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.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is currently different from the way it was four months ago because I haven't faced a lot of challenges in raising money to meet my family's needs. The fact that my child has never been sent home makes me so happy because it means she will pass well and join a good secondary school.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
For the next four months, I have an additional goal of saving some of the coming transfers so that I can purchase school bag and school shoes for my child who is currently sitting for her final Primary National Examinations. I would wish to start preparing the school items which will be required so that come next year when she'll be joining secondary school I won't be overburdened by the budget of enrolling her in high school.
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 transfers is that my children were not sent back home for school fee. This is because I have been using the last four months transfers to pay for their school fee on time. During the previous terms, they were always sent home and this led to them performing poorly because they used to miss many lessons while at home. At times they would stay for longer days which made it difficult to catch up with their colleagues. I am happy this term is different and I hope they will perform better.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My current house is in bad shape, the walls almost falling. It's unsafe and I always dread the rainy seasons because the house might fall on us anytime. I have the plans to construct a new one using the coming transfers. I'm hopeful that I'll have constructed a new house in the next six months.
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?
Being a widow, life has not been easy especially on meeting the family's needs because I have always relied on income from my small business as the main source of income. I'm happy this is not the case anymore because GD transfers have boosted my income and this has enabled me to comfortably meet the family's needs.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The current house I'm living in is in bad condition. The walls are weak and are leaning on one side. I'm afraid that it might fall on me anytime. In the next four months of my life, I have an additional goal of saving money so that I can use it in the future to construct a new house by buying building materials needed for constructing a better house than the one I have now.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Life has not been easy especially at the beginning of the year when the responsibilities are high and at the same time, there is no money. I would say that this year has been different because of GD transfers I do receive on a monthly basis, I was able to comfortably meet the family needs without borrowing and much struggles. This is the biggest difference in my daily life.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
For the next six months of my life, I expect to have saved enough money for purchasing the building materials such as iron sheets, timber, nails which I'm planning to use to construct a new better house. Most likely by then, I expect to have constructed a new house.
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 I am able to meet my daily needs. My living standards has greatly improved because I am able to feed my children properly, buy them good clothes and even pay their school fees on time. I used to farm casual labour which earned me very little hence I could not meet most of my daily needs.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My additional goal is to start buying iron sheets. I am currently living in an old house with cracked walls which is very hazardous especially during rainy seasons. I m planning to build a new house in a more raised ground which will be safer during rainy 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 last months preceding the current transfer is being able to use modern farm inputs which gave me a bumper harvest. I used to dig my farm using a hoe which took a lot of time to finish. This resulted in us getting lower yields due to untimely planting. I am grateful for the transfers because lately, I plant on time since my farm is ploughed with a tractor which takes a very short time in ploughing.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to have built and moved into my new house. I currently have an old house that I fear might one day crumble down on us. It has cracked walls and a very old roof which leaks during rainy days. I have started saving towards the plan of building a new house. This will boost my self-esteem and would be able to welcome my visitors without any worries.
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 how it was four months ago because l am able to pay school fee for my children comfortably without depending on my business as compared to before when l had to wait to get money from the business.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to put up my home since l am still staying at my in-laws home where l am not comfortable.
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 that l am able to pay school fee for my children without depending on my business. I can always borrow things very comfortably knowing that at the end of the month l will get some cash.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months l expect to have started saving my project of putting up my home.
4th 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?
Currently I do not have any new goal.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My family is living happily because we have never gone without food, I was able to weed my farm in time and my children are in good school uniform.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I would want to cement my house to improve its condition and that it may look decent.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I am able to feed my family well without depending on anyone for help. I used to beg for help most of the time but with the money I receive, I am able to plan and feed my family well.
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I've faced in my life is how to convert someone's money to be mine,I had to work for it in order to find food for my children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when I get some little profit from my small business that can enable me buy some food for my household.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
Iam planning to spend my transfer on expanding my small scale business.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement that I'm proudest of is my life is that am able to meet the cost of living now than before and the has reduced the daily stress which I use to have.