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?
As of now I sincerely do not have any additional goal rather than ensuring that my children's school fees have been paid and they have food to eat.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
In the past four months, all my six children have managed to attend school without being sent home for school fees. This has been made possible thanks to the transfers received monthly. Before GD came, I used to work two casual jobs to earn a little pay that was used for upkeep. This left me with no money to save towards my children's school fees and hence they were constantly at home because of school fees.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I am looking forward to having savings aside towards improving my house. This will improve our living standards.
19th 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?
Currently, GiveDirectly's transfers have lead to an increment in my household's monthly income. From our transfers which we supplement with the daily income that we do for a living obtaining food and paying school fees for our children has become very easy as opposed to the previous years. We no longer have to fully rely on unpredictable casual jobs to earn a living.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal in the next four months is to buy building materials such as the iron sheet on a monthly basis in order to use them in building a decent new house. Having a decent shelter to put on our heads will be the greatest stepping stone to a better living standard as well.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I am a casual laborer and raising an income to support ever-rising pressing family needs has always been a challenge before GiveDirectly came to our village. Apparently, having livestock of my own seemed impossible. The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have purchased a sheep after saving part of the transfer for the last four months. I am glad and happy that now I own a sheep which I believe in the future it will reproduce and increase in numbers then serve as a source of income. This income will help me cater to emergencies which might arise.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to have bought part of the building materials that will facilitate the construction of a decent spacious house when they shall have accumulated the required numbers. Through this, I shall have a house with adequate rooms for my children by the mid of next year. At the moment they are young, but I would not wish to see them going to spend at my neighbors home in the near future when they grow up.
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?
I can say that my life is different today because I have been making deposits in one of the table banking groups that we formed in this village recently, so the deposits act as some sort of savings for me. Apart from that, I have also been paying my solar power bills at the end of every month thereby giving my children an opportunity to study with some ease as compared to how they used to strain in the past using the paraffin powered lamps.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have a goal of buying building materials that will enable me to build a new house in the near future. I have already bought eight new iron sheets but I still need to get more iron sheets, maybe if I get thirty-two more sheets then I think I will be fine. My aim is to get a four-roomed house that can easily accommodate all my family members.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference for me I would say is the ease with which I pay school fees for my children. I no longer have to struggle so much like I used to do in the past where I had to go for the odd jobs which at the end of the day pay very little per day. For instance, if my child got sent away due to arrears amounting to 1000 KES, it meant that I had to work for five days, earning 200 KES per day in order to be able to raise the 1000 KES, and that meant that I save everything which again is not realistic considering that the kids still need to eat everyday.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I want to make sure that I have a new house in place by the end of the year. I have a big family and I can see the size growing further in the near future. If I do not build a new house this year, then the dream may take me quite a long time to realize it owing to the fact that I do not have a job that I can say I rely on.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 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 because I am at peace since I get my monthly payment which I normally use to cater for my needs easily. Previously, I could depend on the odd jobs which were unreliable and the money was little which could not be enough to take care of all my basic needs. The calmness and state of mind I have since I enrolled myself in this program allows me to think of new ideas of how to improve my life. I feel like my mind is not preoccupied therefore I can critically think through how I can find solutions to most of the challenges that I also face in life.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to build a new house. I am planning to buy building materials using transfers in the next four months so as to actualize this goal. My current house is in a bad state, the roof has holes that normally leaks whenever it rains. This normally forces me to cover the roof with a polythene bag during the rainy seasons to prevent my bedding from becoming wet. It is a hectic procedure because I normally have to sleep late during these seasons.
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 am happy and ambitious in life. I managed to buy a goat. I believe the goat will multiply with time and this will guarantee me with more offsprings with time. It also means I will get money buy selling its offsprings. I decided to buying the goat because its is easy to manage and its food is readily available in our area. The climatic condition is also fit for the rearing of goats. If all goes well, I will have the freedom of using my money the way I want and also taking care of my needs easily.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in the next six months because I will have built a decent house. I will no longer be rained on after moving into the new house. This will give me inner peace and also spare me from being gossiped about in the village. Being that this condition still disrupts my sleep and normally disorients terribly. I hope to enjoy my sleep the whole night when this goal actualizes.
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?
My life is currently different from the way it ws four months ago is that I have been fifnancially stable and this has enabled me meet family's basic needs with a lot of ease.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
For the next four months of my life I have an additional goal of constructing a new house that can fit my large family
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 past four months preceding the current transfer is that I have been able too comfortably pay for muy children's school fee. This has given them enough time to study.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to have construct a big decent house so that I can then fully concentrate on my children.
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?
The goal I have is to improve my farming by buying fertilizer, quality seeds and hiring a larger piece of land and farming largely that will enable to also have more harvest.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The difference is I have access to money hence I can Invest wisely and no longer engage in hard labor. Before the transfers I has to make ends meet by fetching hard to earn a living.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I see my self being more comfortable having farmed largely I will not have a problem with acquiring food as well as I can sell some farm produce for exchange of money that can help me in paying school fees and settling other household expenditure.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference is I will be able to settle my children's school fees with ease. This has been a hustle but at least I can comfortably say that it had been settled after the transfer initiative from GD.
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in life is lack of proper source of income to provide for my children. Sometimes we go without meals and children walk in rags.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when my children come from school and show me their books. I feel happy when I help them do their homework and encourage them to work hard.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend the transfer in paying school fees for my children. I hope with good education, my children will get better employments and lead a better life.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My proudest achievement is purchase of a sheep. I hope it will give birth to lambs that I shall be able to sell in future and pay school fees for my children.