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 main goal for the end of this year is to obtain the title deed for the land I purchased some time ago. I’ve struggled with paying the surveyor and completing the necessary paperwork to legally own the land due to financial constraints. I’m now planning to use all the cash transfers I receive from this organization to settle this debt and secure the title deed. Once I have full ownership, I’ll be able to use the land as I wish, with plans to build rental houses in the future. Achieving this will be the start of a brighter future for me, as the land is a valuable asset that will increase in value over time.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I work as a motorcyclist, providing transportation services in my village. The income I earn is only enough to cover my family’s basic needs. Recently, I faced a stressful issue: I had bought a half-acre piece of land some time ago, but it needed a subdivision by the county surveyor. I didn’t have the funds required to complete this process. To obtain the title deed and gain full legal ownership, I needed to clear the debt for the subdivision. So, I decided to use $102 from the recent transfer I received over the past three months to pay off part of the debt. However, I still owe a balance of $400. Once I settle this balance, I will have full control over the land. My goal is to build rental houses on it in the future, as the land is located in town. I believe that achieving this will make my life much easier and provide better support for my family of four.
26th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($26 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 plan is to purchase cows, both dairy and ploughing bulls using the GiveDirectly transfers. My goal is to sell the milk and rent out the bulls for ploughing to generate income. Although I initially intended to use the transfers to start a driving course, unforeseen circumstances, such as the loss of my Mother and my wife falling ill, altered my plans. However, I remain hopeful that things will fall back into place, and I can pursue my previous plan of attending a driving school..
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Receiving the GiveDirectly cash transfers has been a true blessing for me; it has enabled me to start a poultry business. I rely heavily on these funds to purchase essential supplies for my poultry, such as poultry feed and vaccines. This amounts to $84 in three months. I sell the poultry for a minimum of $15 each, and with the proceeds, I invest in buying goats and sustaining my household needs. My wife has been unwell, leaving me as the sole provider for our family of four, with one child currently attending school. With the remaining $18 left from the last three months' transfers, I ensured our necessities were met, from food to household essentials. Since I started receiving these cash transfers, our lives have changed. I now own livestock, an asset I never dreamed of owning before.
21st 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?
I am now a proud owner of 62 fully grow chicken and 13 newly hatched chicks. I have reared chicken sold them and it has facilitated my buying goats. I now have six goats. I am working towards a bigger goal with this animals. I plan to continue with this business as long as the project continues until I am able to buy a bull and a dairy cow to ensure I am able to make an income from this two animal. The bull will be rented out during ploughing season while the dairy cow will give milk that I can sell daily.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used to be a motorbike rider and because of the nature of my work I got pneumoniae. I was out of work for a long while trying to find any work possible to raise finances until I was enrolled to the Givedirectly project. I started a chicken project with my second transfer that has been a source of my livelihood. I rear chicken and because we have had issues of chicken dying from chicken diseases I keep my chicken vaccinated. I hence spend a portion of my transfers, $3, on a vaccine monthly. I also buy the chicken feed for the chicken at $23 a sack. I use the rest of the cash, $8,to feed my family.
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($24 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 hope to buy two dairy cows, to yield around 16 litres of milk every day, which I can sell at $0.8 per litre. I'm settling for two since their maintenance is costly and requires requires more attention. Additionally, I plan to own two male cows for ploughing purposes. Where I will be charging $25 for ploughing one acre of land, in a single day. Alongside these plans, I'm striving to save $5, so as to accumulate $15 by the end of the year so as enable my purchases.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Every month, I allocate $22 for a sack of chicken feeds and an additional $3 for their vaccines, along with $1 for vitamins. This routine is necessary as I rear chickens for income generation. In total, I now have 20 mature chickens and 50 chicks. Once they reach 4 months, I sell the cockerels for $8 each, while the hens are sold for $4. I then use the proceeds to purchase goats, priced between $35 and $40. At the moment, I own three goats, two of which are expectant. My plan from there is to transition into dairy farming.
My household is consisted of five members this includes my Two children, my Mother together with my grandmother. Since the passing on of my in 2002, I've been the sole bread winner. I'm the youngest among my siblings, who all left home six years ago and have never returned. So with the remaining $8 I purchased food and attending to other household necessities. Additionally, we have harvested maize, which will sustain us for at least 4 months.
