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, I plan to keep raising livestock for future investment. This way I am certain of a secure future and my money will be saved unless calamities clear my livestock then I will be a wealthy person.
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 have been able to invest in pig farming. I rear pigs and sell their meat once they are mature. It is a good investment because their food is readily available and the market is wide. I had set the structures but I did not have adequate money to purchase the pigs and their feeds.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to have grown my livestock business and I will be among the known livestock businessman in our community. With the money raised from this business, I will pay school fees and provide for my family.
17th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have a new goal of buying more livestock for rearing to help secure my family more.
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 I have been able to have access to money almost all the time. I have been able to hire extra manpower to help work on my farms as I have bigger farms that I cannot work in by myself. I have also been able to save and buy livestock for rearing as financial security for the family. My long term dreams have been fulfilled and I have managed to invest in the financial security of my family.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to have bought a cow for rearing as financial security for the family. When one is rearing livestock, he is considered so prestigious in our community and I believed I wanted to be just like thi too. The livestock comes in handy whenever I am faced with any financial constraints.
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?
I was able to use the money I have been receiving from Give Directly to clear school fees for my daughter in a secondary school which enabled her to stay in school fully and not be sent out of school as was the norm before. The fact that she stayed in school fully the whole of the last term had a great impact in her general performance and I hope that I will be seeing more improved performance in her studies from now on.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I recently joined a merry-go-round group which now enables me to save some of my transfers each month. When I receive my share in the next two months, I hope to buy a heifer. So far, I only have one heifer which I also managed to buy through GD transfers and I feel the need to have one more so that they can reproduce faster.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
In the past four months, life, in general, was very tough for most residents in my village because most people had run out of maize which is our staple food. The scarcity of this commodity made the prices to go up which affected our lives generally due to our low income. But with the transfers that we have been receiving, life was a bit easy because we could afford to buy maize in bulk whenever we received the transfer and only focus on buying the other little items with the little that we earned from the daily hustles.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I hope that by then I will have bought a heifer which is my biggest desire at the moment. Before GD came to our village, I had no livestock and I am glad this project has given me the chance to be a livestock owner which is something I never thought would ever be possible.
11th 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 have been able to lease a farm that will help me venture into large scale farming. I also bought seeds that I planted and is looking forward to harvest later for sale to generate some more income for my family. I have used the transfer to pay for an M-kopa solar loan that I pay on monthly and I now have maximum security due to advanced home lighting. I also used the transfer to pay school fees for my children who can get to stay in school and concentrate on their studies. I can also afford to buy food for my family.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The additional goal I have is that I wish to save more to buy poultry for rearing to help generate more income.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference is that I have been able to lease a bigger farm that I plan to plant more seeds. This will be my main source of income as I get to harvest and sell the surplus to get money to buy supplies for the family. I want to venture into large scale farming to help generate more income which will see my children go to school without a struggle as I will be able to clear school fees on time. They will also dress well and eat well too.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to must have saved and bought building material that I plan to use to build a chicken pen to help protect my poultry from stray animals. I want to venture into poultry farming to help generate more income for my family. My family will not be having problems raising money during financial difficulties.
8th 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 from how it was in that, I was able to lease land easily using the payments. With the great idea of investing in farming, I have benefited a lot because nowadays, I no longer spend money during breakfast because I have planted yams and bananas which my family members take in the morning.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to is to keep savings. I plan to buy ploughing machine which I will easily use in my farm because currently, I till the land by my self and this is normally time-consuming.
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 managed to lease more land and paid the amount that was needed on time. The small piece of land that I can count is the one that I have built a house hence I do not have my own. As a farmer, I could afford to lease just a small area which could not bring much income but after acquiring an extra piece using the payments, I managed to plant vegetables which I sold and got money. I am glad that I no longer do odd jobs which were seasonal and we do not also buy vegetables elsewhere but get them from our own farm.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in the next six months is that I will have bought a ploughing machine and oxen hence I will be able to prepare my farm easily. I will also be in a position to work on people's farms at a cost.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
4560 KES ($45 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that my children were able to attend all their classes without being sent out of school for lack of school after I paid their school fees using the money I received GiveDirectly.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months,I am hopeful that I shall have fulfilled my traditional requirements by paying my wife's dowry. I will also be harvesting more.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently different from how it would have never been had I never received the transfer in that I was able to harvest so well. At least this harvesting season I got three sacks of maize as opposed to the half sack I have been harvesting previously. My children were also able to attend all their classes.
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My new goal is to pay my wife's dowry. We have been staying for over ten years but I have never paid her dowry as traditions require of me.
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced, is difficulty in supporting my family whenever there is low farm produce yields. This is because I do not have an alternative source of income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day, is in the afternoon once I have completed my duty when I flash back and realize that, all I have done is good and successful.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer on meeting education costs for my children who are currently enrolled in school
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement I am proudest of in my life, is owning a herd of three cows which I bought with the earnings I received after selling my farm produce.