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?
The difference in my life in the last four months is that my children are not always sent home for school fees anymore. I have always had food on the table for my family. This is because I have been using the transfer to pay my children's fees arrears bit by bit on a monthly basis. This has been helpful because I have cleared the major part of their arrears which has given me an easy time with the teachers. Secondly, I have always used the transfer to buy food in bulk on a monthly basis which has also helped me in feeding my family. They have never missed food.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I wish to start a hotel business. I would not continue suffering through farming as it is the cases now. I would want to have a stable source of income and since I cannot get any employment, I have decided to start a business to help me meet my family needs in time with easy.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
In the past, I used to farm using local seeds without fertilizer. This was not productive at all because I used to get 2 sacks as my main harvest. I felt I used to overwork and would get very little. The harvest would not sustain the family until the harvest. Ever since I started receiving these transfers, I was able to buy farm input such as hybrid seed and fertilizers which I used on my farm. I am glad my harvest has really improved from 2 sacks to 6 sacks which have changed my life in a great away.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My plan for the next six months is to save my transfer. The reason for saving is to enable me to get the resources needed to start a hotel business. I would want to use the savings to buy equipment and stock to start the business. I know through the business, I will not struggle anymore financially.
14th 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?
I now own a few livestock all thanks to GD. I never had any and never thought I would ever own them any time soon because I mostly depend on casual jobs that cannot raise enough to buy even a goat. I am happy that I have managed to buy two goats and a few chickens using these transfers which is a great way to start off on livestock keeping.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
As we are in the farming season, I will spend most of my next transfers to hire labourers to help in the weeding of my farm in good time. This is because the farm is too large for my family to weed as we have been struggling in the past. It took us a lot of time to weed it therefore generally affecting our overall harvests.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
During the beginning of the year, it is usually very dry making casual jobs such as farm jobs not available at all. This usually makes it hard for those who depend on such jobs as me to make enough money for family needs. Over the past four months though, life has not been as hard as other years because of the money that I have been receiving from GD. My family has never gone hungry because we are able to plan with the monthly transfers and even borrow in confidence whenever we are totally broke because we know we'll clear the debt at the beginning of the month.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
With the great plans I have put in place for my farm this season, I anticipate a bumper harvest which I know will we use for a long time and even have extra to sell to raise more income.
12th 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 in that, I managed to paid school fees for my daughter on time. I am stress-free since I know that she will not be sent home due to fee arrears. I also ate well unlike before where I could skip some meals.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to hire workers who will prepare my farm on time. I also plan on purchasing hybrid seeds which match with the climate and that will translate to good produce.
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 is that we have enough produce which we still eat to date. I had invested so much in farming which bore fruits because of the grains that I greatly harvested. I am a happy person because I no longer buy most of the foods which are normally expensive. Previously, it was a real hustle because I did not have money to hire workers. I just struggled to till the land by myself and due to this, I could lag behind. Those were the tough days where we could skip meals but right now we get all the meals. Thanks to GiveDirectly.
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 invested in farming with the main goal of having enough food for my family. I will also venture into poultry farming simply because
it has a ready market in our village and from this, I am sure of getting extra income that I will channel towards taking care of the basic needs which have been a burden on my side.
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 6 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
I am able to pay for children school fee comfortably without too much strangle as before.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to start poultry keeping as my future investment.
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 am eating very well and comfortably because l spent the GD money on farming last season and got enough produce.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six month l expect to have started poultry farming.
Initial 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?
My new goals are plastering my floor , go on with poutry keeping and buy goats .
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently different than it would have been if I had never received the transfer in that, I feel at peace because Ieasily manage to put food on the table table unlike before where I had to struggle .
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 already ventured into poultry farming hence my family would be able to eat eggs and I can even sell the hens to buy whatever is needed in my house.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that my family can eat well unlike before where they could go hungry due to lack of money which is a great relief.
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship that I have faced in my life has been struggling with the burden of taking care of my brothers orphaned children plus my own being that I do not have a very reliable source of income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evenings when I am able to relax and have fun with my friends after a hard days work.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer on plastering the walls and floor of my house,buying some livestock and also paying school fees for my children.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My proudest achievement is being able to educate five of my brothers children who were left oprphaned at a very tender age.