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 ($433 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 long-term goal is to install water in my home. The recent famine has made me think of a long time solution. I fetch water from the river and whenever there is no water I have to pay for it. Installing water needs $500, I have been saving money in a SACCO and I plan to take a loan for installation.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Educating us on ways of spending the transfer in the best possible way so that we can improve our lives. GiveDirectly does not get tired of asking us a question, they have different language speakers that favor the ones that do not understand English or Kiswahili.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My mother died five years ago and l was left with my father. My father married another woman and ever since life has never been the same. I have a younger brother in school that I pay school fees for, and it has been difficult to pay school fees for him due to other responsibilities at my home. I have three children, two in school that I pay school fees for. I do casual jobs such as masonry getting a wage of $10 whenever I am called in for a job which does not happen most of the time. This money mostly enables me to buy food for my family and pay part of the school fees for my children. With the recent drought, water has been expensive, and juggling all the bills has been difficult. Receiving this money has enabled me to pay school fees arrears for my brother which was $300 and build a house for my family with $230.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($470 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I am a motorcyclist and, on this day, while I was getting ready to leave for work, I heard a message alert on my phone. I rushed to check and saw that I had received funds from give directly. This brightened my day and I also felt favored. I shared the news with my wife and she was as excited as I was. We first went to buy a bed and two mattresses. At 1 pm is when I started working.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My work as a motorcyclist comes with its challenges every day. This gets even worse if one lacks a driver license. For days, when I was unable to renew mine, I was limited to only operating in certain areas to avoid being arrested and that will mean paying a fine of KES 5000. If unfortunately, I happen to the merry-go-round we have as motorcyclists would deduct from my contribution and if it's less, they would chip in from their pockets and I am left to pay back in reasonable installments. When I got the funds from give directly, without a second thought, I took KES 7000 to renew my driver license. I now can move around without fear of arrest and this has increased my earnings.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used the funds to renew my motorcycle driver licence. I then bought 22 iron sheets and some tree logs. This is so I could build a new two-room house where my three children, my wife, and I would be living in. The current one has only one room and is very squeezed. I then bought two mattresses, one was to replace the one I had which was very old and then gave it to my children to sleep on. I also bought another bed that my wife and I slept on. I was unable to do all this before because of the limited earnings I make as a motorcyclist. That is, KES 1000 to KES 2000 on a good day and on other days I could even make a little as KES 400. From it, I get to pay the owner of the motorcycle KES 2800 weekly.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I work as a motorcycle rider and I hire bikes to work with every day for 300 KES as hiring few which I submit to the motorcycle owner everyday. This has always been the trend but I thank God because the story will change, I intend to buy a new motorbike for my job. I have always dreamed of self-employment and this is the chance. With the remaining amount, I will renovate my house with concrete pillars to make it firm to withhold strong winds and heavy rains.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I recall I was in my house just seated with no job to do, I received a call to go and pick someone to take to Kilifi with a motorbike. This is always fast money because it is 1500 to and from Kilifi. I made 1500 within 3 hours and I was happy because my firstborn was home for school fees. I was able to pay the school fees arrears and buy food for that day too.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
In life there must be ups and downs, I work as a motorbike rider in my village. Today I have not made any cash, sometimes I come home empty-handed and wish I was not married I could sleep hungry alone. With my class eight education, I can not get any white-collar job so I have to do a casual job to get food for my family. If given I chance I could go back to school and finish my education so that I can get better jobs.
