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?
My only goal, for now, is to ensure I have food in the house. I am planning to use my transfers to buy food for my family in bulk on a monthly basis so that we may never lack what to eat in the house.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have always depended on farming as my main source of income. Since I am getting old on a daily basis, I do not have the energy to keep on working on the farm as I would want to. As a result, my harvest has reduced since I was not able to work on all my farms. Since I started receiving these transfers, I have been able to hire labour for ploughing, weeding and harvesting on my farm. There is no single season in which any of my plots were left fallow. This has helped me in providing food for my family and the rest of the harvest I have been selling to raise money for other needs.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I know I will never lack what to eat in the house. I will always use part of my transfers to buy food in bulk as I receive my transfers. Currently, I have no one to whom I look and depend on for help. I have to find a way to ensure we have all our needs. And because I do not have a stable source of income, I will want to use my transfers effectively to better my life. This is why I have chosen to meet my basic needs with transfers such as food, medication for my family.
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, my life has changed, I do not have to stay without food even on days that I fail to raise money on daily hustle because GD has me covered the entire month. This is thanks to the transfers that I receive every month which has helped me budget for my expenditure.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Currently, at my old age, I do not have any new plans apart from being able to manage the transfers to ensure that I do lack food in between the month before the next transfer is sent.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have seen a great difference in my life since GD came into my life. My son who was the bread-winner passed on and left me with no one to help. I was left to work so that I can earn a living. This was never easy given my old age and health. Since GD came to my village and started sending transfers, I have been able to raise cash for household use with much ease and I am grateful for the next 10 years plus several months I will be well covered.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I will not have worries about what to eat or where to sleep because GD has sorted me out. I will be looking forward to keeping poultry to earn extra income for other extra household expenses and as leisure.
15th 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?
My life is currently different from the way it was four months ago in that I'm proud and happy I now have a decent kitchen and I no longer cook in the open air. This is because I was able to replace the roof. In addition to that, I have been able to afford a decent meal through GD transfers.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The door to my main house has been infested by termites and I'm afraid it might fall at any time considering the current heavy rains. I, therefore, have an additional goal of replacing the current door with a more astable one.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I was able to replace the kitchen roof which was blown away by the wind. Being a rainy season it was challenging to cook in the open air and at times I was forced to cook in the main house which is not healthy because of the smoke emitted.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months of my life, I expect to have saved enough money and most likely by then I expect to have replaced the current broken door. This will make me feel more secure because I stay by the road and I find it unsafe staying in a house with a broken door.
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 because I saved the transfers and bought poultry and livestock for rearing. I can easily access different varieties of food i.e. chicken, eggs and milk. I can sell the surplus to get money to buy the type of food I do not have. I can now dress well in beautiful clothes, eat a healthy and balanced diet and afford medication as I am ailing.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I do not have any new goal.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
When I started receiving these transfers, I saved some and bought livestock and poultry for rearing. They are the main source of income for my family. I can sell them when I have financial constraint and even get nutritious food i.e. eggs, chicken and milk hence we have a healthy diet.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I have always wanted to be a farmer so I want to venture into farming in the next few months. I will be able to do this by saving the transfers and leasing more farms which will yield more farm produce. I will sell the surplus to get income for my family and also get food for consumption.
7th 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?
I have managed to solve most of my problems in time such as meeting financial needs and I no longer go for casual work yet I eat well just like my friends.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I wish to repair my house especially the leaking roof.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I feel like as if am employed because I receive money every month. If I have any difficulty in the course of the month, I will be patient and at the end of the month, I will be able to solve.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I would want to buy a goat.
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?
My new goal is to buy enough iron sheets over the next months to replace my leaking roof,then I can save to buy cement to renovate the entire house.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The difference in my life currently since I received this transfer is that I am able to take care of my needs whenever I want because I have money of my own.Before I would depend on children for everything.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to have replaced my leaking roof and be living a better life because I will be getting money every month to buy food and never go hungry.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving this transfer is that I am now stronger because I get enough quality food that I buy using these transfers. I able to take care of my farms or do other casual jobs that earn me more money without any problems.
I am more independent now and rely less on my children for monetary support.
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I faced was huge medical bill during my daughter's illness that left me in great debts.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the mid-morning when I take breakfast after cultivating my farm.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer to renovate my house that is currently leaking, build a kitchen and pay school fees to my grandson who is in secondary school.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement I am most proud of was the dairy cow which I bought two years with hope to provide me with milk hence improve my diet.