13th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($26 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 main goal is to be a driver and have an additional income to support my growing family, therefore, I plan to join a driving school to enable me to attain a truck driving license that would open for me doors of opportunities in the driving field. To achieve my goal, I would be selling and buying more poultry where I plan to sell one at $13 so that the proceeds that I would be getting would be of help in terms of facilitating my driving fees.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I currently have a chicken-rearing project that I do on large scale, and on the farm, I have around 60 local chicken. I have had this project for quite some time now and the transfers that I have been receiving from GiveDirectly had been so far of great help. With such kind of a project, one is required to ensure that the chicken are well fed and good in terms of health and therefore with the most recent transfer, I managed to buy one sack of chicken feeds and also bought poultry vaccines worth $30 to last them for one month because the money that I had was spent on school fees for the children and other necessities.With the little amount of money that I was left with, I managed to buy food for my family worth $4 since I was also running out of stock. I was grateful for the support so far that GiveDirectly had accorded me.
9th 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?
Courtesy of previous cash transfers, I own a poultry business, consisting of at least 50 chickens. My next focus is to build a one-room house, made of brick walls and an iron sheet roof. Last year, I moved into my grandmother’s house after mine collapsed from rain. I feel that staying in our own space will bring enough privacy to my wife and two children. Since I recovered some iron sheets and planks from the previous structure, I will require at most $800 to complete the exercise. With the $30 that my wife and I save from every monthly transfer, I would be relieved to finish the construction by the end of the year.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am very grateful towards the generosity of the organization especially because through the funds that I keep receiving eventually had the opportunity to start investing in the poultry business.
I happen to have ten hens and about fifty chicks so far which is why I ended up spending KES 1,900 of the transfers in buying chicken feed and also their medication to treat them as well. Afterwards I proceeded to spend the remaining balance of KES 1,500 on nutrition by purchasing five packets of maize flour and two kilograms of sugar especially since nourishment was also a recurring challenge.
6th Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($25 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Previously, I was a motorcycle taxi rider unfortunately, I developed pneumonia due to the cold that it exposed me to. I had no choice but quit it as was recommended by the doctor. I was not lucky to get a better education so the only choice I had was to engage in any available casual work within the village, but they are not reliable and for the few available, the payments are low. Poultry rearing has always been my desire but I could not afford the capital. I felt relieved when GiveDirectly promised us the cash transfers. Therefore, I spent the first three transfers on setting up the poultry project and since then, I have been spending the subsequent transfers including the most recent ones on both their feeds and vaccines. The chickens have laid and I now have more than thirty of them including the young ones. This will be a boost to my household income once the young ones mature. I am thankful to GiveDirectly for helping to realize my dream.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($26 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly, in my opinion, does a good job of avoiding discrimination during the enrollment process. During the door-to-door visitation, all of its field workers are attentive and patient with the recipients. The entire registration process is always very transparent and free of favoritism. As a result, many members of the community, particularly the less fortunate, are considered for its financial assistance. So far, I have not yet observed anything that GiveDirectly does not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Previously, I only had one free-range local chicken. I had always wanted to try raising chicken farming, but I could not because I am a motorcycle rider. My earnings are insufficient to meet my family's basic needs of clothing and food. As a result, when my transfer was confirmed, I considered establishing a chicken farming venture at home. I used all of my money to buy 15 chicks for KES 3,000. I plan to raise them and then sell them once they are completely grown. After selling all of my hens before the end of the year, I am hoping to start raising goats.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($10 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Going on with the daily routine at my workplace, I received the text message from GiveDirectly and I was quite elated as it came as a surprise. I had a sigh of relief since my brother had medical bills and I was now able to sort them out. I withdrew the amount the same day and went to clear with the hospital.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Seeing my brother out of danger and at home recovering has been a great sight and I am forever grateful for GiveDirectly. The next transfer I receive, I plan on starting poultry farming to improve the income prospects.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a motorbike rider at Mariakani and that is where I get my daily income which I provide for my lovely wife and kid. On receiving the KES 1200 from GiveDirectly, I was quite relieved as my elder brother had been unwell and in hospital. He had been involved in a grisly road accident that left him with a broken waist and needed the medical attention urgently. I spent the amount in addition to what I had on his treatment since his condition had left me quite low emotionally. I can comfortably say that he is now recuperating at home after the medical bills were cleared.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Sharing a house with my grandmother is what troubles me. I will use my transfers to construct a two-bedroom house for my family of three. The structure is projected to cost around 80,000 KES. This will save me the humiliation I am getting from the community as it is taboo for a married man to share a rooftop with his grandmother.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The support my wife has accorded this family is immeasurable. She has singlehandedly devoted to saving us during this hour of need. I am happy that she doing it without a single complaint.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Motorcycle riding is my source of livelihood. Life took a spin last year when I was diagnosed with pneumonia and the doctor urged me to quit my job. We now surviving at the mercy of my wife who has resorted to vending mangoes to make ends meet.