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.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new additional goal for the next four months is to build a house for my son. I have a grown-up son and I find it worth to build him his own house for privacy.
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 started a small business of selling maize at the shopping center. I used to depend on small casual jobs in the village to earn a daily income to support my family. The money I could get was so small and could not gather for all the basic needs including fees for my children. When I started to receive the money from GiveDirectly I joined a merry go round group in the village and this enabled me to save some money. When it was my turn to receive the savings I used the money to start a business of selling maize. I get daily profits from the sales and this enables me to meet the household needs and also pay school fees for my children in school. I am so happy because our lives have really changed compared to before.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in the next six months in that I will have saved enough in the merry go round group and also from the small business that I currently run to enable me to buy a piece of land and start horticulture farming.
20th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I currently have a small piece of land and for this reason, It is really squeezed in the compound because we wanted to leave a bigger part for farming. Having six sons who have grown up, there is a need to construct for them a house slightly away from the family house according to our traditions and so In the next four months, I plan to purchase an additional farm where I will construct for them a house purposely for sleeping. Having been in a merry go round together with my spouse, When our turns come, we will have sufficient money to achieve this goal.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
My life has progressively improved months by month because I always take a step ahead to improve my living standards. Generally, my family is now a happy one. Initially, I used to use hand labour when tilling land but recently, with the transfers that I had received, I resulted to using a tractor. My farm is now well-tilled such that, I will experience very few weeds when I plant maize. This will greatly reduce the time I will spend while weeding and in the long run, I expect a better harvest as compared to before
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My expectation in the next six months is that I will have managed to add the extra piece of land. apart being an asset, My sons will now have somewhere to rest as well as sleep. My compound will also no longer be squeezed and so I will have enough space for my family. The additional piece of land will also be used to farm vegetables and other short-season crops that generate income faster. Generally, my family will be a happy one in the next six months.
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?
My life is currently different from how it was four months a go in various ways. Key among them being that I have been able to meet most of my needs. My life is currently different in that I no longer lack the basic household needs and I have been able to pay school fees in time. We no longer face hunger like we used to face in the past.
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 to be able to buy a piece of land. I plan to do this by combining money gotten from my business and the savings from my monthly transfers. The current place where we are staying in is too small and hardly enough to do any economic activity. We only practice subsistence farming on limited variety of crops which is hardly enough to meet family's needs.
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 have been able to pay school fees in time without having to struggle like I used to do before. I am now able to balance between paying school fees for my children and at the same time being able to afford the most basic needs that was initially hard for me to afford. Through these funds, I have also been able to advance my farming which has led to my home being food sufficient.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to have built a new house for my children, I also expect to have bought a piece of land and be able to practice farming in the long run. I am looking forward to accomplishing the plans that I have in the near future.
12th 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?
The biggest difference in my daily life is that we are now eating well, in that we can afford three meals in a day unlike before this was a dream. Once I get my income I buy foodstuffs from the supermarket in large quantity which I could not do because of the low income I used to get from casual work thus we could only afford to buy foodstuffs from a nearby shop daily and in small quantity. I thank GiveDirectly from having changed my life from a lower level to a better one
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I will save transfers from GiveDirectly to start an income generating project which can sustain my family. I chose to focus on the production of more maize due to the favourable climatic conditions in my place. Subsequently, I look forward to a huge harvest. Though the main goal is to ensure the presence of adequate food in my family, I will sell the surplus to attain more income.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
My life is currently different from how it was four months ago because I lease a piece of land for farming. I used the earlier transfers from GiveDirectly on leasing a piece of land and planted beans. Consequently, I have reaped heavily - we have relatively enough food for consumption.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to be better in the next six months in that I will not be doing more of casual jobs, I will be getting assistance in fee payment for my children school fee, will be producing milk from my own farm. I expect to lease more piece of land to use for commercial farming. This will improve my financial status.
5th 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?
I am currently running a milk vending business that i started as a result of the money that i am getting from Givedirectly. Thi has been a source of extra income for me and my family. I am financially uplifted.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to buy a dairy cow for rearing from the funds that i have saved with the help of the transfers.
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 happy and more motivated to work than before since i have a monthly boost of the transfers.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect that in the next six months or so, i would have bought a piece of land and improve my farming. I also expect to be living a more better and a happy life with my family.
2nd 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?
The goals which I now have is to buy a calf so that after it grows, I will not be buying milk anymore.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life currently is different since I am nowadays happy and able to pay merry go round group every week.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect that my life will have changed since I will have bought a calf.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life is that my children are now clean since they no longer lack body oil to use.
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship that I am facing is lack of adequate food for my family . The last two years ,famine has really affected farming hence we always have to food which at times is expensive.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is lunch time. My children always come home for lunch and I am always happy because they always get food that helps them concentrate in their studies. Its brings greater joy to see them well fed.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I plan to spend my transfer on chicken rearing. I have experience in chicken rearing hence it will be easy for me to continue from where I left off. This will help me with getting food and income to sustain my family.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement that am proudest of is the cow that I bought that is helping me and my family. The cow provides me with milk for my children to drink and also some is sold helping get income to buy basic needs like clothing and be able to do farming.