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 next goal is to buy farm inputs so that I can use on my farm. The farm has not been doing well because it has been overused. With the transfers, I know I will have an improved harvest. The harvest will be my source of food and I can sell the rest to earn an income.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my life since I started receiving these transfers is that I managed to build my own house. Before the transfers, I used to put up at my friend's house because I was not able to build my own. It was very shameful for me to look for where to sleep when my friend had visitors. Now that I got my transfers from GD, I used it to buy building materials bit by bit until I got the required materials for building a house. I am glad I have my own house because of GD transfers.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I know I will have enough food in the house. When I use improved farming methods such as hybrid seed and fertilizer, I know I will get a good harvest which will be my source of food. I know I will never run out of what to eat in the house and whenever I have any financial emergency, I can sell some to raise an income for the needs.
20th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next three months, I would have harvested the crops and would spend the money to pay for my college. I am anticipating approximately KES 300000 at minimum. I intend to support my college education since my parents are overburden with supporting my other nine siblings who are also schooling.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
In the month of August, I had saved the previous transfer and spent on buying kales and tomato seeds for planting. Now I have transplanted the crops to the main field and the crops are doing so well. I opted to invest in farming since my father had given me a piece of land so that I would do farming. With the money which I received from Give Directly, I have been able to purchase the seeds, pay for labour and now hiring some people to weed the crops. I am happy seeing my crops doing so well and looking forward to a good harvest which when I got to sell I would raise money for paying my college fees.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I believe I would have joined college and pursue a course which would enable me to land a good job in future so that I would be able to support my parents.
16th 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 because I now live on my own. Many projects including the poultry-keeping that I now run was not possible to do on my mothers compound. This has changed because I do it on my new built a compound and all the chickens can now be well-taken care of. The decisions on the birds and other farming initiatives are quick and timely. As a result, I have a source of income form the eggs. I get about kes 150 per day as opposed to when I used to rear them in my mother's poultry house. She would easily sell the birds off and the all the eggs too belonged to her. Today I can account better for all the income and make good plans for my self. I am a happy grown-up person with the dignity to make and spend money the way I want.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My next goal is to start a farming enterprise. I will grow tomatoes and vegetables. I will be using the money from GD to take care of the crops. Crop protection using herbicides and fungicides is quite expensive that is why I plan to use the money I receive
to invest this way.
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 the fact that I have established my own household. I currently live on my own since have been using the money to build a house to use as a kitchen. I also use part of the money to buy food because I currently make meals on my own . I am now an independent household and I feel good that I can organize my own life the way I want.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to have changed because I will have bought a motorcycle to use in transporting my farm produce especially milk to a nearby processing plant. I will get money from the tomato and vegetable farms that I am planning to establish. The farming business is very lucrative and the market is really good. I expect it to do well and make me enough money to buy a motorcycle. I also hope to have started a milk business and join a college at the beginning of the next year.
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?
Right now, I am able to live and take care of myself without necessarily having to depend on my parents. Before, I used to fully depend on my parents for almost everything but I am glad that I am self dependent now. I have also saved some amount out of the monthly transfers that will enable me go and pay the fee balances in school and get my certificate that was withheld for having fee balances. This will allow me make decison on whether or not I will join a college. I was also able to buy and plant beans seeds and I got some good returns that improved the amount of savings.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Now that the wet season is here, I am planning to plant beans and other vegetables and improve my farming activities. This will be ready for sale in the next three months. I will sell these as a source of income.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The past few months have been so tough for us. There has been no rain and for us, this meant that the crops in our farms would dry up since we largely depend on the natural rain for our crops. This has led to reduced amounts of food. The transfers from Givedirecy has ensured that we can buy food and eat just like other days.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My expectation bin the near future is to start a family. I am of age to get and marry a lady so that we can help one another with the farm. Therefore, I want to be financially independent and stable so as to be able to start and run a family well as the head of a family. I want to live a good and productive live by doing more farming activities.
8th 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?
My life currently is different since I have been able to start some farming.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The only goal I now have is to join college.
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 happiness.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in that I will have joined college.
2nd 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 that I didn't have before is that I want to start poultry keeping for business and home use.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life currently is different from how it would have been since am very busy at my farm because I bought seeds to plant.I now have work to do at home unlike before I used wander in the village but now am very useful to my family.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in the next six months in that I will become enterprenuer since I will be operating two business that is farming and poultry keeping and this will earn me more income that will help me in raising my family.All these thanks to carefully using the GD transfers as capital.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I was able to plant beans in my farm something that I have never done ever and this has made me really happy since I know the returns will be huge.
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship i have faced in my life is school fees during my secondary education sometimes i could stay at home for a period of time that could make me go behind my lessons.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is during the afternoon when am through with my daily activities eg looking after cattle,i feel relaxed and happy.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I will spend my transfer on paying my college fees, since i completed my secondary education and stayed at home because of financial challenge and i would like to join a college and proceed.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement am proud of was to complete my secondary education and have a certificate to allow me join a college and now i have the certificate and ready to proceed with my college education.