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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($517 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The business which I started with the transfers is the biggest difference in my life. Without the money, I would not be having an income-generating activity like now. I did not want to go back to the struggles I used to have before the transfers through casual work which was not even enough for our daily needs. I know the future will be bright because of the business I started with GD transfers.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
According to me, GD did well to give cash to every household in the village without discrimination. There is nothing that went wrong.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent my transfer on starting a printing business as a way of investing the transfers. I did not have any source of income before the transfers and thought it wise to invest in an income-generating activity.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($532 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
My ambition over the last few years was to join a college from which I would at least get some skills in hairdressing and cosmetics. However, I could not raise enough tuition fees to enrol in college. When I received my transfer, I decided to save it to allow me to join the college in a month to come. I am hopeful that once I finish my course, I will be able to open my salon in town. To me, enrolling to college is the biggest difference in my life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was woken up by a message notification on my phone early in the morning and on checking to confirm who the sender was, I was greatly overjoyed and excited as I learnt the message was from GiveDirectly informing me that I had finally received my first transfer. I was even happier on the thought that I would soon join a college to get skills on hairdressing and start my salon.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I have not yet spent my transfer, however, I have saved it to enable me to pay for tuition fee as I will be joining a college on hairdressing very soon. I have always desired to get the skills that will enable me to start my salon in town. Through it, I will be able to generate income through self-employment. I am also planning to start a poultry project from the amount that will remain. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for the transfer will enable me to achieve some things that seemed impossible to me.
Enrolled
access_time almost 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
In my life, I have wished to own a chemistry shop for my husband to operate, in order to have a reliable source of income for the family. This aspiration has never come through because of financial challenges we currently face, something that has forced me to do Early Childhood Development teaching in contract basis so that I provide our basic needs . Despite my husband having knowledge on general medicine, he is yet to be employed and this has forced him to do contracts work which they have low lifespan. Receiving this money means meeting my life goal of starting the chemistry shop. This will transform our life for the better and hence, it is this change that what receiving this money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
When I wake up in the morning, I take a maximum of one hour working in my farm. Thereafter, I leave to school where I work as an early childhood development teacher. I spend the whole day there and come back home in the evening when I am so exhausted. It is in the evening when I get ample time to rest, and therefore, I consider evening as the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My feeling is that, lack of reliable source of income is my biggest hardship. This is because, I have been hustling a lot as an early childhood development teacher in order to support my husband who was doing general medicine course. Since his completion, he has never been employed, something that has forced him to do contracts work to supplement my little income. Our combined earnings are never enough to sustain our family needs and this makes me feel that, unreliable source of income as the biggest hardship I have ever faced.
