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?
Currently, we staying in a rental house thus my new or additional goals for my life for the next four months is to put up my home. Having a house to stay in without paying monthly rent will be a benefit to me because I would be using that money to invest in other incoming generating activities. I have school-going children thus I would also be in a position to pay school fees with a lot of ease.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have been using my monthly transfers to buy food because this is the major area I was facing a challenge. I am a peasant farmer and at times I do casual work to provide food for my family. The wage is too small that can't even fit our daily income. Thus I say a big thank you for having rescued us from this crisis.
I have been using my transfer to buy food for my family.
and this is the biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer. We are staying a happy family because we are able to eat well unlike before when affording three meals in a day was like a dream to us.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to be living in my own home but not a rental house. This is the major change I am expecting in the next six months. Having a house will enable me have my own freedom and even time to think about how to identify opportunities that will enable me to grow economically.
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
For me, I would say that I have been buying a lot of building materials which help in the process of getting a new structure in the not so distant future. So far I have managed to accumulate a total of approximately twelve new iron sheets that will be of great help towards achieving that goal.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have a plan of erecting a new house for my family because currently, we live in a rental house which is quite expensive as compared to living in one's own house. I believe that it is the right time for me to have my own place and thereby move away from this rental house where I have to be committed to the rental payment at the end of every month.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have been able to buy food with utmost ease as compared to how I used to struggle sometime in the past. I have also been using the money to do some household shopping as well as buying some of the essential items such as sofa sets, iron sheets, and other building materials which have bee of great help to me.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I believe that life will change in the near future because by then I will already have a new house in place so that means I will be in a position to finally move away from the rental buildings and get a place of my own.
Apart from that, I believe that the six sheep which I already have right now will have multiplied and thereby resulting in a fair increase in the size of my flock, which in essence means that my assets will be growing.
15th 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?
For the last four to five months, I have been using the money to pay school fees for my child so as to let the kid have a peaceful time at school without him being subjected to frequent disturbance by being sent away due to school fees arrears.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Right now I have a goal of buying a small piece of land just within this same locality. I want to make sure that I save some little amount of money every single month so that I can accumulate a good sum which will enable me to acquire the piece of land in the foreseeable future.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference is that the monthly transfers have helped me in achieving a lot of things such as shopping for the household every single month which basically means that we never lack some of the basic commodities that we require to use on a day to day basis.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I want to believe that my life will have changed within a period of six months from now because I shall have purchased a piece of land where I want to build a house for my family so that we can move away from the rental houses where we currently live.
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?
Within the last four months, I have been able to lift my wife's business which ensures that we get some good returns in terms of financial profits. It is the profits that we then use to buy food for the family and keep us afloat as days go by. My wife does not have to completely rely on me for financial assistance because she now has her own cash that she can fully rely on.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have a plan of ensuring that I save as much as possible every month so that I can be able to buy a piece of land where I will build a new house for my family. Currently I stay in a rental house where I have to pay rent at the end of every month and I do not think that is how I want to live anymore going into the future.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have been able to implement my plans effectively especially supporting my wife with her business projects. When the organization started sending us the cash transfers last year, I started a small scale business for my wife and so far I can see her doing well with her business. Apart from that, I also took some loan in the past which I used to purchase five new motorbikes that I have invested in the motorcycle transportation business. So far I can say that the business is picking up very well because at the end of each day, every single motorbike must generate a return worth 300 KES, which translates to a total of around 45000 KES at the end of the month.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My life will change because I will have accumulated enough cash that will enable me to buy a piece of land where I will build my own house and live there with my family in a more comfortable manner. I no longer want to stay in the rental house because I think I have come of age and I now have the financial ability to get a piece of land and build a niece house. Of-course getting a new house has never been a walk in the park for anyone who has walked down that line but I believe that with dedication, I will eventually get there.
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?
My life is different because I am able to buy food for the family in a more comfortable manner as opposed to how I used to before.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal includes building my own home amd also paying dowry for my wife.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I am now in a position to do my business without struggling so much. I am able to additional stock for my business.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I will be able to have a nice house and most probably I will have been able to pay dowry for my wife.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 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?
My new goal is to establish my home.
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 if I never received the transfer in that, I would have not paid school fees early enough for my two children .
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 managed to purchase cattles which will help in ploughing my parcel of land.
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 is that, I have managed to pay school fees early enough this time round for my two children unlike before.
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest challenge I have faced in my life is financial constrain which made me drop out in class four.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of the day is evening when I am back from work with something for the family to eat.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I will use my transfer to start a small business and fee payment for my child .
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My proudest achievement is being able to enroll my child in school.