first hand
Direct(ly) (as opposed to second hand, or from a source other than oneself). Often hyphenated if used as a modifier before a noun. As a teacher, I've seen first hand how reading can change children's lives. We were finally about to hear some first-hand accounts of what happened.
(at) first ˈhand
from your own experience or knowledge, rather than from somebody else; directly: I know at first hand what it is like to be poor; we always had very little money at home.We have a first-hand account of the raid from a witness.