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 3 years ago
Cynthia
received a $502 initial payment.
"The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have bought a heifer and a oxen. I do small scale farming and casual jobs in the village. The amount of money that I get through this is so small and only for consumption. I had no other source of income to enable me buy the livestock. I buy milk daily and this is so costly for me. When I received the transfer I felt so happy because GiveDirectly enabled me to own a dairy cow. Currently I have a heifer and a oxen. When my heifer reproduce in the next future I will be able to get enough milk for my family and even sell the surplus at the market to earn an income. The oxen I will use on ploughing my farm. This will ease my work and enable me to dig a bigger farm. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed my living standard. It had enable me own livestock project which could have taken quite some time to get it. I have that I will improve this dairy farming and devote all my time on doing this."
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access_time
over 3 years ago
Betty
received a $485 second payment.
"I depend on small scale farming and the harvest that we get annually is only for our consumption and does not last us till the next harvesting season. In addition, There're some months in a year that we have to buy milk daily. With unstable source of income, we're at times forced to skip some meals like lunch or take porridge in the evening as our supper. When I received my transfer, I decided to spend $500 to purchase two heifers. I will be selling milk and use the income on food and to cater for my children's school fees. I used the remaining $25 to purchase new school uniforms for my children. I decided on this since the ones they had were old and worn out."
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over 3 years ago
Joseah
enrolled.
"Since the demise of my wife six years ago, my life has never been the same again. She was engaged in a business of buying and selling maize and I was employed as a casual laborer in a tea factory. Catering for household expenditure was not a big deal unlike today where life has become extremely hard. I had to leave my job in order to take care of my children who were still young by then. I had to do manual jobs within the village which is hard to come by and when I get one, the money is hardly enough to cater to a family of five. When I get one, I go home with approximately KES 150 a day. In this case, financial inadequacy has been the biggest hardship I have faced in life."
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profile
access_time
over 3 years ago
Mariam
received a $502 initial payment.
"I depend on livestock farming as my reliable source of livelihood to bring up my family of 8 members. I have desired to boost it but I lack the financial capacity. After receiving the transfer, I invested $300 to acquire 10 more goats. This is a future investment that will help me in educating my children who are still in primary school. I also spent 50 dollars to part of the fee arrears of the children. Furthermore, I used $40 to purchase building poles which I am planning to use in constructing a decent house for the family. This is because the one I had is grass thatched and leaks during the rainy season. The remaining amount assisted me in purchasing enough food for the family."
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access_time
over 3 years ago
Saumu
enrolled.
"I got pregnant when I was just 17 years old. This forced me to drop out of school at the sixth grade in primary school. Being so young, it was a challenge raising up the child alone. This forced me out of home to the urban area to look for a source of income. I am now married with two children and raising them is what has been my biggest hardship; given that I depend on my spouse who is employed as a shop keeper while I am jobless at home."
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profile
access_time
over 3 years ago
Kahaso
enrolled.
"The biggest hardship I have ever faced in my life is food insecurity. I am a housewife and rely on my husband who depends on a charcoal burning business that earns him very little. Due to this, I have always been struggling to put food on the table. Sometimes, I am forced to seek help from relatives which is an annoying situation."
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profile
access_time
over 3 years ago
Safari
enrolled.
"My biggest hardship is having a sick husband hospitalized with a urinary problem, hunger and food in insecurity of which we do not have food to cook in the house."
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profile
access_time
over 3 years ago
Sylvia
enrolled.
"Receiving this money means upscaling my education. I did my form four exams but I have not taken my certificates because of fee balances. I have school fees balance of Ksh. 18550. After taking my certificates, I want to go to college and do dressmaking course. This will cost. Ksh. 40000. I will also use the remaining amount to buy two sewing machines, materials and open up a shop for my dress making business."
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access_time
over 3 years ago
Pendo
enrolled.
"I am a farmer who does animal farming. Receiving this money means increase in the number of animals in my farm. Currently I have two cows and nine goats. Upon receiving the money, I will buy 15 goats as investment. This will cost Ksh. 52500. I will also buy a bed and two mattress at a cost of Ksh.15000. I will use the remaining money to buy animal medicine and food for my family."
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profile
access_time
over 3 years ago
Karisa
enrolled.
"My biggest hardship I faced in my life is my house which is leaking and all the heavy rain of last year left me with sleepless nights in cold."
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