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 > Benta's Profile
Benta's family
Benta
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
30
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Benta's next check-in.
 
24th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, my additional goal is to continue paying for a solar system which I bought on a hire purchase basis. I used to struggle to raise money for buying kerosene on a daily basis. I would want to focus my transfers is paying for the solar so that I reduce my daily expenditure.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Right now I have new household items such as a sofa set which I did not have before the transfers. I used to have jerricans as my seats in my house because I did not have a good income to help me raise enough money to buy a seat. It was shameful especially when I had visitors because I had to borrow seats from my neighbours who also lacked respect for me. Anytime they saw me, they thought I came to bother them with my needs. Since I used the transfers to buy my own seats, I rarely go to my neighbours' house and they now come to check on me. At least the respect I lost because of borrowing seats is coming back.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I plan to use my part of transfers on savings. My desire is to buy at least one type of livestock as investment and remembrance of GD. I have always desired to have at least livestock like my neighbours because it is a source of wealth. I know when they reproduce, I will have a number and whenever any financial crisis like school fees, I can sell some to raise money to pay school fees. I know through this, my life will never be the same again and I will struggle financially like before.
 
19th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
The current difference I have fruitfully achieved in the last four months is that there has been love and understanding between my spouse and I. This is because I have been able to comfortably assist in catering for both my personal and some of the family's needs. This is through the income I earn from both casual works and GiveDirectly transfers. Today, we can even sit down and make plans together such as planning for our four children's education.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to continue saving the money in the merry go round and spent the saving to build a decent iron sheet house. This will be my pride since I will longer feel endangered or be a laughing stack in my village when staying in an old leaky grass-thatched house which is not recommended for human habitation.
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 purchase iron sheets and other building materials like nails, timbers, and cement. I intend to use them to build a new house for my household. I feel that having this new house will increase happiness and peace between my family, unlike the current house which is grass-thatched and leaks whenever it rains.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
Currently, I am staying in a mud-walled grassed thatched house which is so dusty and dangerous to live in because it can collapse any time. I expect in the next six months my spouse and I shall have accumulated the required savings from part of our transfers through merry-go-round. These savings will facilitate the construction of a new decent iron sheet house which we have always yearned of.
 
16th 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 from how it was four months ago because I have managed to bring together resources for the purpose of building a better house. This was never possible because the work I used to do was not enough to raise enough money for purchasing materials.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I will still be accumulating resources to help build a better house.
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 I have been able to purchase iron sheets and other building materials like nails, timber, and cement. I am planning to build a better house for my household. The current house is grass-thatched and leaks whenever it rains.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect the construction of a better and more spacious house to have commenced with adequate resources to complete the project. This will make me the happiest being on earth.,
 
12th 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?
One significant change is the iron sheets that I already bought because were it not for GD, I would not have managed to buy the iron sheets. I wanted to buy the materials but due to limited finances, the dream has never materialized because the money we earn is too little. The idea of building a new house for my family just remained to be a dream that may have never materialized to be a reality.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have a short term plan of buying a new steel door that will ensure that we live in a more secured house free from burglary. I also want to save some little cash that will enable me to pay school fees for my four children so that they do not have to stay at home as their counterparts attend their classes. I have always had the problem of staying home with my kids for even a period of two weeks when they are sent home due to school fees arrears but I now want to save my transfers so that the kids spend more time in school concentrating on their studies.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have been able to buy ten iron sheets together with my husband. We want to use the iron sheets to build a new house because the one we live in today is too small for the family. Currently we live in a grass thatched house that is too small for us as a family and the worst part is that it keeps on leaking terribly every time it rains which makes life so unbearable for us. I am glad that my husband and I have made enough efforts to buy the building materials which has always been a very hard thing for us to do since our little finances cannot allow us to buy them.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My life will change tremendously because I will have a big house by then that will comfortably accommodate my family. The fear of living under a leaking roof and being rained on during the rainy seasons will now be a thing of the past. My kids will live a more comfortable life where they will have their own room unlike how we live today where we have to share this living room albeit uncomfortably.
 
8th 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?
I now have new household utensils which I never had before
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to buy new building materials and make some repairs within the house.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have been able to buy some household utensils and seat cushions that I had only longed for in the past.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I want to build a new house because the one we live in currently is not in a good shape. I also plan to make savings to enable me pay school fees for my kids.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
455 KES ($5 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I have a new goal of constructing a new house since the one I have currently is grass-thatched
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently different than it would have been without the transfer since I am able to draw my plans with the assurance that the monthly transfers have brought.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect my house to be fully furnished as I plan to put aside some portion of my monthly towards purchasing the household items that I currently lack.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that the transfer has enabled me move in a similar pace with fellow farmers. Were it not for the transfer, I would have not managed to hire the labourers to plant my farm.
 
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in life is having to deal with my children's constant sickness, and lack of enough money to get proper medical care for them.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the afternoon when I am done with farm work, I've taken a nice meal for lunch and am now enjoying my free time before I begin to prepare for evening meals and chores.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer on building a new and spacious house that can comfortably accommodate my entire family. In addition to that, the more spacious house will guarantee my children their own sleeping room which means they will cease from sleeping at their grandmother's house.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My proudest achievement is being able to buy seats for my house. The presence of these chairs constantly reminds me of my hard work, and my ability to save for a particular course.