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 life is currently different from the way it was four-month ago because I was able to plaster my house thus it's not dusty anymore. In addition to that, I no longer owe anyone money because through the GD transfers I have been able to meet the family's needs without borrowing as it was the case before.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
For the next four months of my life, I have an additional goal to save the coming transfers so that I can use them to purchase building materials which I'll later use to construct an extra room where my married daughters will be sleeping whenever they come visiting. Currently, they sleep in one of their brother's house whenever they come visiting but this at times is inconveniencing to both the son and the daughters because it's a single room.
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 the pride I have of being independent. For the past four months, I have been able to meet most of the family's needs without having to borrow money from either our savings group or friends as it was the case before. I feel so proud and at peace, because I do not owe anyone.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I majorly rely on farming as the main source of income but since I have a small piece of land, I haven't been able to get good farm produce. I, therefore, have the plans to use the coming transfer to rent an acre of the farm where I'll be farming. With this, I'll be assured of improved produce thus improved income.
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Currently, my life is different from how it was four months ago in that, I managed to do farming and got a bumper harvest. This has saved me a lot because I no longer do the hectic casual jobs that pay very low wages. I usually sell the harvest in order to meet my daily needs. This is the greatest relief ever, I can't imagine I will never do the casual jobs any time soon
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am looking forward to purchasing new farming tools to make my work more easier while on the farm. This will make work efficient even for the farmworkers.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my life ever since I started receiving transfers from Give Direclty is that I have been able to do farming. I always wait until my neighbors have harvested their produce so that I can buy from them. This is usually very expensive and inconveniencing. I am glad that I was able to lease land and afford the farm inputs. I also managed to pay labor and plant in time.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in the next six months because from the sales I will have saved enough money to build a kitchen. I badly want to build this kitchen because my children are first approaching the adolescent stage and I don't have an extra room to accommodate them.
11th 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?
My life is currently different than it was four months ago because I am not much stressed up with financial matters. I am capable to acquire adequate food for my household thus I am more healthy and stronger than I was some time back. Surely, the lack of money is associated with more problems.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My additional goal in the next four months is to build a spacious kitchen. I do not have one at the moment and I have been cooking outside, just adjacent to the favorite corner of my house where we usually take a rest during the hot afternoons. However, my cooking processes sometimes get disrupted whenever it rains or when it is windy. There are several moments my household and I have forgone taking supper because it becomes unbearable to cook outside at night when there are heavy rains.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my life in the last four months is owning a mobi-solar system. I had been using a kerosene lamp all through my life which was not providing my household with sufficient lighting. In addition, the kerosene cost had been high and at times we could take our supper in darkness due to lack of kerosene. This is now a problem of the past and my family members are always grateful for GiveDirectly's financial support.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change from worse to better in the next six months in that I shall be having my own kitchen. I shall no longer be forced to forgo supper while I have food simply because of weather changes. In addition, my child will also have a place where he will be spending his night without being squeezed within my main small house. This will give him the freedom to stretch into the night doing his assignment with minimal disruption.
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 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 because l no longer borrow utensils from my neighbors.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to buy ironsheet and build a kitchen for me to have a place where l can cook.
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 l do not borrow utensils any more from my neighbors as before. I also spent the money got from give directly to buy solar system to light up my house so l no longer spend a lot of money to buy parrafin.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months l expect to have started build my kitchen.
3rd 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?
I am planning to finish constructing my house. Buying windows and some doors.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently different from how it would have been had I never received the transfer in that I can acquire my own utensils.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, i will have build myself a nice outside kitchen where I can cook humbly.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving payments from Give Directly I currently have my own utensils I no longer have to borrow from my neighbors when I am hosting visitors.
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest hardship has been paying school fees for my children, my husband is aretiree and at times there are delays in pension this forces us to keep children at home until we get money.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of the day is in the evening when am done with my chores, i can relax with my family and share moments of the day.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to build kitchen, through saving and assembling of materials. The rest i can use to buy farm inputs to increase my harvest.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My proudest achievement has been starting and chairing agroup, where we were table banking and giving out loans to members, i was the owner of the idea and this makes me happy about.