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 is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Having my own cow is the difference that is very different compared to four months ago. I am assured that in the next few months years, the cow will have calved and this means I will have more milk for both family use and for sale to add me additional income.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Four months to come, I am planning to ensure I venture more in investments. My child is soon joining a secondary school and this means I need to save more money for her to brace for future education.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
My biggest difference is having a house which is comfortable to live in. Previously, I was living in a small, raining house which exposed my family to diseases. Currently, the house which accommodates us is big and iron-roofed. I have also managed to procure seats, therefore, am more comfortable to invite visitors without feeling any kind of a shame since the house is an improved one.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I am planning to add more cow in six months time. The merry go round contribution that is happening in the village is a big boost to our survival and livelihoods in the village. It's giving me confidence that I will be able to have procured a cow in six month's time and therefore this is one of the investments that I am planning to undertake very soon.
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Buying food was a common thing in our household in the last four months. This is because our fields and farms were literally empty. We had not gotten enough financial support to establish a productive farming system or even purchase some animal to keep. Among the food which we needed most and we ought to buy daily was milk. We decided to solve this problem as soon as we received the transfers from GiveDirectly.. we purchased a lactating cow which is now giving us enough milk to use in our household and even sell the surplus. We are now enjoying sufficient food and milk, unlike the last four months. In addition, we have also constructed a new house which we are now living in. Thanks to GiveDIrectly for the goodwill to help us when we needed most.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Having all my three children in school, It has been very hard for me to gather for them in terms of school fees and other daily personal needs. I have always had to toil every day in on the casual work in order to get paid. This would translate to purchasing household foods and also meeting their daily needs for all my family members. When GiveDirectly came in all these changed, our hustle to get the daily needs became so easy even without necessarily going for the casual labors. I now have an additional goal to purchase goats which will in future cushion me in the school fees payment when my children get to secondary school. We have spacious fields which are enough to keep and feed them and hopefully they will have regenerated before my children get to secondary school.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Before receiving the transfers I was living in a house with a tattered grass-thatched roof. The house was too small to accommodate all the family members. We would always send the elder children to sleep with the neighbor's children who had better-spaced houses. On receiving the money from GiveDirectly we started our saving plan through Merry-go-round which we started with other 10 households. We received our turn two months after joining the group and first in our agenda was to construct a new descent and larger house to accommodate all members of our household. We bought 22 iron sheets and hire a house constructor who gave us the structure we desired. Right now we are living in a decent house with adequate space to accommodate every member of the household. My children are sleeping well which is the biggest difference in our daily lives.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
Having witnessed the trend and the dynamics since I received the first transfers, I am much hopeful that all the ideas that we have had as a household will come to pass. the plan to purchase goats to rear in our farms will soon be implemented and God's willing it will come out as we have hoped for. By December we hope to see the project having picked and running and after that, we would start thinking of initiating a new project.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Four months ago planting of crops on my farm was almost impossible. This is because I did not have any source of income to enable me to buy fertilizers, seeds, and even money to plough my farm. When I received the transfers, planting season was one of the best moments since I had money to buy seeds, fertilizers, and money to pay for tractor services. At the moment the maize and beans that I grew using the transfers are 3 months old and I am expecting a good harvest at their 6th month. Expecting a huge harvest this season keeps me happy.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, my plan is to buy one goat each month using the transfers. At the end of this period, I will be owning over four goats. I bought goats since their gestation period is quite small and they are going to multiply really fast. They will also act as assets for sale in case of an urgent financial need.
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 now have a new, better and bigger house. Before receiving the transfers, we used to live in a small grass thatched house. The house was really small for my family. I have 8 children and half of them have all grown and it was really embarrassing sharing the same room when time to sleep came. At some point, they had to go sleep at a neighbors house something that was really not good for them. When I received the transfers building a house was my first priority. It was like a dream come true, the savings from the table banking that we formed came in hand and in no time I had a new 3 bedroom mud-walled house. We now all sleep comfortably and welcoming visitors is much easier.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I will have bought over 6 goats and I am planning to sell them at about KES 4000 each. From this, I will get money that is enough to buy a dairy cow which as soon as it calves we will get milk for my family's consumption and the extra for sale. I also joined a savings group of 10 people where we contribute KES 1500 monthly out of the transfers. In the sixth month, these savings will have matured and I am going to spend them as capital to start a business dealing in cows. I have done this business before and I am certain of high returns that will help me meet my family's needs more easily.
6th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
attach_money
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
We buy enough food in our family since me and my wife also gets the transfer.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to buy a dairy cow hence reducing my daily expences.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I am very happy about this transfer since i do not stress my self when i do not get contract to do since my family will eat using the transfer.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I am planning to start a business of buying and selling livestock to get money.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
attach_money
The recipient was not asked any questions as part of this follow up.
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest hardship is the fact that i don't have much in terms of finances. This limits my scope of doing or engaging in different fields such as a business venture. One other thing is that i have a very small piece of land which means the level of production is low. I wish i had schooled well, maybe my life would have been abit different.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of the day is when i wake up in the morning. I always thank God for enabling me see a good day i always pray that it comes with good things. The most important is good health.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to buy afew goats for rearing because at edge of my village there is small forest. I also want to ensure that my family lives well by improving our livelihood.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My family is my life, therefore i am proud of them because other things may come and go but my family remains. They are the source of my happiness.