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.
Stages:
 
Enrollment
attach_money
 
Transfers
check
Completed
Newsfeed > Kabibi's Profile
Kabibi's family
Kabibi
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
workCampaign
Kenya Basic Income
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
attach_money
 
Follow to be updated on Kabibi's next check-in.
 
29th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 USD)
access_time 10 days ago
attach_money
 
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My plan is to grow my livestock by breeding the animals I currently have and using my monthly transfers from GiveDirectly to purchase more. This approach will help me generate income to support and educate my six school-going children. In the coming year, I intend to focus on expanding my sheep and goat rearing. Once they multiply, I can sell some to cover my children’s school fees. So far, I have purchased three sheep and five goats, and I am thankful for this progress. My spouse and I also burn and sell charcoal to support our family, but the income is minimal. This is why I decided to start a livestock project that will provide additional income in the future.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have three school-going children. With my most recent transfer, I spent $19 on their fees to ensure they weren’t sent home due to unpaid balances. I also used $10 to buy food, as we were running low. Then, I allocated $14 for medical expenses, as both my younger child and I weren’t feeling well. Lastly, I used the remaining $54 to purchase a goat and a sheep. I decided to invest in livestock since our transfers will eventually end, and these assets will provide future financial security. Thus I am very grateful to GiveDirectly for the financial support.
 
25th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 USD)
access_time 5 months ago
attach_money
 
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have been working on starting an animal rearing and selling business. Currently I have 10 chicken each with about five or more chicks, I also have goats and sheep which now amount to 25 in number. My plan is to have more animals that the ones I have by breeding this ones as well as buying more. This was I will be able to get an income to feed and educate my six school going children.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Speaking with Givedirectly gives me joy. They came into my life and I saw tremendous changes. I burn charcoal with my husband and sell it as our main source of income. Due to the many years of drought we lost most of our forest cover and had to depend on tree stumps for this but production went down by a great percentage. We do not make enough from this business to take care of our family, but the transfers you send to me and my family has changed our story, My children are all in school thanks to the transfers and I have in the recent past spent $10 n school fees. I have also been able to build an alternative source of income which is animal rearing. I bought 2 sheep and one goat at $80. The cash has also supplemented our food purchase by $10 ensuring we have not slept hungry.
 
22nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($26 USD)
access_time 8 months ago
attach_money
 
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My goal is make sure that my children remain in school. This will be made possible by financing their education. I am very happy now knowing that my children go to school and getting the best education. In addition to financing my children's education, I also want to invest more on purchasing livestock. The livestock are a huge investment for me owing to their ability to multiply. Once they do they will increase my initial investment. I am very happy with the positive impact from my transfers on my children education.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I heavily rely on farming and selling charcoal to earn a living. Life before GiveDirectly was very tough. The harsh climatic conditions made it difficult for me to earn enough money from farming. Selling charcoal is tedious and has earned me very little income. The low income affected my children's education because they were frequently sent home due to huge school fee balances. The situation has currently improved because I spent $34 on school fees and exam fee payments. Unlike before, my children attend school more regularly. I spent $60 to purchase a goat. Investing in livestock is something I am passionate about. The livestock will multiply in the near future, providing a safety net in case of emergencies. I spent the remaining amount of $8 to purchase sugar, and together with my family, we had tea for breakfast. I am very happy with the financial support; it has improved my life significantly.
 
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 12 months ago
attach_money
 
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Two of my children have finished primary school. The older one will start secondary school, while the younger one will begin junior secondary school at the start of next year. My aim is to save sufficient funds to ensure their smooth transition to these new schools and to support their ongoing education. I am delighted that the monthly transfers have enabled me to make progress towards achieving some of my life goals.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We have been experiencing heavy rains, which led me to invest $10 in plowing my land to prepare it for planting. I am looking forward to a bountiful harvest in the next three months, which will ensure that we have an abundance of food. I purchased a goat for $45, using $24 from my transfers and additional savings from charcoal sales. Furthermore, I paid $56 in school fees for my six children at Bengoni Primary, allowing them to take their end-of-year exams and receive their results. I am pleased that the financial assistance from the transfers has helped my husband and me overcome financial challenges, particularly due to the low income from charcoal sales.
 
14th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($24 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
attach_money
 
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
In light of the recent successful harvests, my focus now turns to supporting the education of my six children, all of whom are in primary school. To accomplish this, I aspire to keep livestock, such as goats and chickens, to build sustainable wealth. The ultimate goal is to sell some of these livestock to support my children's studies as education is crucial for their growth and success. The cash transfers have been instrumental in easing some of our immediate financial burdens, and I plan to use them wisely to invest in the education of my children and build a better future for our entire family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Currently, my husband is the sole provider in our household, earning a living through charcoal burning. While he works hard to sustain us, I recognize the importance of contributing as well. Recently, things have improved as we have finally reaped the benefits of this year's planting season. We now have food on our farms, and we no longer go a day without a meal. Having this food security has allowed me to shift my focus to other pressing needs, like the education of my six children. I allocated $14 from the cash transfer to reduce their tuition fees, and I am grateful that they have not faced any disruptions in their studies. Another priority was to enhance our household's livelihood, so I used $10 to purchase four chickens. As these hens breed, I could sell them to cover other household needs. Moreover, I used the remaining funds to cover the transportation costs for attending my aunt's burial. Family support is essential during such times, and I wanted to be there to pay my last respects.
 
