few animals I am rearing I see myself being able to raise school fees and complete school.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a student studying automotive engineering in a college in the city. I am so thankful for Givedirectly transfers which have come in handy to take care of my schooling. I rent out a house somewhere near school, I spend $15 monthly for rent, I have spent $45 recently to ensure I have a house to live in as I study. I have also been contributing to my village saving groups and recently saved $39 to the savings group. The money also allowed me to buy food as I was in school and equallyget myself shoes at $10 and $4 respectvely.
22nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 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?
In the next year and beyond, my main goal is to ensure a smooth learning process while pursuing my college course. I started receiving transfers before joining college and have been saving part of them since my parents couldn't support me due to their lack of income. The transfers have been crucial in paying my monthly rent worth $15 and covering other needs. Moving forward, I plan to continue using the transfers for my rent and setting aside small amounts to start a clothing business worth $500 once I complete my education in July next year(2025) as this will help me earn an income.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The transfers I have been receiving from GiveDirectly have been incredibly instrumental. Since I joined college, these transfers have been my primary source of income, especially since my parents lack a reliable income. With the most recent transfer, I paid $15 for rent as I always do and saved $10 in a savings group I that joined earlier this year, knowing these savings will help me start an income-generating activity in the future. I also bought a new pair of shoes for $4 to replace my worn-out ones and purchased $5.70 worth of food to last me a few days. I am and will always remain grateful to GiveDirectly for the support they have provided me this far.
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($21 USD)
access_time 10 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The impending exams scheduled for May will require a total of $110 for registration. To prepare for this expense, I have already initiated savings, setting aside $30 as a preliminary contribution towards covering the exam fees. My paramount objective is to successfully pay for and take the exams. To accomplish this, I am committed to allocating a substantial portion of my transfers specifically for the purpose of exam payment. Additionally, I aim to allocate funds to cover the accommodation costs for my three-month duration at school. The financial assistance provided through the transfers has been pivotal in enabling me to sustain my education, and for this, I am immensely appreciative.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Last year, I enrolled in an automotive engineering program at a college in Malindi town, located far from my home. Managing my own accommodation, I allocate $20 monthly for rent. Upon receiving my transfers, I allocated $60 to cover three months' rent, effectively securing my living arrangements. Moreover, I set aside $30 to cover upcoming exam fees in May. The assistance from the transfers has been instrumental in realizing my aspirations of pursuing a career in automotive engineering. With a portion of the funds, I also purchased food for $8 and a new pair of shoes, ensuring that I never go without meals during my time at school. The continuous financial support from the transfers has been indispensable, and I am deeply grateful for the assistance it has provided me at this crucial stage of my life.
13th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($24 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 started receiving my transfers before I got into college but since that was a possibility I was pursuing started saving little by little to have enough to ensure I could pay my admission fees and do some shopping whenever I would join school. I was able to meet this goal when I finally got the chance to get into school. My dad helped start me off with school fees but with the burdening responsibilities on him I saw this cash transfers as a great way to ensure I helped in reducing my school fees debt. My plan is to continue using this cash to pay for rent and school fees to ensure I finish school in 2025 so I am able to pursue opportunities that in turn will help my family and community at large.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a student at college pursuing a Automotive engineering on a undergraduate level. Givedirectly transfers have easened my life with this pursuit in a way that allow me to concentrate on my school work. My monthly transfers are usually split to ensure that I reduce my school fees debt and also pay for my accommodation at school. I spent $10 from my June, July and August transfers to pay the rent for my house. I bought books worth $5 in June while reducing my then school fees balance of $570 by $19, I was also able to further reduce this in July by a similar amount. In July I also got two chicken which I added to my existing 3 to make 5 chicken. In August I fell ill and spent $10 to seek medical attention while $14 went into facilitating my fare back to school.
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?
