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 do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I know I will be having the poultry project already in place. I have started saving for the project and in the same determination I had when I was saving to buy the cow, I know I will soon get the money to kickstart the project. I have seen how investment has changed some of my friend's lives and with this opportunity given by GD, I will also make it count in my life.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I am glad GD is the reason why I now own cows. In my life, I had given up in owning any kind of livestock due to my low income from casual work. This has been my main source of income for the past two years and the income has not been enough to help me meet all my needs. This is why I could not even save to help me buy a cow as I have always dreamt of. When I started receiving my transfers, I started paying for a cow from a friend on a monthly basis. In as much as it has not been much, I have managed to buy a cow with it. Right now the cow had reproduced and I have two. I have not only increased the number of cows I have but I have also gotten milk which I sell some to earn an income. This has really changed my life.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal, for now, is to start a poultry project. I have realised the importance of investing and I would want to continue investing so as to increase on my income. I know when I have good investments, I will have a better future.
20th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
Having to work together with my neighbour during the ploughing season does not work out well for me because it is very inconveniencing and time-consuming as we have to work on both of our farms together. I need to be spending as little time as possible on the farms so that I can have time to tend to my business, therefore, I need to have four bulls to allow me to work on my own without having to rely on my neighbour. This is why I have plans of buying one more bull so that I can have four as I now have only three that I cannot work with. I hope that in the next six months, I will have managed to buy the bull so that I can be able to work independently.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I added the transfer I received last month to some of my savings and hired a tractor to plough my farm. This was because my bulls that I mostly use in ploughing using an animal-driven plough were not in very good health due to the drought that was witnessed in our area in the past few months. Because I could not afford the whole amount required to hire a tractor, I had started ploughing the farm on my own each morning before leaving for my business which was very hectic. When I eventually received the transfer that assisted me in hiring the tractor to plough the farm, I got relief because I did not have to toil on the farm each morning before heading to town.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In our village, we mostly use animal-driven ploughs to plough our fams. For this to be efficient, one requires at least four bulls which I do not have. I have only three bulls which now forces me to work together with my neighbour who also has two bulls. Having to work on his farms and mine is very inconveniencing and time-consuming therefore I need to have four bulls of my own so that I can only concentrate on my farms. With my next few transfers, I would like to make savings that will enable me to buy the extra bull before the next farming season.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Over the past few months, I have bought a lot of household items, but that which has been of most importance are the utensils that I bought. There were no decent utensils in my house that could be used during special occasions or when we had visitors, but after I bought the new ones, I usually feel very proud of what are used to serve our visitors and I am even more pleased that my wife does not have to borrow from our neighbours.
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the six months, I would continue saving so that I can finally have a better life than the one I have. I know when I have some amount of money, I would have a better life.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving these transfers is that I have savings which I can use during emergencies. Before the transfers, I only depended on carpentry job as my only source of income which was not giving me much. I had many demands and the income was very little. I would strain to make ends meet. Whenever I had an emergency, I would have to borrow and struggle later to pay up the debt. Ever since I started receiving these transfers, I have been able to use part of it and save the rest. I am not worried and afraid of the future anymore.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I wish to start a business for my wife. I would want us to have a stable source of income not only from one source but at least two sources so that we do not have to beg for help anymore.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
In the last four months, I was able to give my wife quality medication because of the transfers. This is because I depended on carpentry, I could not go to good hospitals to get treatments because I did not have the resources to pay for the services. Since I started receiving these transfers, I was able to take my wife to a good hospital where she got quality treatment and she is now fine.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect in the next six months to have saved money and buy building materials which I will use in the construction of my homestead. At the moment I am staying at my parent's homestead and as the saying says it comes a time when a man shall move out and start his own home. I feel the time has come to be independent and my motivation comes from the transfers I get.
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 able to pay school fees for my child who is in primary school; with her going to school consistently has improved her performance and her urge to excel as well. Before my children had to stay home for a longer period of time due to school fees arrears which made me frustrated and anxious about what the future held for her. I am thankful to GiveDirectly for giving me hope.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal in the next four months is to buy an ox plough that I will use to cultivate a bigger parcel of land hence I will double my harvest and also hire the same ox plough to my neighbour to make an extra income.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Previously I only had week broken chairs which were risky sitting on because one could easily fall when sitting on . My life is currently different in that I have been able to buy a decent seat with the money I received from GiveDirectly and now I am comfortable when using them.
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
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How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I would want to build a new house in my own home.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my life is that I have plastic seats which I can share out with my neighbours when they need. This has been been my pride whenever they come borrowing.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I would want to buy cows.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
I have been using fertilizer when farming unlike before when I would use manual style, I have new household items such as utensils, seats and I have been able to pay school in time unlike before when I used to struggle to pay.
3rd Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
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How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I would want to buy a cow. It has been my desire for a year now.
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
Apart from my earlier goals, I would want to go pay dowry at my wife's home.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
We eat balanced food and I have enough utensils in my house
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I did not have enough utensils in the house and had to borrow from my neighbour any time I had visitors but since I received this transfer, I bought my own and I don't depend on anyone anymore.
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in my life is, the burden of taking care of both my own family and my siblings with my meagre salary as a salesman.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is, in the morning when I go to church, spend time with other church members as we share out our problems and pray over them.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend a larger part of my transfer to buy livestock for domestic use, improve farming and save the remaining part of my transfer to pay school fees for my children.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement I am proudest of in my life is,getting money to pay dowry for my wife and now I have peace in my marriage.