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 goal is to buy a chain wire mesh for fencing around the poultry house. I have been losing some eggs to predators and also my chicken would destroy neighbour's crops. This has compelled me to put up a fence to prevent losing eggs and chicks as well as avoiding conflict which may result from the straying chicken to people's farms.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
In the past four months, I invested part of my transfer to buy some chicken for rearing. I saw a great opportunity in selling eggs which have really help me in the past few days to meet my daily expenditure. I got to collect eggs which when I get to sell I purchase some maize, sugar and cooking fat.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next months, I would have expand my poultry project and this means I would have started earning from it fully. The money which I will save from selling the eggs, I will spend on purchasing building materials for constructing a new house. I got some teenage boys who are about to be initiated and in our culture, the circumcised male shouldn't occupy the same house with the parent. So I am looking forward to building a house for their own which would also be their study room.
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?
Before GiveDirectly came, I used to sell part of my farm produce in order to pay school fees for my children and cater for my household necessities. Today, I can proudly say my life is currently different from how it was four months ago in that I no longer sell part of my farm products since I use the transfers to supplement my income. This has enhanced the continuous supply of food throughout the year in my household. I am glad since my transfers have come in handy to achieve all this.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I live in a small house which cannot accommodate all my family members comfortably. Building a bigger house for my family is one of my prioritized additional goals in the next four months since my children are grown ups and at times they need some privacy which currently they do not have. This is because we live in a one-room house which serves as a kitchen, living room and bedroom to all of us. My motivator is the fact that I have already bought timbers purposely to build with them.
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 am providing for my family's basic needs on time and with ease. This has been possible because whenever I receive my transfer, I buy household necessities which can last us for the whole month. Therefore, food security is assured since I no longer sell part of my farm products in order to get money and pay school fees for my children with it.
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 built a spacious house for my family that I always longed for with the finances from GiveDirectly. Having this house will be a sigh of relief because the members of my family will get their personal privacy whenever they are in need of it.
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?
My life is currently different from how it was four months ago in that I am much better than before as I have some money to provide for my family. Previously, life for was difficulty considering that my land is very small and the production has also gone down due to climate change. This was hardly enough to feed the family. sometimes we could even skip some meals due to lack of money to purchase food . Give Directly's money has reduced a lot of stress and enabled me to provide for the family with ease.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, the new goal that I am working on is to buy building materials for constructing an extra house. We always sleep in the kitchen where it is very uncomfortable due to its poor condition since it leaks and it is also overcrowded with our household items. I am planning to save the monthly transfers to build the house in order to get my family a comfortable place not only for sleeping.
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 I now own a dairy cow. I have been buying milk since due to lack of funds to buy a cow. This is because I am a peasant farmer who depend on low production from my small land to provide for my family. I enrolled in a Merry Go Round when I started receiving the transfers. When my turn came, I bought a dairy cow. Previously I used to buy milk for the family use and this has been very expensive. The cow will provide us with milk and I will also be selling the surplus to booster the family income in the next future.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change for better in the next six months because I will be having more income from the milk sale. I will therefore be able to provide enough food and save some money for my daughter's education.
7th 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 currently is different since I now have some chicken and I have been able to build a house for them.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The new goal I now have is to start a business.
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 happiness since I now have some chicken.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in that I will have started a business.
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?
Before receiving the transfers, I had not thought of buying a dairy goat. I have now planned to buy once of which by the end of six months, it will have multiplied hence increase my stock
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 since I no longer strain much strain to get some money as whatever I was really yearning to do has been sorted out with the transfers money that I received
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My life will be better in the next six months since with the dairy goat that I am planning to buy, It will have multiplied and I will be able to sell it hence acquire some income for my family needs
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I am generally happy because I know that having received the transfers I will be able to construct a poultry house for my chicken and at least I will be having a daily income to support my family
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 is when I lost my husband back in 2014. It was hard for me considering the immense responsibility that he had over our family affairs. I had to learn to live on my own.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the noon when I have had food with my children and I see them happy. At that time I can sit and relax in our home.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend part of my transfers on buying food for my children. I also intend to use the transfers on buying them clothes and pay their school fees.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement that am proudest of is having got my three children and the ability to raise them up. My first born is eleven years and looking back into where we have come from, they just give me joy and pride.