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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Newsfeed > Rachal's Profile
Rachal's family
Rachal
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
53
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Rachal's next check-in.
 
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My additional goals for my life for the next four months are all set for buying a cow which will serve as a living testimony even long after GiveDirectly has finished operations in our region. The benefits that cows provide include milk and is easily available for sale should the need arise. I am seeing these benefits in the angle mentioned above and hopefully, I will accomplish this by four months’ time.
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 have been able to pay school fees for my four children who are in secondary school. Previously, it has been a real struggle for me since I had no stable income. Therefore, the school has been sending them back for it yet I had none. The children would stay at home for days waiting for me to send give them money which was so little. They would pay yes but end up being sent back again to collect more.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In six months’ time, I have high expectation that I will have bought a cow which will serve the family by providing milk for use and even for sale. The long-awaited dream will have been made into reality and I hope that this will give us hope in my family to even sort out other things that are very necessary for the family.
 
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 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 in that I have been able to pay school fees in time and this has brought so much joy in my life. The days when my children could be sent home for school fees has now been a thing of the past. This has equally led to an improvement in their performance and this has made us proud as parents. We are looking forward to seeing our children complete their secondary education and even join tertiary institutions.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My additional plans for the next four months is that I am planning to buy oxen for ploughing. This will greatly reduce the cost of farming and consequently increase our farming proceeds in terms of profits made. We have often been forced to hire casual labour or a tractor for farming and this has been so costly to us and has often led to very little profits being made from our farms. I am looking forward to buying these oxen and make more profits from our farms.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Over the last four months and even beyond the four months, I have been able to pay school fees for my three children who are in secondary school in time. I have been able to do this and at the same time afford to buy food and other basic household needs for the family without having to strain like I used to do before I started receiving GiveDirectly transfers. This has been made possible by accumulating money got from farming and other income generating activities that we have been able to engage in as a family. This combined with GiveDirectly transfers have been so helpful in paying school fees for our children in time. This has equally allowed us to keep our children in school whole year round and has given us an assurance of better days ahead for them and even for us. Nothing could make me any proud than giving the best in terms of education for my children. This has been the biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change over the next six months in that we shall have already bought the oxen that we are planning to buy and possibly start advanced farming. We expect to be able to put more land under agriculture and at a lower cost. This will definitely mean that we have more income from our farms and we can meet the family's expenses without any difficulty.
 
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Currently, I am no longer struggling too much since I paid the school fee for my children with the money which Give Directly sent it to me. Before I would wonder how I would manage to pay school fees and buy food for my family with the little money which I get from selling onions.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Since I got my children who are still studying in secondary school, I am planning to spend all my next transfer in paying their school fees for next term. The only issue which i will be left with is that when schools opens for next term I will only look for money for buying shopping for them.
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 preceding the current transfer is that none of my children has been out of school due to lack of fees. It has been a real struggle providing for my children who are in secondary school. My only source of income has been farming and that it is a seasonal activity.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I would expect to have completed paying school fees for my children for the whole year and I will start saving money for buying a cow. I have been spending a lot of money on buying milk for use. I believe when I got one we shall have milk for use and also for sale. This will be an additional source of income to our family.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
4560 KES ($45 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I thank God that this money brought an helping hand in terms of school fees and now I feel relaxed
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to see my children completing their secondary school studies in the next six months. This will really be a blessing to our family since it will give us a chance to pick other new projects using the transfers we are receiving from GD.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Currently we are much alert and expectant of the monthly transfers we are receiving from GD, something we never had before. We are so happy that at least as we sit to plan we know that Give Directly is also planning to send us the money to help us facilitate our plans.
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I am looking forward to starting a project which will act as a reminder of the impact Give Directly has brought into my life and to the family at large.
 
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lacking school fee for my children is the biggest hardship I have faced in life. Before I started farming business, it was always hard to get money and that led us as a family to lack basic needs. I am happy God has been good, my family is in a better position now.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Evening is the happiest part of my day because it is at this point when I get time to rest after day's activities as well as spend time with my children.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
Am planning to spend my transfer on improving my subsistence farming since my family depend mainly on it. I will use my transfer with the support from other family members on purchasing viable seeds and fertilizer. This will enable us to get good returns.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
Starting up farming business is an achievement am proudest of in life. Since I started farming ( maize, potatoes and onions), I have been able to get enough money to educate my children. Seeing them progressing well in life is what makes every mother proud .