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.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to put up a grocery come fish stall come, and have my wife run the business. This way I am guaranteed an increase in the household income if I add to the transfers and cash earned from the casual jobs.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference since I started receiving the transfers is that I have been able to able to purchase daily meals with much ease as compared to before when I used to struggle to put food on the table. I worked two casual jobs which were tiresome and little paying. On extreme days we had to go without food as a household. This no longer the case again.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months sleeping on an empty stomach will be an issue in the past. This is because the grocery and fish business will be generating income, GD's transfers will still be there and the money earned from the casual work will also be coming in. Meaning we can as well afford the luxury meals(meat, chicken.etc) we have dreamt of ever since.
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is currently different from how it was four months ago in that we are now eating well since I started receiving money from Give Directly. Initially, I used to skip meals due to lack of capital unlike nowadays I can afford to provide for my family consistently. I also have a lot of peace more so when it comes to paying rent, I pay my rent on time and consistently. I thank Give Directly for having changed my life.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new or additional goal for my life for the next four months is to build a house. This is because I do not have one. Currently, I am staying in a rental house. I t is not easy to pay rent monthly more so when you depend on casual jobs like me, this is because they are never reliable and they are also not durable I believe having my own house will give me peace of mind since I will never be harassed by the landlord, come every end of the month as he always does. I'll also be in a position to do the projects I have in my mind with the little money I get from casual work since I am having a financial relief because of the additional income from Give Directly.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Ia m a casual laborer and at times getting casual jobs is not that easy thus at times we used to go without food. When we started receiving money from Give Directly we agreed with my wife that we pull our funds together and spend it on buying food for the family.
Therefore we do shop every month, we buy enough foodstuffs that can take us for the whole month until we get the next transfer. Currently, my children are eating well and we have never skipped any meal.
I am staying in a rental house and raising monthly rent at times is not that easy because I have to provide for my family too.
I want to say since I started receiving money from Give Directly paying house rent is not a difficult task anymore. The little I get from casual work I spend on paying house rent and doing other development projects like buying iron sheets towards building a new house.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I do not expect any change but I am still saving towards building my dream house. I do not have a house thus I stay in a rental house which paying monthly rent is not that easy due to the type of job I do not expect any new changes. Currently, I am a casual labourer the little capital I get I use on buying a few household items and the remaining amount I use on buying food at times.
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
The difference in my life in the last four months is that I have enough iron sheets needed for building a house. Before the transfers, I had tried saving for building a house but due to other family needs, I was not able. GD transfers have changed my life because I now have all the required materials for building a house.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I wish to plaster my new house. I would want to make my house strong and durable. I would want to use part of my transfers to buy building materials such as cement and sand to plaster my house.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my life since I started receiving these transfers is that I have building materials needed for building a new house. I have been living in a rental house because I was not able to raise money to buy building materials. This is because I have always been dependant on a small income from casual work which has not even enough to meet all my family needs. With GD transfers, I have been saving part of my monthly transfers which I have used to buy building materials such as iron sheets, nails, and timber which I will use in building my own house.
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 would have built a new house and cleared school fees arrears for my children who are still in school. I don't always feel happy when I see my children being sent home for the same. I want to make the situation better after building a house for myself.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Currently, my life is different in that I have been able to have peace of mind hence I no longer have to worry of eviction threats from my landlord at end months when I do not have money like before. I have been able to build my homestead and now the money I used to pay rent, I am saving it on investment projects such to expand my house. This is the greatest gift that GiveDirectly has given me which I have expected.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal for the next for months is to save and from the saving, I will use to pay dowry for my wife. It will be a great honour to achieve this goal since I will regain respect on the side of my in-laws who have been undermining me because of not paying the dowry price as the customs requires.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Before GiveDIrectly came to my village, I was staying in a rental house and when end months was approaching I didn't have money to pay rent. I used to be stressed up because I couldn't bear the landlord quarrels and threats of eviction. The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have been able to build my homestead and now I have a peace of mind and the money I used to pay rent with.I am now saving on investment it on other developmental projects such as saving to expand my house and also I no longer have to quarrel with anyone over rental arrears.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect in the next six months to shall have saved money which I will use to paying dowry for my wife as this will be the most fullfilled dream I have ever wished for. Before my income was meagre hence I wasn't able to save and sustain my family's needs as well thus achieving this goal was null.
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 6 years ago
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The recipient was not asked any questions as part of this follow up.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
4560 KES ($46 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I have no new goal apart from the one I had before receiving the transfer.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is still the same since I have not achieved my dream of building my house, though I have a lot of hope because I have started receiving money and making an attempt of buying building materials(iron sheets).
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to have established my own business that I manage a lone and monitor the profit.I also expect to have build my own house and moved in because it is also not easy to pay rent monthly as I do with the little income I get.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Currently I have no big difference since this is the first time I am getting money from give directly.Though Ia m hopeful I will achieve my dream because I have started receiving money from GD.
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced is, failure to pay rent that forced me to sell my bicycle to be able to raise the rent arrears.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the morning having a another day to live and fetch for my family. This makes me feel responsible.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer to build my family a spacious and permanent house. By doing so they will be more comfortable given that currently am renting one for them but it is a bit small.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The most achievement am proudest of is the farming that I did in the last Season. I got a bumper harvest hence my family does not have to buy maize grains and my visitors can also take some home whenever they visit.