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.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My main source of income is doing casual jobs. The income from these jobs is not enough to feed my large family. Sometimes we miss meals. Currently, I have learned to combine part of the transfers with my wages which has made it possible for us to have three meals in a day with borrowing from neighbors or friends. Thanks to GiveDirectly.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I do not have a new goal. I still want to save for the next four months and start a grocery business. I believe that the benefits of being self-employed are more as compared to doing casual works.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Getting money every month from GiveDirectly has motivated me to think of starting a business. This is the biggest difference since I have embraced the culture of saving in the merry go round every coin that I make to achieve this my dream. When this business is up and running, chipping in on the provision of my family's basic needs will be comfortable as compared to doing casual jobs that are demanding. I won't lose hope until my dream has actualized.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect in the next six months to have expanded my poultry keeping project. I will use part of these transfers which I shall have saved in the table banking. Therefore, in the future, the income from the chickens will help me to buy my household's utensils.
15th 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?
Previously, I would engage in labor work which was so tiresome and the payment was little. Those days my family and I would miss meals at times because we did not have enough. Today, my family and I are so happy and healthy because we are able to get daily meals using monthly transfers without much struggles despite the fact that I don't go to work nowadays. I recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl meaning I can't carry out heavy tasks hence I wholly rely on the transfers. Currently, that is the biggest difference in my life. I am applauding GiveDirectly for in the assistance in the last four months which have been very helpful
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to save part of the transfers and buy a dairy cow for milk production. This cow in the unforeseen future, I believe it will reproduce thus buying milk like I am doing currently would not be the issue. I will save the money from the sale of milk that I shall have sold and meet other additional needs for my family. I believe this will bring peace and happiness in my family unlike before. I will channel the money I used to buy milk on other family needs as well.
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 to have bought school uniforms for my four children and now they are can go to school dressed decently. This has raised their self-esteem while interacting with their classmates because before they had torn and old school uniforms at times they could be criticized by their colleges and even laughed at. From the critics, they would complain unto me as their parent that they didn't want to go to school. I disliked the fact that I couldn't afford to buy them new school uniform due to the meager payments I got out of doing odd jobs in the village. I am happy the issue has been solved as a result of the transfers.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect in the next six months my life shall have changed in that I will buy a dairy cow for milk production with the savings. This cow in the unforeseen future, I believe it will reproduce thus buying milk like I am doing currently would not be the issue.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
For the last four months, I have been able to buy new clothes for my children without hustling extensively for cash. The reason why I could take long before buying new clothes for them is due to the limited amount of money that I make from my casual jobs. The daily needs in the house are so many yet the earnings are very little so I always give first priority to the most pressing issues.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have a plan of doing some classic finishing on my house which has been a mud-walled house which is prone to extensive damages from extreme weather conditions especially heavy rainfall. The walls keep getting weak with time because the rains wash them off thereby making them weak and eventually the gradual negative effect may make the house to collapse.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference for me is that I have been able to join a table banking group where I save some little cash every month. Before the organization came to our village, I used to save cash once in a while when I earned some cash but the problem was that the earnings were never guaranteed. Moreover, the amount of money I used to save was too little and could not make a significant difference in my life. However, with the transfers, I am able to make savings up to 1000 KES which accumulates to a significant amount after a period of around ten months.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I want to start a small business within the village where I will be buying food items and re-selling to my customers. I think the best option for me is to start a small shop business that will be generating some little profit overtime. The profit will then be used to buy domestic livestock such as a goats, sheep or cows depending on the amount of profits generated. Keeping these animals always act as a source of financial security because if I run out of cash then I can easily sell them and make some cash.
5th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 6 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, I used to stay hungry but nowardays I nolonger miss any meal.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to buy goats and a dairy cow for milk production.
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 can boost my business easily or do house household budget easily unlike before.
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 bought more new clothes and also enjoy drinking milk from my own cow.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 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?
My new goal is to save for some months and start a business.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
There is no difference in my life at all right now, but I expect to start a Project soon that will change my life.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in terms of I will set up a business(green groceries, sardines and cereals)
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
There is no difference in my life at all right now, but I expect to start a Project soon that will change my life.
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in life is sickness.I fell sick and could not attend to any of my chores for three months.Clearing the backlog was so hectic.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is normally in the evening when I have cleared my duties and we can have a rest as a family.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I plan to start a new business that deals in foodstuff with the transfer that I will receive from Give Directly.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My proudest achievement is the cow and goats that I bought using proceeds from farm produce.I never thought I get anything different from subsistence farming.