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.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In four months’ time, my new goal for my life is to ensure that my child who is soon joining the fourth form will have his fees cleared so that he can have ample time to study for his final education.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months is that I have been able to provide for my children, both education wise and also basic needs. The most joyous part of is that they have been studying in school without being sent back to collect school since I have been paying courtesy of the transfers that I get from GiveDirectly. I also feel I have fulfilled my parental duty where I am required to provide for my children’s daily food without failure. I can’t compare what has been happening before to now. A lot more changes, positively have happened.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In six months’ time, I expect to have started an investment plan that will help me in saving for my children’s education. The challenge that I have been having in educating the one who just completed high school gave me learnings which I want to effectively put them into practice so that I may be caught offside when that time comes.
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is currently different from how it was four months ago since I am now able to able to pay my National Hospital Insurance Fund contribution without difficulty. I used to struggle to raise money to get quality medication because I did not have the money to pay for. Receiving this money, I acquired an NHIF card which I service on a monthly basis. I do not struggle to pay for it and I get quality medication because I am able to service my card well.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My additional goal is to save the remaining transfers so that I can use them collectively to pay school fees for my son who is joining form four next year. In his last year of secondary school, I would not want him to be sent home regularly for school fees. This will affect his performance and I know he is a bright boy. I would want him to get the best grades and get a chance to go to a good university and have a quality education.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer is my daily income from my charcoal business which has increased. This is because I have been using my transfers to expand this business by adding more stock. I have added more bags of charcoal which has enabled me to reach out to many customers and soon if all goes well, I will have wholesale for the business. The profits from the business which is my income have helped me provide for my family needs well and in time.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in the next six months in that I will have saved enough money to use in paying school fees for my children. With this, I will be optimistic that my son will not be sent back home next year due to lack of school fees. I would want them to have maximum time in school so that they can study well and pass their examinations.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My charcoal business in our trading center has really improved. I use part of the transfer to buy more of it that has to lead to an increase in the proceeds I earn from the business. Initially, I would close the shop for some days in a month whenever I needed money for us because drawing any amount from the business always paralyzed it. Currently, this is not the case. I also get enough for my entire family o a daily basis
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to buy cement for completing the houses I am building. It is my new goal to finish the construction and move to live in my own piece of land where I will have the freedom to utilize the land space to produce crops that will help me in meeting my family's needs.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months I easily meet my children's needs. This is the first time ever when I have to pay for two children in secondary school at the same time. This has been straining my finances. Having a helping hand form GiveDirectlly has made things possible. As a result, I have been able to continue with home development projects such as building a house in our new piece of land so that we can settle there. Without GiveDirectly, this would have stopped as I would focus on educating my children.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to have changed in the next six months. I will have moved to my own home that I just built. I have been living on my parent's farm and was facing lots of problems from my brothers who didn't want me to stay at home as a single mother.
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 6 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
The difference in my life is the happiness that we have with my children. Things were initially tough because we solely depended on my small charcoal business and rarely would we get enough. Now we are able to meet basic needs and we are happy about this.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to relocate to a piece of land that I bought. I will move so as to live with my children because we currently live with my parents.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
My life is different because I can now save little cash here and there. This is because the transfers cater for basic needs such as food that would otherwise be catered for from what I get from my small business of selling charcoal. I then save my cash to pay school fee for my children.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to be better in the next six months. I expect my children to continue well in school by consistently paying their secondary education.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
2735 KES ($27 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I have a goal of expanding my business because this will help me not strain a lot because i will have enough money.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I would have strained very much because i would be lacking financial support.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I am planning to build a new house for my family now that my business will have picked up well.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I am now able to sell more products per day hence i am able to get more money to provide for my family.
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in my life is struggling to pay school fees for my children.At one time my son who has now completed secondary education stayed at home for long due to lack of school fees.It called for the intervention of one of our clansmen who decided to talk to the school principal for my son to continue with his studies in a nearby day school as I looked for school fees.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening after I am through with the day's activities.This is because my mind is now relaxed.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer on building a house so that I can move out of our ancestral land to my own land which I bought.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
Buying my own piece of land where I can build my own house is the achievement that I am proudest of.