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?
In the next four months, we have an additional goal as a household to expand the chicken coop we had earlier on constructed so that we can later add up the birds as a poultry project expansion. All these are towards our long term goal to purchase another cow.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Buying milk in our household has been part of us for a very long time before and even after receiving the transfers from GiveDirectly. This has been due to the fact that we had never had a cow of our own. Receiving the transfers in our household came in as a boost towards ensuring that we get at least a cup or two every day. As time goes by we came to realize that it was way too expensive for us and we had to think of any other better way. We decided to get into a saving plan which although it was going to take us some months, we saw it worth it. We joined a merry-go-round where 10 members were each contributing 1000 KES monthly. we are glad now that in the last four months we have been drinking milk from our own cow which indeed is the biggest difference in our daily life.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
Having picked on our plan to extend the construction of a poultry house, we have great expectations that in the next six months, the whole of it will be completed and we'll be adding up the chickens.
22nd 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?
Alongside the intensive vegetable farming and other projects I have been doing, the Merry-go-round has been part of it. In our village, we have a consolidated women's group, all beneficiaries of GiveDirectly whom we came together for a joint interest to accumulate the transfers by each contributing 1500 KES every month to an individual member. Going forward my turn will be coming and I have a new goal to construct a new house for my son before the end of four months. My son has been living with us in the same house but different rooms but now that he's among those who were undergoing the rite of passage, our culture dictates that he ought to be having his different house.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Since I received the first transfer from GiveDirectly, I have been working harder and harder to see my life better. I have ventured into many trial businesses as well as all kinds of farming; some failing some turning out to be successful. In the last four months, the biggest difference in my daily life is the profitable vegetable farming I have been doing. I have been working on my small piece of land which had tripled the cost of inputs I had initially used. So far it has seen us complete the construction of our new house and also completed the payment of school fees for all my children. All thanks go to GiveDirectly for the handful support they accorded us.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, many changes will have come into my life and currently, my focus will be the completion of the construction of my son's house. I expect this to have come to pass within that period so that I may proceed to set other new goals.
20th 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?
Comparing my life currently with the last four months, I can attest to the fact that there has been a really big difference. I have seen a lot of improvements in many sectors among them is subsistence farming which was way too low in the previous months. I have also paid for the medical card which has been helping me in several visits I have been making to the hospital. All these never existed before making my life much better than the way it was in the last four months.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Alongside the subsistence farming I have been doing, I have an additional goal to venture into poultry farming. I have always been motivated by the programs which I have been watching in the Television on the starting and managing of a poultry farming. So far I have been collecting the necessary materials to start it off and at the moment, I am planning to construct a chicken coop and later start introducing the chicks.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
After receiving the transfers from GiveDirectly, I have been working hard as I try to run different projects in our household. The biggest of all which has brought a lot of difference in the last four months is subsistence farming. I made a decision to stick to the line of vegetables and currently I am enjoying a bumper harvest. I planted cabbages in a half an acre piece of land and tomatoes on the other half an acre. Although management has been hard, at least I am now enjoying the return which to me has already doubled the expenses I used over the last few months. This project will start me off in venturing into other farming projects which I have seen to be really productive.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
With the ongoing plans to construct a new house, I am hopeful that in the next six months I will have completed the construction. Sourcing of materials and other finances to pay the contractors is currently underways and once all is set, the construction will pick. I am really thankful to GiveDirectly for the great support they have given us.
16th 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 many ways. I no longer beg like I used to do to meet most of my needs and I am able to provide for my children without having to stress up on where to get the money to meet most of my needs. I used to rely on my husband to get all the family needs but I am now proud that I have been able to help him in most of the things that help our family.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months I am thinking about developing my poultry keeping project by building a poultry unit. We are currently in a merry go round with my husband and the money collected from it shall be used to finance this project. This will enable me provide for my family much more easily and is also a gateway towards making other investments in future. The few poultry that I have are assisting me a lot and I intend to expand it and reap maximum benefit from the project.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I am a person living with disability. Despite the disability, the transfers has enabled me to provide for my children comfortably without having to beg like I used to do before. This has given me much joy as a parent. I have been able to pay school fees for my children, provide a descent meal for them and the shame of having my children sent home for small fees arears is now a thing of the past. Being a person living with disability, I have as well been able to change my artificial leg easily without having to beg anyone to help me whenever it is worn out. GiveDirectly transfers have generally made my life easier and brought me joy than I could ever think of.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months my focus shall mainly be on the poultry project which shall be of great help to me and my family. The project shall see me be more self reliant and meet most of my family's basic needs much more easily.