Over the next two years, my primary focus will be on my studies and achieving exceptional results. Financial support plays a crucial role in attaining excellence, and fortunately, I am currently receiving monthly transfers that will enable me to meet my essential needs. In the event that my father is overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for my siblings, these transfers will ensure that I can afford necessities such as food, accommodation, and tuition fees, guaranteeing my academic progress.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Two years ago, upon finishing my secondary school education, I decided to take up temporary jobs with the intention of saving sufficient funds to attend college. My father, who is the sole provider for our family, lacked the financial means to support the education of myself and my three siblings, who are in primary and secondary school. After diligently saving for the past year, I recently enrolled in a college to pursue a certificate course in engineering. The monthly transfers I receive have proven to be immensely helpful in supporting my education financially. In the month of May, I utilized $8 from the transfers to cover transportation expenses for attending the school's open day. Additionally, $20 went towards paying my rent, as I am responsible for arranging my own accommodation since the school does not provide it. Lastly, I allocated the remaining $6 to purchase food during my initial month of enrollment. I am extremely grateful that these transfers are enabling me to fulfill my aspiration of becoming an engineer.
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 am particularly looking forward to this year because, as I have previously indicated, I am hopeful that the money I keep receiving will allow me to eventually save enough to enter college. Consequently, that will be my main objective with the money I will receive each month for the rest of the year. Aside from that, because my parents occasionally have financial difficulties, I also plan to utilize the funds to support my siblings' further education. Last but not least, I also intend to use this money to buy food for my family and me.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My sister had to go back to school at the time I received my last transfers, but my parents couldn't afford to cover her tuition. So, in order for her to return to school, I had to use KES 1,500 to cover her tuition. I then gave her an additional KES 900, of which she spent KES 500 on transportation and kept the rest as pocket money. Aside from that, I have been gradually saving money ever since I joined the program to help pay for my college. Because of this, I decided to put KES 500 into my savings account in the hopes that I would someday have enough money to resume my studies.I ended up paying KES 250 to get a new pair of shoes for my brother, leaving me with a balance of KES 250 which I used to buy sugar.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($25 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly is doing a good job in helping the less the less fortunate in the society. My family had been going for days without proper meals or even skipping some, but with the help from GiveDirectly, we no longer go hungry .
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The recent transfers from GiveDirectly were of great help. I have two school-going children, one in class 6 and the other one in class 4. Getting their school fees had always been a great challenge and on most days they are always on and off from school. This money came as a relief because I managed to clear their remaining balance of $10, in addition, I managed also to buy food amounting to $4, something that had also not been easy for me due to the current economy. And since I did not want to use all the money on other things, I decide to spend it on something that would help me in the future and I, therefore, decided to buy a young goat worth $16 knowing that in the future it would give birth, sell and use the proceeds in paying school fees for my two children with ease, thanks to GiveDirectly.
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 overwhelmed with joy when I learned of my transfer. It was sent late at night, around 8 p.m. I did not tell anyone because I was alone at the time. But I did share it the next day with my village friends who had also received their transfer. That convinced me that the GiveDirectly program is genuine and free of deception. This is opposed to what other bodies do. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for its one-of-a-kind assistance.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I had not considered that I could assist my sister because I still rely on my parents for all of my needs. However, because my parents were financially burdened, I was able to facilitate her journey to school thanks to the transfer. It made me feel good because it reminded me that I live to make a difference in someone's life. As a result, I take pride in being supportive of my sister. I am glad she traveled safely to school after developing some resentment.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I was able to support my younger sister who was returning to the school after my first transfer. Even though our parents had paid her tuition, she did not have transportation, and our parents were unable to support her. At the same time, my parents did not have enough money to cover her transportation and living expenses. As a result, I gave her KES 1,000 to help her move. The remaining KES 200 enabled me to purchase a 2kg packet of maize flour to supplement the food I was eating at the time.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I finished secondary school last year with the hope of joining college. When the results were out, I had not performed as expected by my parents, so my father refused to take me to the next level. A friend of mine, who is a mason advised me to take training on masonry giving me an assurance that the job is of high demand. Since I do not have someone to pay for my school fees I will save 2500KES each month towards getting enrolled in the nearest vocational training institute to pursue masonry. Getting the skills will help me in getting a job and prove my parents wrong.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I love football and I am a fun of the Arsenal team.Last weekend I was impressed and made proud by the performance of the game played against Westham where my team won with three goals for nil.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
After one year of tarmacking in search of a job, I finally got one (a store boy), in a hardware within the village trading center. The daily wage of 200KES can only meet my stomach needs. I am not able to buy new clothes like my fellow friends. In addition, while most of my age mates have a separate living structure from their parents I do not have one and I am forced to seek shelter from a cousin.