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.
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Newsfeed > Mary's Profile
Mary's family
Mary
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
64
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Mary's next check-in.
 
24th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am growing old and actively attending to mt daily chores is slowly becoming challenging for me. In the next four months, the new goal I have for my life is to buy a water tank. I believe having one in my home will reduce my daily chores since will have clean water at my doorstep.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I primarily depend on farming to earn a living to support my family. Since farming is affected by weather and natural conditions crop farming is not reliable to depend on alone thus I practice mixed farming to reduce the risk. I always try to improve but my overwhelming daily household needs make it impossible to realize this. In the last four months, I have been injecting part of my transfers to my farming. This has brought the biggest change in my life since it has expanded it. I currently have healthy crops on my farm that I expect to earn an extra income that will enable me to meet my daily household needs with ease.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect a relaxed and better life in the six months since I believe I will have bought a water tank and I will have harvested my crops. Having clean water at my doorstep and enough food in my stores is all I foresee in the next six months thus I wouldn't be struggling much like today.
 
20th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My goal for the next four months is to construct a small grocery shop closer to my home. This will not only create a ready market for my farm produce but also allow me to attend to my household chores as I run my business. I always go to the nearest market to sell my produce and at times I get rained on during the rainy season. This grocery shop will motivate me to keep on producing more for resale and at the end of the day, I will generate more income
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Four months ago, I didn't have maize for consumption since the one I had previously harvested was already depleted. I used to spend a lot of cash to purchase. Currently, my budget has greatly reduced since, after the last harvesting season, I had a bumper harvest and so I no longer purchase for consumption. I now eat enough without having to sacrifice for the next day
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My life will be way much better in the next six months because with the grocery shop, I will have a ready market for my produce. with the income I will generate, It will also help me boost my farming skill such that I will now afford to purchase how quality seeds and fertilizers. I will no longer depend so much on my children for upkeep
 
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life has changed in many ways over the last four months. This is mainly because of the easy access to farm inputs and cattle feeds especially the supplements and the acaricides for the livestock. Tick control on my farm has been regularly and very efficiently done because I bougt the acaricides at the beginning of every mont. taking care of my vegetable crops using pesticides and fungicides have also been possible on the required time. AS a result. My crops and livestock are very healthy and I hope for good production. This translates to more money when I sell the crop that I am planning to use in paying school fees for my children and addressing my daily family needs. Another difference ib my kife is the fact that I have managed to provide sufficiently to my family as I buy food in bulk to meet my families monthly need.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The next goal that I am working on for the next four months is to build a small shop where I will use it as a grocery outlet. Being a vegetable farmer. I would like to have my own grocery business so that I will be selling the products directly at the farm gate.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my life is the abundance of the ability to grow many crops on my farm. I have used the money to buy tomato carrots and cabbage seeds unlike before when I could not afford them but was always planting maize for subsistence that would always fail me in terms of production. Tomato carrot and cabbage seeds were out of my reach because they are more expensive and require more inputs than maize farming. However, these crops are more profitable. Dealing in them has really made me very hopeful for higher gains from farming. I also bought insecticides and fungicides to protect my crops on the farm right on time. I am managing the farm very well unlike before when I could lack some inputs. This time I look forward to a bumper harvest.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I will be having a grocery outlet to sell my vegetable produce at the farm gate. I will be able to make more money from the farming initiative instead of selling the crops to traders at lower prices than if I sell them directly to consumers. This grocery business will give me a very interesting occupation and enable me to earn an income that will be good progress in my finances.
 
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 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 in that I can now plan ahead unlike before. We fail to plan not because we have no good plans but because we lack resources that can help us plan and put into action whatever plans we may have. I have also been able to improve my farming practices by being able to buy hybrid seeds and applying fertilizers to my farm hence increasing the produce from my farm. Increase in farm produce has and will see us get enough food for the family and selling of the surplus will add us additional income that can be used to meet other family expenses.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
One of the additional goals that I have and is first in my priority list is to restock my shop. I have a shop that can generate more income for the family if it is put into good use. This will also make me fully self employed as I will be the one operating it.
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 can now have a balanced diet with my family consistently. We have also had more income for the family within the past few months. This is as a result of the increase in income generating activities that came about as a result of additional income that we got from GiveDirectly transfers.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to have a fully operational kiosk that is up and running. Through this, we will be able to get enough money to pay school fees for my grand children and meet other family expenses.
 
8th 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 different now as compared to the last four months since initially, I wasn't participating in a merry-go round which I currently do. This has enabled me to pool cash resources together and it enabled me to construct the kiosk.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal that I wish to accomplish in my life for the next four months is to ensure I stock my kiosk. This will have a great impact in my life since I will not only boost my income but also bring commodities closer to my neighbours and this will greatly cut distance covered to reach to the shopping centre
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 am now happier because from the money I received from the merry-go-round, I used it to construct a kiosk with which I will be operating to earn an extra income
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in the next six months since with the income I get from the shop, I will use it to improve my farming by planting more crops hence more income to the family
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 6 years ago
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The recipient was not asked any questions as part of this follow up.
 
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship that I am facing right now is lack of income. Its hard because I even wanted to build a small shop in which I can start business but I have no money.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening. I am happy this time because I can rest and all the plans of the day have been accomplished. I always have something to feed my family in the evening and it makes me happy.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend it on basic needs especially food. I am also planning to also pay school fees for my grandchild that I stay with in house.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement that I am most proud of is the good of harvest of millet, beans and potatoes that I had planted last year. I was happy because I got this high yield that sustained me for long as food for my family.