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 do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to have fully furnished my home in the next six months. I will have completed building the house by then and hopefully saved enough money to buy the necessary furniture to start with. All in all, I will have achieved my greatest dream of living in my homestead
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
We have been living in my parent's compound for a long time now and I felt it was time to move out. I have always wanted to leave but I didn't have enough money to build another house. Once I got the financial aid from Give Directly, the first goal that came to my mind was to establish my home. I am grateful to this organization because finally there is the hope of moving into a new home with my family
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My next goal for the next four months is to buy irons sheets and other building materials for building my new house. I am planning to save the monthly transfers I get from Give Directly and top it up with the money I will be getting from the casual jobs to buy enough building materials. I have been the laughing stock in this village for a long time and my neighbors knew I would never move out from my parent's homestead. I thankful for this organization saving me from the shame and despair I have undergone over the years
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. I am now hopeful of living in my own home. Through the transfers I got from Give Directly I have already bought the necessary building materials. Initially, I only used to depend on casual jobs. The money I got from these jobs was enough to buy basic needs. I used to save nothing towards this goal, therefore, there were slim chances of establishing my home. I am happy that soon I will be living with my family in our homestead.
15th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months l expect to have hire a farm and would have planted the whole of it and expecting a good harvest.
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 I am able to pay school fees for my children at the right time therefore they are able to stay in school without being sent home for school fees, not like it was before when they always being sent home for school fees and they were not able to attend to all lessons therefore leading to poor performance. I am hoping to get improved grades since they now attend to all classes without being sent home for school fee as before the cash transfer. Thanks to GiveDirectly for the positive change they have brought to my family as a whole.
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 hire a farm and do large scale farming where I am able to get enough produce for my family, I did not get enough harvest last season being that I had a very small piece of land where l could do farming .
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 because l am to feed on a well balanced diet as compared to before when I would depend on one type of food throughout. I am also able to afford three meals in a day as compared to before when I use to go without most meals which was a great challenge.
11th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months l expect to have saved some money and start rearing goats, by buy at least one goat.
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, since l started receiving the money l have never missed a meal even for day, as compared to before when l would go the whole day without eating anything, even if l do not have anything to eat, l would walk into somebody's shop confidently and borrow things knowing that l will pay without fail at the end of the month.
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 lease a land and do large scale farming.
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 because l can not go without food the whole day as compared to before.
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I would like to lease in a piece of land since I do not enough farming land. My husband died when we did not have enough land even for children to put up their houses. If I lease in a piece of land, cultivate it and get a good harvest, I can be able to sell most of the harvest to help buy another piece of land. This is my biggest goal this year.
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 never gone without food. Before the transfers, I would really struggle to make ends meet because I only depended on casual work. The little income from casual work could not be enough to support all my needs. Several times I had to give up my meals so that my children could go to school which really made my life very uncomfortable. Ever since I started receiving the transfers, I have been able to budget well with the money to an extent that I have managed to pay their school fees and even provide meals in the house. This is the best thing that has happened in my life since I got married. I really thank Give Directly.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I would like to buy a sheep as an investment for my family. I believe when the sheep give birth, it adds value and when I will be selling it to raise money for other financial needs, it will not be the same price as the one I bought it with. Again I will still be having others which can help me later to help me when am in need of money.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My children were constantly being sent home for school fees because I could not pay up in time. Casual work was my main source of income yet it was not consistent. The little income I would get from that, would not be enough to buy food, clothing and even to pay school fees. This is the reason why I was ever late with the school fees. My children would stay home for even two weeks because I did not have the money to pay. Even though I still have some fees balance in school, I have reduced the large part and I feel proud because I don't live at the mercy of the teachers. Secondly, I really find peace in the household with the fact that I get money every month. I realized that lack of money would cause very unnecessary household conflicts even with the children. Since I started to cater for most of their needs in time, I have realised a lot of peace and love from my family.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
4560 KES ($45 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 do not have any new.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I no longer go without food because my kitchen is rained on and I have food in the house to feed my family. My dressing has also changed in the best way. I feel comfortable walking around in m,y new clothes.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I want to leasing in land so that I can farm in a big land to better my harvest and also to buy sheep which I can keep in my home.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Whenever it rained before I cook, I would go without food since where I do cook was an open place and it would be rained on but since I received this transfer, I am not worried and I cook anytime I want.
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I face in my life is that my husband works in another town and I am left alone to do all the work in the farm that require physical strength and being a woman I get overwhelmed.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the morning when I go to my farm to do some ploughing. This makes me happy because I believe that I will eventually have some food to eat when I harvest my crops.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer on buying iron sheets for my house as the old ones are leaking when it rains, part of the transfer will be used in paying school fees for my children Catherine and Mellen who are in secondary school and part of it will be spent on buying manure which will be used on my farm.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement I am proudest of is that I have been able to take care of my children even through difficult times with little income till they are now grown and managed to secure them secondary school education.