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 > Brenda's Profile
Brenda's family
Brenda
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labour
faceAge:
33
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
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Follow to be updated on Brenda's next check-in.
 
23rd Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I do not have a new goal now but rather increase the number of poultry that I have to enable me to earn an extra income through selling eggs.
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 I have started a poultry keeping project at home. I depend on the casual jobs in the village and the amount of money that I get through these jobs is so small and cannot gather for all the basic needs at once. I have children in school and paying their fees is not an easy task. I decided to start a poultry keeping project to earn me a daily income through selling eggs. I usually get some amount after selling to the shops around the home and also to the hotels. The amount of money that I get enables me to gather for the basic needs including paying part of the school fees for the children. I no longer do much of the casual jobs but I devote my time to my own activities at home. I am so much grateful because it has to ease my work and reduce the stress that I had before.
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 to increase the number of chicken on my farm and be in a position to buy a heifer through the sales of eggs and savings that I would have saved from the proceeds.
 
20th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Apart from the purchase of a heifer, I also have an additional goal to start a poultry project. This is another potential income-generating project which will be helpful in ensuring that all the household requirements are met. In the next four months, I will be working on the construction of a modern chicken coop and later obtain a quality breed of chicks.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Transfers from GiveDirectly have really brought a lot of changes in my life and the lives of my household members. In the last four months, the biggest difference in my daily life is the purchase of a heifer which cost me a total of 12000 KES. I manage to raise the money through Merry-go-round which I joined at the start of the transfers. The group consists of 15 members each contributing 1000 KES monthly. The decision to purchase a heifer was due to the fact that buying milk every day was becoming so expensive and straining our budget. We are now hopeful that in the near future we will be having our own both for domestic use and surplus for sale.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I have great expectations that I will have completed the establishe=ment of both the chicken coop and also I will have brought in the chicks. The current plans that I have put in place are clear indications that the project will be completed then.
 
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?
I have seen a great difference in my life in the past four months. Initially, I had no livestock in our household but now I own one which I am proud of. Although I am still buying milk I am hopeful that I will be producing enough for the domestic use and surplus milk for sale in the near future. My dreams are slowly aligning themselves and I am hopeful that soon I will have accomplished all the plans that had been hindered by lack of money. I really thank God by helping us through this wonderful organization called GiveDirectly.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
After purchasing the first heifer, I have a feeling that I should purchase another one as an additional goal. I have three children in school and I am foreseeing a future where I will be paying their school fees after selling milk product from my cows. Earning some money from the sale of milk will be a great boost to the financial success which translates to ease of school fee payment and general education of my children.
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 the presence of a heifer which I bought using GiveDirectly's money. I had been a member of a Merry-go-round since we started receiving the transfer which consisted of 8 members each paying 1500 KES monthly. I received my turn which enabled me purchased a heifer which I am now rearing. This has really given me joy since I am sure that in the near future, it will have given birth and this means there will be milk. Currently, I am buying milk for domestic use, but when I will be getting milk from the heifer, I will instead save the money I use in buying milk for other projects. I will also begin selling surplus hence earning me income to meet other household needs.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
Since our merry-go-round is still on, I still hold a lot of expectations as far as how I will be spending GiveDirectly 's money is concerned. In six month's time, I expect to have purchased the second heifer which is coming after receiving the second turn from the group. A total of KES 12000 is contributed in total and I am pretty sure that my goal will be accomplished. What this means is that soon when the heifer's calf's then I will have plenty of milk for domestic use. Again, I will have more surplus milk to sell and therefore our livelihoods will have improved because I will be having a constant supply of milk.
 
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 because of the savings that I now have. This is a good investment as it will help me build a proper poultry house in order to gain from the birds farming. I save KES 1500 from every transfer in a merry go round group. Additionally, I have about 5 chicken so far that are already laying eggs. This has become a very nice source of income. I sell eggs from the investment on a daily basis hence I currently meet my daily needs with ease.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My additional goal is to build a poultry house. I want to be a serious poultry farmer. This can only be possible when I have proper housing for the many birds that I intend to keep.
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 having chicken that lay eggs. I bought several adult chicken using the last four months transfers and they help me to meet my daily needs for my family. I collect about 5 eggs per day that I sell at KES 50. I then use it to buy household items that we need every day like tea leaves and soap. This has ensured that we don't lack the small items that are very important on a daily basis.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I don't have a source of income. I am a peasant farmer and basically, I rely on menial jobs which are at most times not available. To mitigate the lack of money to meet my needs, I intend to practice poultry keeping. In the next six months, I will have increased the extent of my poultry farming. I will be having a modern poultry house and a large brood of chicken that will be laying eggs that will be making me money. I also hope to have received my contribution from my merry go round group and bought a cow. This will be kept and reared to maturity in order to provide milk for consumption and also for sale. This will be beyond the six months but I intend to achieve it using the transfers I will receive over the next six months.
 
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 currently different from how it used to be since i no longer have to sleep hungry like how i used to and that i have more confidence in doing different activities since i have a extra source of funds.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goals in the next four months is that i expect to be owning a cow for rearing.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Right now i have chicken that lays eggs that help with small basic needs on daily basis. I rarely lack the household basics nowadays unlike before when i sometimes took sugarless tea or insufficient food for my children.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect that in the next six months, i will be selling milk from a cow that i will have. The milk will be a source of income and food for our family and will help us live a more better lifestyle. I will have a happy family.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
455 KES ($4 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 buy a sheep.I will keep this to maturity and this will help me .
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently different because i now have a plan to buy a sheep that will grow and become a flock and then help me to buy a cow.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months i will have a cow that will provide milk for domestic use and sale to get an income.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference is that I collect an egg from the chicken i bought adding this to what i have give me enough money for other household items that i require daily.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The greatest challenge that i have faced in life is last year when i planted maize and all of a sudden a certain disease destroyed all in the farm and i had to buy maize in order to feed my family.It was a hardship because i had no money and had to struggle.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is when i wake up in the morning ready to go to the farm and do my farming,because that is where i get the bread of the day for my family.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I will spend my tranfer on: 1.Building a new house for my family. 2.Farming-buy seeds and fertilizers and plant maize.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The greatest achievement that am proud of is that i own a cow at first i used to buy milk but now i have my own.