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 > Benard's Profile
Benard's family
Benard
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labour
faceAge:
33
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Benard's next check-in.
 
26th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 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?
My new goal now is to use the transfers to buy bricks which I plan to use in building a new house. Now that I am receiving these transfers, I feel so able financially and I know if I start bit by bite, I will be able to raise enough money to buy enough bricks and use in building a new and 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 since I started receiving these transfers from Give Directly is that I have livestock such as six goats and four sheep. In my life before the transfers, I did not have any in my life because I was not well financially to be able to meet my family needs as well as buying the livestock. I have been relying on ion a small income from casual work of ploughing other people's farm which was not paying much. This is why I have been using part of my transfers and saving the rest which I used to buy the goats and sheep. In as much as I am not rich now but I do not feel as poor as I used to feel without the sheep and goats.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My second-born son is currently in his final year of primary education. This means next year if all goes well, he will be joining secondary school. This is a process which requires a lot of money to achieve because he will be required with full school fees and other school requirements. This is why my determination is to use the transfers for savings which I will use in buying school requirements such as books, uniform, shoes, bag and even to pay his school fees at the time when he will be joining the school.
 
21st Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have a new goal of saving to pay school fees for my child. The child is sitting the final primary exams and the transfers will help me settle the first term's tuition fee and other requirements when he joins secondary school.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have been able to buy stationery and school uniforms for my children. The children, in turn, go the chance to study as they had the required study items and also look presentable I was also able to venture into livestock so that when we are faced by any financial difficulty we can face it head-on. Livestock rearing comes with great financial security and prestige and it has always been my dream to have some. It seemed so impossible but with the transfers, I have been able to make it.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to buy more building materials like iron sheets that I plan to use in building a new house. I had moved from my father's compound to my own and I only managed to build a very small house just for the formalities. Now I focus more on building the family house that will accommodate my large family comfortably by then. I also expect to pay more school fees for my child as he is bound to join secondary school next year.
 
18th 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 different from how it would have been four months ago in that my children are not sent home for school fees arrears anymore. In the past, my children were being sent home regularly for fees arrears because I was not able to pay in time. This is because of my low income. I could not even meet all my family basic needs with my income. This is why I was not able to pay school fees on time. After building a new house, I have been using my transfer to pay school fees arrears for my children bit by bit on a monthly basis. I am glad they are not being sent home anymore for arrears.
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 buy two cows. I want to use the cows to pay dowry for my wife. I got married two years ago and because of my low income, I have not been able to raise money to pay dowry. I would want to handle the issue once and for all.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I used to live in a grass-thatched house because my income was very low. I only depended only on income from casual work which was not only small but also inconsistent. This is the reason why I could not manage to build a new house. The little I got I would use in basic needs of the family. I would even have to take grass on credit to repair my roof. When I started receiving transfers, I used to save for a period of 8 months. I used the savings to buy building materials such as iron sheets timber and nails which I used on building a new house for my family. I feel relieved because of the new house.
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 saving my monthly transfers to use in buying a piece of land. Since we did not have enough land in my family, we are forced to buy land where we put up our homes. This is why I have decided to save so that I can get a place to call my home.
 
15th 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 grandmother has been very sick since last year and I had to take a loan from M-shwari to pay her hospital bill when she was admitted to the hospital. These tranfers have helped me repay the loan in good time which I know would have been tough if I were to do it on my own due to low income. I have also used the money to buy my children personal items such as shoes and clothes which makes me very happy every time I see them well and decently dressed, unlike before that they had very old and torn ones that were quite embarrassing.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Am planning to leave my father's compound and build in my own compound in the next three months as tradition requires of men my age in my community. I plan to use my next few transfers to buy the remaining construction materials that are required for the new building. I have been buying the materials for some time now and I only need a few which I know I will be able to buy using my transfers.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
My children had worn out school shoes which were very embarrassing to them and us as their parents. I had planned to buy them new ones but could not due to finacial difficulties and other urgent financial obligations I had over the last couple of months. With my recent transfer, I was able to buy them new school shoes which have made them very eager and excited to go to school because they no longer feel embarrassed among their peers.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
With the pressure of moving into my own compound, I have been very stressed in the past few months due to the huge financial need I had. In the next six months, I hope that I will have completed the project and will be fully settled in my new home. This will also give me a break so that I can fully focus on my family's needs and most of my transfers will be used to take care of the basic needs of my children.
 
12th 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 as I saved and bought building materials and built a new house which now accommodates my large family freely. I also paid a loan I borrowed from a table bank to pay school fees for my brother. My children can now go to school easily as I am able to clear school feees almost every month for them using the transfers. They wear clothes and eat heaalthy food.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I want to venture into livestock rearing which I plan to use in various ways i.e. ploughing, milking and selling whenever I have a financial emergency.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I used to have a thatched house so I saved the transfers I received from Give Directly until when I had enough money to buy building materials which I used to build a new house as my house leaked whenever it rained.Now my family can be easily be acommodated in a larger house.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to have livestock in the next few months and I will not have to worry too much about any financial constraints.
 
5th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 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 different because I will be able to stay comfortably in my new house together with my family. I will also have seen my brother out of school.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal includes buying a cow that will be providing milk. I am also looking forward to sponsoring my brother towards his graduation out of college.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference is that I am now able to buy food effectively and buying new clothes for my family.I am also proud to have built a new house in corporation with my wife.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
Life will change because I will have plastered my house in addition to buying several household items such as new set of seats and tables for my house.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 6 years ago
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The recipient was not asked any questions as part of this follow up.
 
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced is that we have both been sick for sometimes and this made it hard at some point to really take good care of the family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is at knight because I am back in the house I seat with my children we talk as a family.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
When I get this transfer, I am planning to build a house and ensure that I educate my children.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The proudest achievement is that I have bought some livestock that I am keeping and that I am able to take care of my family by providing the basic needs however difficult the situation is.