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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4 months ago
Duncan
received a $27 twenty-ninth payment.
"This year has been a journey of hard work and dreams coming true. I took out a loan to purchase a motorcycle, and I have been working tirelessly to pay it off by the end of the year. Currently, I have an outstanding loan balance of $783, and I am determined to finish repaying it soon. To clear the loan, I plan to use a portion of my transfers in addition to my earnings that I make from my motorcycle taxi business, allowing me to make larger payments and aim for full repayment within the next four months. Once I have cleared this debt, my goal is to take another step forward by acquiring another motorcycle on loan. With this new bike, I plan to employ someone else, creating a job while also generating additional income. This new venture will help me secure a better future for my family, ensuring that my younger siblings have what they need for school and that we never have to worry about food or clothing again. I dream of a life where my hard work today leads to a brighter and more stable tomorrow."
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4 months ago
Kasena
received a $27 thirty-third payment.
"My greatest accomplishment will be building a new, spacious house for my family. With the monthly savings I am setting aside from a portion of my transfers, along with the ones I will continue to save from future transfers, I am optimistic that I will achieve this goal. God willing, by March next year, I hope to have my house in place. This goal holds immense significance for me because I have long desired to provide a larger and more comfortable home for my family, but financial constraints have always been a major obstacle. In addition to my housing goal, I run a kiosk where I sell household consumables. My plan is to invest a portion of my future transfers into my business so that it can grow and better support my family’s needs. Once the house is complete, I also intend to save more of my transfers to buy bulls that I can use to plow my farm. Currently, I rely on manual labor, which is very exhausting. Additionally, I plan to hire out the bulls to earn extra income that will further support my family. I am extremely grateful for the financial support I have received so far, as it has played a crucial role in transforming my life and bringing me closer to realizing this dream."
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4 months ago
Mwenda
received a $27 thirty-third payment.
"I currently live in a small one-room house with my children, and my plan is to use the transfers I receive to gradually buy building materials until I have enough to construct a two-room house that can comfortably accommodate us. This new house will fulfill my long-time dream and bring me immense happiness. In addition to building our new home, I plan to continue saving a portion of my transfers. Once I have pooled enough funds, I intend to buy goats. I hope these goats will multiply, providing a valuable resource for the future. By selling them, I will be able to fund my children's education, especially as they transition to higher levels of schooling, which can be quite costly. I am excited about setting up this valuable asset that I can rely on, especially when this program comes to an end."
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4 months ago
Karisa
received a $27 thirty-third payment.
"Owning a large piece of land that I can call my own has always been my ultimate goal. To achieve this, I have been saving a portion of my transfers in our savings group. Once my funds mature, I plan to use them to buy small female cows. My hope is that these cows will grow, multiply, and increase in number, allowing me to sell some of them in the future to finance the purchase of the land I’ve always wanted. Having my own land will provide my family with security, unlike our current situation where we live on family-owned land. This dream brings me immense joy. In addition to this goal, I have been working on building a three-room house for my family, and I am pleased to see it progressing well. I only have the roofing left to complete, and I am hopeful that by the end of this year, my house will be finished. My plan is to continue using a portion of my transfers to buy the remaining materials needed for the house. I am excited for the day my family moves into our new home, as it has been a long-held dream of mine."
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4 months ago
Sadaka
received a $27 thirty-third payment.
"With my children in school, my top priority is to ensure they continue their education so they can achieve their dreams. To support this goal, I plan to use a portion of my transfers to pay their school fees while also establishing a reliable asset that will help cover their educational expenses as they advance to higher levels. I have always envisioned this asset to be a livestock venture. My plan is to continue saving a portion of my transfers to buy more goats and chicken, with the hope that they will multiply and increase in both number and value. Eventually, I aim to trade some of these livestock for female cows, which will also reproduce. This way, I can rely on my livestock to support my children's education as they progress through school into higher education levels. I am truly grateful for the support that GiveDirectly has provided us. It is helping us realize that a better life is possible, even in our current living conditions."