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 we have enough food. We had used the earlier transfers from GiveDirectly on planting maize, vegetables, carrots, and pumpkins primarily for consumption. Subsequently, I am saving lots of money which I could have otherwise used to buy the food items. As a result, I have joined a table banking group to facilitate the savings. Besides, my family leads a happier, healthier and more satisfying life following the presence of a balanced diet and adequacy of food. Additionally, I feel more financially empowered to buy my own stuff without seeking financial support from my husband. Before, I used to rely mainly on my husband to buy me virtually everything I needed since I was born a cripple.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The new or additional goals for my life for the next four months is to buy a cow. I will rely on the savings through table banking, financial support from my husband, and the sale of most of my chicken to buy the cow. A cow will mean a lot to us as a family because we shall get milk for sale and consumption. Besides, a cow will serve as an invaluable prestige that could be utilized as collateral while seeking financial aids in the future.
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 we have adequate food for our family. Since I used the earlier transfers from GiveDirectly on planting vegetables, pumpkins, carrots, and maize, we have reaped heavily. Moreover, we get eggs from the poultry project that I have established. As a result, my family is enjoying adequate food and balanced diet while saving lots of funds which could have been used to purchase the varied food items. I save the money through table banking. Hence, my family and I feel healthier and more satisfied unlike before when we used to rely on limited varieties of food that were barely enough for us. Hence, I feel more empowered to support my family unlike before when we had to rely solely on my husband. Due to the physical disability that I was born with, I cannot handle lots of household activities.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change significantly in the next six months. This is because I will be owning a cow. Consequently, we shall be having a reliable source of milk for consumption while selling the surplus to fetch some income. Moreover, we shall be living in a bigger house that comfortably accommodates us, unlike the one that we have currently. Additionally, we shall be enjoying additional income from the sale of surplus food items. As a result, I will lead a more optimistic life with the confidence of accumulating enough funds that will be used as school fees for my son who is joining secondary school next year. Hence, I will be living like the physically able individuals following the financial empowerment.
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 because four months ago I couldn’t find enough capital to use in preparing, buying seeds and hiring labor in my land so that I can plant maize. Now, my crops are doing well and this simply means that I will have enough food to feed the family.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, my plan is to set up a poultry keeping. I am so confident that this will be established and will keep going because I am determined and with consistency of GD’s transfers, all plans will fall in place.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
My biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months is seeing my children in school with their fees fully paid. Previously, I had difficulties paying for my children’s fees but Give Direclty has given me a support in this.
Unlike before, nowadays, I can confidently take some stuff from the shop on credit because I am assured of paying for it once transfer has been received.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I will own a poultry farm. I am intending to set up a poultry farm which will in turn assist me get daily income.
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?
since I received this money,I have planned to start keeping chicken .This is because its an income generating activity that is not too demanding. I may not be able to do other jobs other than keeping chicken which is done within my homestead compound .This is the only activity i can engage in conveniently because I am disabled
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have always wanted to start poultry keeping but I have never had the money to start.I have started the project only after receiving this transfer .I have managed to plant maize in my farm.I bought certified seed and fertilizer this time round .Usually I would have planted seed from my store without fertilizer.I will have a better yield as a result of this.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months my life will change greatly because i will have an income from the poultry business.I will the proceeds in caring for the children.I will also be able to attend to my self medically because my leg usually needs medical care for time time.I will be able to do this on my own.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
When I received the money ,it assisted me to process the birth certificates for my children.This is the time when the government made it mandatory for school children.This could have been stressing because I would not have gotten any money to process the certificates.
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship am facing is that i was involved in a nasty accident which led to my right foot to be amputated. Since then i can not do much for myself and my family. We depend on my husband to provide which is alot for him too.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of my day is in the afternoon when we've had lunch with my family and we get to rest.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
Am planning to start a poultry farm, i will purchase all i will need so that i can be able to meet other basic needs.
I will also pay school with part of the transfer.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
Am proud that we've been able to provide for our family.