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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Enrollment
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Completed
Newsfeed > Susan's Profile
Susan's family
Susan
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Other
faceAge:
48
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Susan's next check-in.
 
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My goal presently is to invest in farming so that I would have more income when I got to harvest the produce. I am thinking of planting beans which do well in this region. The crop requires little capital and less attention compared to other crops.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The greatest difference in my life is that in the last few months, I do not have more burden of acquiring loans from the bank to support farming and paying school fees for my children. The monthly transfers which I receive from Give Directly are enough to support my farming projects.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I would have harvested potatoes which I had planted with part of the transfer are almost ready to harvest. I am looking forward to a good harvest which when I would get to sell it would enable me to sell and earn money for supporting my children in school.
 
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?
In the last four months, I do not struggle much to pay the debt for the items which I obtained from the shop. This creditworthiness has helped me build a good relationship with the shopkeeper as he is assured that once I get my transfer I get to pay him back. This means that whenever I do not have money I can obtain goods on credit and pay later.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My additional goal is to invest my next transfer on farming so that we can get enough food. I have been spending a lot on a daily basis purchasing food like vegetable and maize flour which I can produce on my farm. Since it has started raining, I will plant some maize and beans so that I can have food for the family once I harvest it. I
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Since I lost my husband a few years ago, I had been depending on his pension which wasn't enough to cater for my family needs. Since I started receiving transfers from Give Directly, my life has greatly changed in that I no longer get worried about paying school fees for my child and buying food. The two sources of income which I got now is enough to sustain my family with less struggle. For the last four months, I no longer sought casual jobs to earn money but rather spent time working on my farm.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I would not be purchasing food items since I will have harvested some which I got on my farm. This means we will be having enough to sustain us until next season. Beans will take shortest time harvest and I will have enough food for my family.
 
8th 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 different in that I am now able to pay school fees for my children much more easier than I did four months before. This, I have been able to do by borrowing bigger loans with the pension that we were left with following the death of my husband. I am now proud that I can make my children happy again and by doing so, I hope I am making them forget about their father who took good care of them when he was alive. I have also been able to own some of the assets that I never thought I could own like a cow. These assets will enable me to face some of the unforeseen emergencies that comes wit raising a family.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, my plans are to diversify farming. I want to dwell on hybrid seeds and fertilizers on my crops that will see me have more produce from my farm and make us self reliant and increase my income base.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
When my husband passed on, I was left with the entire responsibility of raising our young children. Life was so difficult for us. Despite the fact that he left us with his pension to take care of the family, it was difficult for me to balance between taking a loan to help pay school fees for my children and meet the basic household needs. I could only take a small loan that was hardly enough to keep my children in school. When GiveDirectly transfers were at hand it provided me with enough money to buy food and other basic necessities for the family. I then was able to take a bigger loan and pay back with all the monthly pensions that we earned. This has greatly assisted me keep my children in school at all times. I use all the transfers to buy food and make other small investments that are making my family more self reliant.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
One In the next six months, one of my children shall have cleared his form four. This calls for preparations on my side to set aside money that will be used in educating him through his college studies. A m confident that he will pass and will require more money to take him through college studies.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
2735 KES ($27 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
At the moment, my daily life has not changed since I have only received them once and I used the amount in paying my child's school fees.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in that I will have planted beans, harvested them and use the money I will get after selling them to clear my children's school fees.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life currently has changed slightly since I have been able to less some amount in my child's school fees arrears.
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
The new goal I now have is to plant some beans after harvesting maize so that my farm will not lie idle.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
There was a time in my life when I had no income at all yet I had my children in various schools. I had borrowed a loan from a loan lending institution and I had just started paying it. It was difficult getting school fees and for once I felt I would fail as a parent. I got over the situation though.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening. This marks the end of the day and I feel happy having completed the day successfully.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to save most of my transfers in order to be able to buy a dairy cow and engage in potatoe farming
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement that am proudest of is my farming practices. I have been able to practice successful farming over the years that has enabled me to accumulate income and pay school fees. Hunger has been a thing of the past in my household.