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4 months ago
Chengo
received a $27 thirty-third payment.
"I currently work as a motorcycle taxi operator, but I don’t own my own motorcycle. Owning one has always been a dream of mine, as it would allow me to be self-employed. I am determined to make this dream a reality, even if I have to buy a second-hand motorcycle. To achieve this, I have been saving a portion of my transfers in our local savings group. My plan is to continue saving a portion of my future transfers until I can use them to purchase a motorcycle. This will enable me to manage my work more effectively and provide better support for my family. Once I have acquired the motorcycle, I intend to keep saving a portion of my transfers to invest in goats. My hope is that they will multiply, increasing in number and value. In the future, I plan to sell them to help fund my children’s education and create a safety net for emergencies, as I currently rely on my motorcycle taxi earnings to meet our daily needs. I am truly grateful for everything that GiveDirectly has done for me, and I am optimistic about the future that lies ahead."
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4 months ago
Zawadi
received a $27 thirty-third payment.
"To improve and reduce the costs of farming on my farm, especially on land preparation, I opted to buy my own bulls so that I would not be required to hire from other people anymore, therefore cutting down the costs. To make this wish a reality, I took out a $300 loan from our local savings group to purchase a bull, which I plan to use for plowing my farm. My goal is to pay off this loan, and I intend to allocate a portion of my monthly transfers towards settling the loan, ensuring that I am debt-free by November this year. Once I have cleared the loan, I plan to take out another loan from my savings group to buy a piece of land along the road. My vision is to build rental houses in future on this land, which will provide me with a reliable source of income. This income will help support my family and cover my children's education, especially once this program comes to an end. I am happy and optimistic about the future that lies ahead for me and my family. I truly believe that a brighter and better future awaits us, and for this opportunity, I am grateful to GiveDirectly."
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4 months ago
Josphat
received a $27 twenty-fifth payment.
"I work as a conductor in Mtwapa, and I have hopes of investing in goats. To reach this goal, I set aside part of my transfers to buy goats, although not consistently every month. Currently, I own four goats, and my plan is to grow their numbers through breeding while also purchasing more. Ultimately, I aim to trade these goats for cows. My goal is to buy both ploughing bulls and a dairy cow. The bulls will be essential for preparing my land for agricultural activities like cultivation, and I also plan to rent them out to others for a fee. This will allow me to generate income for my family. The money earned from renting the cows will gradually accumulate, making it easier for me to pay my children’s school fees and meet other basic needs. I’m truly grateful to GiveDirectly for their financial support, as it has given me hope for a better future."
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4 months ago
Mapenzi
received a $27 thirty-third payment.
"I have two children who will soon be starting school, as they are approaching the age for enrollment. This is part of my plans for the upcoming year and beyond. To help pay for their school fees, I am saving $10 from my monthly transfer. I initially considered investing in livestock and bought three cows with my savings, but I changed my mind because our house is in poor condition; the walls have weakened from recent heavy rains. My spouse and I decided to sell two of the cows and use the money to buy twelve iron sheets. This has become our new plan. I’m also saving in our merry-go-round group, which will allow me to gradually purchase building materials until we have everything needed to start the construction. My spouse is supporting this effort by contributing his small income from daily work. As we prepare to build a new house, we plan to make it larger with three rooms instead of the current two. A bigger space will comfortably accommodate my family and provide a living room for our visitors to sit comfortably."
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4 months ago
Julius
received a $141 initial payment.
"The GiveDirectly transfer has made a huge difference in my life. After my house was destroyed by the floods, I had no choice but to live with my relatives. I had no money, as I lost almost my entire maize farm to the floods, which was my only source of income, making rebuilding seem impossible. But when I received my first transfer, it gave me hope. I was able to buy some materials, and with the second transfer, I plan to purchase the remaining materials and finally rebuild my home. I'm truly grateful to GiveDirectly."
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