10th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($26 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
attach_money
 
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I wish for the difficult days to end soon. It is my hope that before the year ends, I can pay off all my children's school fees debts so that they can continue their education uninterrupted and make up for the time lost at home. Furthermore, I aspire to provide my family with consistent meals to keep them motivated in their studies.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Providing for my family has been challenging in recent months as my husband and I rely on odd casual jobs selling charcoal that pay very little. In a week, we can only sell three bags of charcoal, each bag earning us $3.5. This meager income hardly caters to our family's needs. We have six school-going children, and paying their school fees has been especially difficult, with them being constantly sent home due to unpaid fees. Consequently, they have missed school, adding up to a full month's worth of missed classes.However, with the money from my transfers, I paid off $20 of school fee debt, allowing my children to sit for their mid-term exams. It brought tears to my eyes to see my children back in school, as I had almost given up hope. Additionally, I purchased four hens for $12, which I consider a supplementary source of income. Once they multiply, I will sell some of them to generate more money and support my family.Looking ahead, I hope to explore livestock rearing as a potential means of income to reduce the financial burden on my family. I also intend to use the money from my transfers to pay off all my children's school fees, ensuring that they receive uninterrupted education and have a brighter future.
 
6th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES
access_time almost 2 years ago
attach_money
 
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My four kids are all in primary school. While the other two attend Mutulu primary school, two of them attend Bengoni primary school. They were all expelled from school two days before I got my transfers because of unpaid exam and school fee arrears. My husband and I both work odd jobs and make our living by selling charcoal. Charcoal is sold in bags for $3. Given that it takes 3-5 days to prepare the charcoal, this amount is far too small to meet the needs of the family. I paid $10 total for my four kids after getting my transfer, which allowed them to take their final exams. In addition, I added $10 worth of food to the nearly depleted stock of food in the house by buying more food for my family. I'm glad that replenishing the food supply ensured that my family wouldn't go to bed hungry. The remainder of the money I set aside in the anticipation of using it to purchase a goat when I get my next transfer next month.
 
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES
access_time over 2 years ago
attach_money
 
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give Directly's cash transfers have been extremely beneficial in recent months. This money supplements my little earnings from charcoal sales. It helps to cover expenses such as school fees or food, especially when I am at a loss for funds. There is nothing wrong with Give Directly in my opinion.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My husband and I depend on charcoal burning to fulfill the needs of our family, such as food and school fees. Due to the product's low demand, we hardly sell anything, which leaves us with an income of at most KES 1,400 every two weeks. It is difficult to provide food daily with things. As a matter of fact, our household had run out of food the day before the transfers. So, I prioritized purchasing food worth KES 1,000, which has lasted us to this day. In addition, I paid KES 1,000 in primary school fees for my four children who had missed two days of school due to unpaid fees. For the previous month, I had been suffering from anemia, which weakened my body and limited my ability to move or work. I decided to spend the KES 600 I received from the transfer on a blood builder to help with my recovery. I am glad my body is getting stronger by the day. I used the remaining funds to purchase a hen and chicken feed. My plan is to let it reproduce so that I can sell the chickens to raise funds for my needs in the future.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES
access_time over 2 years ago
attach_money
 
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received a text message that I had received my transfer in the afternoon. My children and I were in the kitchen chatting about their performance in school. It thrilled me because the deadline for submitting exam fees was fast approaching and I did not have money.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer has played a big difference in ensuring that my children will sit for their exams. I unsuccessfully sold charcoal the bags of charcoal. Neither I nor my husband had money to pay, and it was an immense burden for us.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
As a casual laborer selling charcoal and firewood, I struggle to raise school fees for my children. My husband is also a casual laborer, building houses and selling charcoal. His earnings are not enough to support the entire family's needs (paying school fees, buying food and medication). They often send the children back home due to school fees arrears. This has affected their morale and performance in school. When I received my transfer, I paid KES 600 as exam fees for my three children in primary school. I spent the remaining KES 600 on buying food for the family to prevent the children from starving as they sit for their end-of-term exams.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My dream is to transform my current grass thatched rood to iron sheet, currently am living in a 2 roomed house with my spouse and children, it's very small for all of us and also there is no privacy because all my children are grown. The grass also leaks, and most of the time we are forced to stand, even at night when it's raining heavily and we find this very disturbing. Upon receiving the first transfer, I plan to expand a bigger house with iron sheet, that will accommodate my large family and sleep cormfotably.
What is the happiest part of your day?
We have a local project, where we were given goats to rear and recently two of them gave birth, and we count it as a double blessing.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
We are faced with drought, no rains meaning we can't do farming, so we hardly get three meals a day. Our livestock also cannot get enough grass and water and they don't produce milk, and most of them are dying, which is a big loss as we have invested so much on them. We depend on them to resell them, but no one is ready to buy during market days, because everyone is not stable financially.