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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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Newsfeed > Sarah's Profile
Sarah's family
Sarah
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
58
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Sarah's next check-in.
 
20th 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?
I could not afford to spend the money in any other way but my childrens' education. I focused on education because my children are very sharp. I want them to complete their education so that I start them off for a good life. My biggest problem has always been the source of money for their school fees. The kinds of jobs that I engaged in were not giving enough income and made me always worry about their education. However, GiveDirectly settled the matter since I have been able to trade in more goods at my grocery. This resulted in more income. together with the savings from GD, I am able to send them to school up to the university level.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My additional goal is to save money in a merry-go-round group for the sake of my son's next year's school fees. I will also do a lot of business in the grocery that I run to make additional money towards this goal.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life is in the education support of my children. I have cleared my son's school fees in a secondary school which allowed him to learn smoothly, which is a good thing, as this is a very short term. I also spent the money on preparing my daughter to join fa medical training college. A lot of things that were required are very expensive. She has now settled in school too. I am glad that my children education is going.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to have changed in the net six months because I will have expanded my business. I know that my grocery business will be doing well because I have enough money to invest in it. I will have bought a cow too from savings that I will make form both the income and transfers.
 
16th 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?
Our lives has been different in many ways courtesy of these transfers that we are receiving. The most important difference that we have experienced is that we now have peace of mind as parents. Nothing is as fulfilling as being able to meet a good number of your responsibilities as a parent. In the past, our children could often be sent home for school fees since we could not pay the fee in time. This was often caused by the many needs that we were to meet as parents against the limited resources and income at our disposal. With GiveDirectly transfers, we have been able to afford most of the basic needs and keep our children in school unlike before when they could often be sent home for school fees.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
We do not have any new or additional goals except to be able to pay school fees for our remaining child in time. Any remaining amount will be saved as we prepare to take our child to college towards the end of this year.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that we have been able to buy an additional dairy cow for the family after getting our merry go round contributions. The dairy cow has been of great help to us as we sell the milk produced and use the money to pay school fees for our children and meet other basic household needs. These transfers have equally enabled us to keep our children in school and meet other arising family needs. One of our children recently cleared form four and is awaiting to join college. One of them is still in secondary school and we are still struggling to make sure that we keep them in school at all times by paying their school fees in time.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
We are in a planting season right now and we are working round the clock to be able to plant our beans in time. We are not only planting beans but also maize. Our planting will be so timely this time round since we are using the Give Directly transfers to be able to plant in time. The transfers are also helpful in that it has enabled us to buy fertilizers. In the past we have not been able to plant our crops in time and very often, we also fail to apply fertilizers. Panting in time and application of fertilizers shall result in higher yields and more income for the family in the long run. The results of all these shall be witnessed in the next six months.
 
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?
I am a very different person at the moment, I am stress-free currently since I do not worry a lot about ways of meeting my family's needs. The monthly transfers cover all the daily needs and even my daughter's fees something that really gives me a lot of joy.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to clear my daughter's school fees, she is completing secondary school and really needs to stay in school so as to get good grades during her final examination which is due at the end of the year.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
my life is really different at the moment. These tranfers helped me pay school fees for my children who are in secondary school which was quite a relief for me, I am stress free since paying school gfees was quite a hustle since only depend on selling vegetables on my grocery which the returns are really small.these days i also dress really very nicely and am even more confident to appear before people.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, my focus is on tilling the land in order to plant maize and beans on large scale and if all goes well, I will sell them and buy a dairy cow. I will from there sell milk and get an income out of dairy farming.
 
7th 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 currently is different since I have been able to pay my children's school fees and my family are also dressing well.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The new goals I now have is to buy some chicken and buy a land.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in to daily life is happiness.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in that I will have bought some chicken and piece of land.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time almost 7 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My goal was to improve my vegetable farm so that i can have more to sell in the market.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I see my life has changed since i have added the number of chicken in my farm.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months i would have improved my poultry and vegetable farm.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Since i received the first transfer, i have increased the number of poultry birds in my farm.
 
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 our inability to pay school fees for my children. Sometimes we go without food in order to at least pay some of it. Another is that, we do not have good housing for my family. The only building is our grass tached house which barely accommodate the seven of us.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when I am with my family when we have eaten well, are at peace and happy for the day's achievement however little it is.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer on starting a new business, that is keeping chicken. I plan to sell both the chicken and the eggs and use the proceeds to buy goats and sheep to further my business.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement I am proudest of is getting proceeds from my indigenous vegetable business. It has greatly helped in covering basic needs and partly paying school fees for my children.