GDLive Newsfeed
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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over 2 years ago
Gilbert
received a $470 initial payment.
"I used KES 43,000 to repay the debt that was pending from the office where I bought the motorbike from. I purchased a motorcycle on hire purchase. I was paying KES 10,400 per month. This was so much and I was struggling to repay and at the same time meet the household needs of my family. Currently, it is much easier since I had reduced my debt. I spend the rest of the money on food and household items and I was so grateful for the support because GiveDirectly had eased my work. I no longer get worried like before."
(Occupation: Motorcycle or bicycle taxi)
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over 2 years ago
Kahindi
received a $470 initial payment.
"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. "
(Occupation: Motorcycle or bicycle taxi)
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over 2 years ago
Katana
enrolled.
"Lack of support from my parents is the biggest challenge I am currently facing. Since my parents decided to separate me from their household life has never been the same. I have to work as a taxi driver at my tender age and provide for myself and my 2 cousins with whom we lived together."
(Occupation: Motorcycle or bicycle taxi)
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profile
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over 2 years ago
Katana
enrolled.
"What a boring life! The harsh economic situation has struck me so hard to an extent that, my motorcycle taxi work does not earn me as I expect. This is because my passengers are no longer reliable since they lack money to facilitate their transportation. In a day, I am currently making 300 KES which is also not consistent. This means I forfeit meals on some days and also, my children have been frequently sent home due to lack of fees. This situation has robbed away my joy, and it has subjected me to a lot of stress."
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profile
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over 2 years ago
Tabu
received a $471 initial payment.
"I spent Kshs 45,000 to buy a motorcycle for my husband, to run the family's errands as well as for business purposes. My husband had no source of income and most of the times he could work as a casual worker, of which, whatever he was paid on a daily basis could not put food on the table.
I started a grocery business , whereby I used Kshs 10,000. I decided on this kind of business as it has high demand ."
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profile
access_time
over 2 years ago
Kadii
enrolled.
"Receiving this money means education of my first born son. He completed primary school last year and he is yet to transition to secondary school because I do not have money to cater for his education. I am planning to spend KES 40,000, an amount that will cater for his full year school fees. I will further use KES 15,000 to buy four goats for domestic rearing. By the time my son will be done with secondary school, the goats will have multiplied and I will sell them to cater for his higher education fees."
(Occupation: Motorcycle or bicycle taxi)
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profile
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over 2 years ago
Kazungu
enrolled.
"I depend on operating motorcycle taxis as a means of earning income. Unfortunately I do not have a motorcycle and this means that my income is not consistent. I sometimes do not get a motorcycle and when I do, I have to give 400 KES to the owner at the end of the day. Being a father of 6 children, it is very difficult satisfying the family's needs. Food, clothing and school fees are the toughest of them all."
(Occupation: Motorcycle or bicycle taxi)
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profile
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over 2 years ago
Joseah
received a $471 initial payment.
"I bought iron sheets worth KES 24000 and used another KES 5000 on clothes for my children. I saved the remaining amount to be combined with the second transfer before we can start building a new house for the family. We have been living in a small house with my family and my sons have already graduated to adulthood. My plan was to leave our current house to them so they can have a place to sleep and have their privacy. I feel so much elated that I am finally going to be able to build this house since I was always getting worried of where I would get the money to put it up and with some of my children joining secondary school I was already struggling to pay their school fees. I have five children under my care and I work as a motorcycle operator to earn a living."
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profile
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over 2 years ago
Salama
received a $472 initial payment.
"On this day, when I woke up, the first thing I did was check my phone and I saw a message that confirmed I had received funds from give directly. At first, I was in doubt. I thought that it was the con men. But when I confirmed my balance, I saw that it was true. immediately told my husband who was very happy for me. Since I had made plans of improving the house, we first bought the kids a 5 by 6 bed and a mattress."
(Occupation: Motorcycle or bicycle taxi)
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profile
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over 2 years ago
Hinzano
received a $472 initial payment.
"I had just woken up and while I was going through my phone, I saw a message. upon reading, I saw that I had received funds from give directly. I was very ecstatic and this brightened my day. In my mind, I had two things I had been yearning to do; buying a motorcycle and building a new house. I contemplated then I saw it best to settle for the motorcycle. This will bring in more money which I would use to build a house for my family (my wife and my four-month-old baby)."
(Occupation: Motorcycle or bicycle taxi)
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