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?
Before the transfers, I did not have good household items such as seats, utensils and bedding. I used to have old ones especially my seat which I inherited from my elder brother who moved back to the village. It has been my desire to improve the status of my house and life in general but due to low income from casual work, I was not able to. This is why I have been using part of my monthly transfers to buy an item on a monthly basis for my house. Right now, I have a new sofa set in my living room, new bedding and anytime we eat, I feel good because we use new utensils. Thanks to GD.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
I want to continue using my transfers for saving. I have seen how savings have been very helpful especially when my daughter was sick. Had it not been for the savings, I would have to borrow, seek for help or even take a loan. The transfer made a lot of difference in my life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my transfer on paying for medication for my daughter who was sick at the time when I received my transfers. The transfers came in handy because I was already overwhelmed with the hospital bills. My daughter is now doing fine. I also used part of the transfer to pay my house rent. I was late with rent payment because I used most of my savings to take my children to school and to pay for medication for my daughter. That is why I had to wait for the transfers to pay my rent. The rest of the transfer I used on buying food. I have developed a habit of buying food on a monthly basis. This has helped in financial planning and reducing our daily spending.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
3997 KES ($39 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I am happy with the progress I have made in my life since I started receiving money from GD. As a result of GD transfers, I have managed to buy new household items such as television, seats and utensils. These are things I did not have before the transfers. I only had a handful of utensils which I bought three years ago and they were worn out. I was not comfortable using them especially when I had visitors in my house. When I used the transfer to buy the items, I feel so proud of myself because I don't have to go to my neighbours' house to watch television. I have my own now.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My new goal, for now, is to save to help me buy a motorcycle. I do not have a stable source of income now and I since I did not get a good education, I prefer doing business. This is why I have chosen to save for buying a motorcycle.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my transfer on paying for medical bills for my wife who was sick and admitted. I would have struggled to get the money without Give Directly.
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
5000 KES ($48 USD)
access_time over 4 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 currently different because the money has enabled me to pay for my house rent on time unlike before when my house would be locked for weeks. I am a casual laborer and the little money I got from my casual jobs was not enough to cater for all my needs. I used to sleep in my friend's houses on such occasions. It is usually embarrassing to ask for accommodation but I didn't have any option. Ever since Give Directly came into my life, I have been able to cater to my family's needs. This has given me an opportunity to save some money that I plan to use in reviving my business of selling second-hand clothes
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
I had previously started a small business of selling second-hand clothes a few months ago. Since my expenses exceeded the profit I used to make out of these businesses, the businesses ended up collapsing because I did not have enough money to add new stock. However, when I began receiving this money, I decided to save enough money and revived the business. I still need to add a few items to make it operational and fully set for the next coming months. I thank Give Directly for helping me achieve this goal.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 2500 of my most recent transfer on paying my house rent. I no longer have issues with my landlord because the money has enabled me to pay my rent on time. I also spent KES 1700 to cater for my household basic needs such as food and clothing. I have saved the remaining amount with the intention of starting a business of selling second-hand clothes in the next few months. Since I have also been able to cater for most of my family's basic needs and expenses created an opportunity for me to save money I get from the casual jobs
4th Payment
Transfer Amount
5000 KES ($49 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My goal now that I have started receiving the money is to start a business of selling second-hand clothes. I married recently and having a family without a source of income is very hard. Opening this business will engage me all day and it will also be my source of income. I will be using my profits to cater for my daily needs and pay my bills. I believe that by starting a business, my life will totally change even after when I will not be receiving transfers from GiveDirectly anymore.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving payments from GiveDirectly is that I no longer live with the fear of my house being locked by the landlord again like before. Because of this, my neighbors now respect me since the last time my landlord locked my house was before receiving these transfers. They all now see me as a responsible person even though I do not have any stable job, I still pay my rent.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I depend on any available casual work and I sometimes I do not get any at all. Because of this, I sometimes do not get money to use in paying my house rent. When I received my most recent transfer, I spent part of it to pay my house rent since I did not have money to use it. I spent the remaining amount to buy food to last me for some time so that I can have something to put in my stomach even when I do not find any work to do.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
My heart was filled with happiness the moment I started receiving my money because at that time, my landlord had locked my house since I had not paid my rent for three consecutive months. This money gave me hope that my landlord will never lock my house again as I would be using it to pay my house rent on time.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I plan to use this money to invest in a business if clothes selling that I used to do but couldn't continue after my business structure was demolished in the road side. This business will make me financially stable and save me from the daily job hunting.
Secondly this money will help me in payments of my rent that I do lack money to pay for many times in a month.
I also use this money to assist me in getting or buying my daily food.
Describe your biggest worry.
My top concern is always about tribalism in my area especially during electioneering periods whereby even the most and long time friends do turn against each other due to bad ethnicity and being divided along political and tribal lines. This negative tribalism due cause disharmony,suspicion and at times results into chaos like last 2018.
I also do worry about gang or violence and crime that at times is very rampant in my area due to many youths being idle and lack something to do especially economic activity.
Housing and rent payment too is my usual worry since I can't always afford to pay for my rent on time due to the casual nature of my job since at times I don't get money at all.
What are your greatest ambitions?
My main ambition is to be a great father to my child whom right now I am separated by his mother after some disagreements. I want my child to be raised in a very upright and good moral culture .
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
In my usual day I do wake up very early in the morning and go looking for houses most of the times I does casual labor of selling firewood especially to the hotels and alcohol brewing points.
While in my free time, I do watch movies and hung out with friends. At times I do go to football ground if there is some ball games there.
