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?
In the six months, I expect my life to have changed to be better. This is because, I believe I will have diversified my income sources and so will no longer strain to do casual labour. My farming techniques will also improve because I will have more time dedicated to my farm and so I will be expecting abundant harvest. My family wellbeing will also improve
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Being a tea farmer, I always strived to expand my tea farm. With the money I received from GiveDirectly, It has really helped me because, four months ago, I only had a few tree seedlings in my nursery. At the moment, I am very happy because I have managed to add them after every transfer and this means, I will have enough for planting as well as for resale when the planting season comes. Besides, I managed to construct a kiosk which will boost our household income
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My goal in the next four months is to purchase an additional dairy cow. The ones I have produces milk only for household consumption and my decision to add another one is to enable me generate some more income from the sale of milk. The money that will be generated will be channeled to other household expenses
16th 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?
I expect my life to change in the next six months in that, I would have bought a dairy cow using the saving issued to me from our merry go round group. I believe having the dairy cow will enable me to cut the cost of buying milk which is currently very expensive
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Before GiveDirectly came, I relied on casual jobs in the village for money that barely sustained my family's basic needs especially paying school fees for my children. This situation made them stay home for a while as I search for resources that greatly affected their performance negatively. The biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer is that I have invested more money to buy tea leaves from other farmers and supply in the nearby factory. Therefore, I am able to support my family and me financially with the monthly income from this business. Most importantly, the larger part of it I have directed to cater to my children school fees. It's with great joy that I am seeing them happily and confidently going to school with no worries of being sent home to collect school like before. In addition, I have developed a saving culture whereby I have to join a group in the village to save a small amount after paying school fees. I could not do this before because there was no extra money for saving. I'm so happy for the support from GiveDirectly.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Before most of my time was subjected to toiling my neighbor's farms as a casual worker and the income I got could not sustain my family's need. Currently, my life is different from how it was four months ago in that, nowadays, I do work on my farm and buy tea leaves from the farmers to supply in the nearby factory for pay which is much easier than what I was doing before and I all this has been possible because of the transfers from GiveDirectly.In addition, I am at peace because I have enough time to work on my farm and bond more with my family which lightens me more. All my gratitude goes to GiveDirectly
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 in that I have enough time to work on my farm and also time to bond more with my family. Before I was away from home for my hours doing casual jobs but nowadays I do work on my farm and buy tea leaves from the farmers and supplying them to the factory which is much easier than what I was doing before.
12th 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?
I expect my life to change in the next six months in that I will be owning a shop. This will earn more income and I will be able save more money to pay school fees for my daughter who will be joining secondary school next year. I will also be selling more milk to a cooling plant and thus will be getting a lot of money to buy more stock for my shop. This will therefore bring more income.
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 used to buy milk for my family and this was very expensive. I decided to borrow a loan from PATNAS Sacco to buy a dairy cow. I am using the transfer from Give Directly to repay this loan. I no longer buy milk like I used to do before. Sometimes I sell the surplus to earn an income to meet other basic needs and even pay school fees for my children in school.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My goal for the next four months is to open a retail shop. I will save my monthly income from my tea farm and use it to buy stock for the shop. Currently we are walking for a long distance to get to the nearest shop. Opening a shop will therefore bring more customers from the neighborhood thus more income for my family.
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 in that currently I have enough milk for my family. In the past, I used to buy three litres of milk daily for my family and this was very expensive. I now have adequate milk for the family and I can now save more money and use it to cater for other basic needs for my family.
5th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 6 years ago
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How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to plant more tea seedlings and to have opened up a new shop.
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 these transfers have enabled me to plant more tea seedlings in preparation for school fees payment for my kids.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to put up a shop from merry go round contribution which will act as tea leaves collection point.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is currently different because I have planted more tea seedlings.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
attach_money
The recipient was not asked any questions as part of this follow up.
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in my life is the maize disease which hit all the maize plantation I was depending on feeding my family and even paying the school fees of my children in school.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Generally for the last few months it has been hard finding food for the family, but every evening when we have gotten what to take for dinner that brings joy to me and the entire family.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
Once I receive my transfer, I have a plan to extent the size of my farm under tea plantation.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
I am proud of the fact for the past two years I was able to obtain two cows producing milk enough to feed my family members.