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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be updated on Magdaline's next check-in.
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
I have been able to buy a new blanket to replace the old shuttered one which would expose me to cold at night. Now, I sleep soundly and wake up energized for the entire day. At the same time, I am invited by my neighbor's to accompany them to events because I can afford to dress nicely as compared to before when they could avoid me due to my poor dressing code. Thanks to GiveDirectly for bringing a difference in my current life.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal in the next four months is to save money and use the saving to buy the required number of bags cement. These bags of cement will be fundamental in the process of plastering my mud floor.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Before, the main source of lighting in my household was the traditional tins that required paraffin. On the days I didn't have money and the paraffin was exhausted we could stay in the dark which affected my grandchildren's education because they had to go do their homework in school. With love for my grandchildren's education, I felt the need of getting a solar lantern. The biggest difference in my daily life is the ability to save part of the transfer for the last four months in my fixed Mshwari account and use the savings to buy a solar lamp for lighting at night. I will no longer have to incur the daily expenses of buying paraffin which was so costly. At the same time, my grandchildren have ample time when doing their homework.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect in the next six months that I would have bought the required building materials which will facilitate the plastering process for the floor of my house. I will no longer have to incur costs in smearing this floor when it shall come to its completion.
15th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Currently, my life is different in that I was able to facilitate my grandchild transportation back to the countryside for the long holidays who is in the university in Mombasa. I am glad that he reached safely and he has been of great help most so by assisting me in managing the activities in my farm since he came. Without the transfer, it wouldn't have been possible without borrowing money from neighbors because of the meager income I make from doing odd jobs which were hectic and unreliable.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal in the next four months is to save money in my fixed Mshwari account and use the savings to buy a solar lamp for lighting at night. I will no longer have to incur the daily expenses of buying paraffin with the traditional lantern that I use at the moment which seems costly.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Before I used to sell my farm produce in order to get the money which I could use to take care of my needs and when they were over, I was forced to do odd jobs which were hectic and unreliable. Having the meager income I could save and buy any household items. However, the story has changed since I started receiving these transfers from GiveDirectly since its evident in the biggest differences in my daily life in the last four months. I have been able to buy a new blanket to replace the old shuttered one which would expose me to cold at night giving me depressed sleepless nights and now I am jovial because with the new blanket I sleep soundly and wake up energized for the entire day.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect in the next six months that I shall have invested in farming with the transfer. Due to this, I will have a lot of yields that we will eat as a family and sell some in order to meet the essential household needs.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is currently different from how it was in that, I am able to take care of my needs easily. Before I used to sell my farm produce in order to get the money which I can use to take care of my needs and when they were over, I was forced to do odd jobs which were hectic and unreliable. These were the toughest moments but I thank GiveDirectly very much because I get the monthly payment that I use to handle my needs and emergencies easily.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to invest in farming. I want to have a lot of yields that we will eat as a family and sell some in order to buy my grans son whatever he lacks. He is an orphan and so I don't want him to miss anything that I may regret in future.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months is that I was able to buy iron sheets which were used in fixing a new roof. Previously, I had an old one which had holes all over. I could be rained on literally. This was ashaming because I had to air most of my household items outside like cushions which could be wet after being rained on. I feared to have visitors around because of this situation. My husband is disabled and being that he did not have a meaningful source of income he did not manage to turn this situation around. I am glad that GiveDirectly came because, with the monthly payments that I have been receiving, I have managed to renovate part of the roof. I am hoping to finish the renovation soon.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in the next six months in that I will have finished renovating my house. I started fixing a new roof because I have an old one which has holes hence part of my house still lets in drops of water whenever it rains because I have not completed fixing the roof. The shame of having visitors while in this situation is too much. Although I have not finished renovating it, I am seeing this being completed hence I won't be having sleepless nights because of this situation.
5th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
attach_money
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is different because I can have great plans like the one I have mentioned where I plan to repair my house, something that has been quite difficult to me in the past.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to buy new iron sheets that I will use to repair my roof.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I was able to use the money in farming and I am now proud to say that I will have a bumper harvest at the end of the season.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My life will change because I will have enough food that will sustain me for a very long period without having to be very worried.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
attach_money
The recipient was not asked any questions as part of this follow up.
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Am not able to move so easily due to old age, my joints are painful.
What is the happiest part of your day?
When I receive a good harvest out of my hard work and sweat.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
Improving my house and doing farming to help me get food to eat.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
I real worked so hard in the farm which I yielded a good harvest of which I used to pay my grandchild school fees.