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.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($492 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different than how it would have been because I have been able to boost our family business. Due to this, the returns have started increasing due to increased number of customers. This is because most people nowadays know that they will find all the items they need in my shop unlike before. I am glad that I have been able to achieve all this as it would have been impossible had it not have been for the transfer.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my own opinion, GiveDirectly does well by giving out unconditional cash to people which will not be repaid and I do not see anything that they do not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We used to operate a small business in our neighborhood. When I received my transfer, I spent KES 20,000 to boost this business by buying more stock. We settled on this as a family so that we would have higher returns from it due to increased sales. In addition to this, I spent KES 10,000 to pay school fees for my children. With this, I am glad that they were able to continue with their studies without any disturbances. Also, I spent around KES 8,000 in improving our house by cementing the floor. Using the remaining amount, I bought some food and clothes for my family.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($500 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I am a mason and I was at work building a house for a client when someone called me from back home to ask me if I had received the transfer and I said that I had not. They hanged up and when I checked my phone, the transfer message was there. I was so happy that I could not explain.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The Covid-19 pandemic had really affected my job as a mason and I was not sure where to get money to pay school fees for my children. Thank you GiveDirectly for coming through for us and now we have a small business as well as many clients since most people are building houses from the transfers they received.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We started a small kiosk business and paid school fees for my children who are in school. The kiosk business is what I have always wanted to have for my wife so that we have extra income.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
As a parent, I want the best for my children so as in the future they can have a better life than mine. Nowadays, when a child get good education he can secure a better future by securing best jobs. I have one at the secondary level and two others at the primary level. Yearly, I am supposed to raise 100,000 shillings for the school fees and other necessary items required in school like books and personal items for boarding ones. The only source of our income is poultry farming and subsistence farming but due to prolong drought and diseases it has not been doing well. In the past, we use to harvest around 15 sacks of maize in a 1-acre piece of land but now it realize 4 sacks only and this can only be consumed at home. Receiving this money will assist to pay schools for my children on time. This will give them humble time to concentrate in their studies unlike before mostly they were at home due to arrears.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Usually I am suppose to prepare my land in advance for the next planting seasons. Since most of my income goes to paying school fees, I am left with non. Hence, we are suppose to plough it manually and at the end of the day, I am very exhausted. In the evening, I get time to rest and listening to the news, and having common meals with my children.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship in my life is lack of stable source of income. We depend mainly on subsistence farming but due to prolonged drought, my 1-acre piece of land could only yield 4 sacks of maize and this can only be consumed by my family of six. Since my only source of income has no longer be productive most of the time my children were at home due to arrears. This has been stressing me alot seeing them not in schools like other children.
