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?
The difference in my life in the last four months is that I was able to expand and plaster my house. I have always lived in a house with two rooms and I had desired to have a three bedroomed house. Because I had a low income from casual work, I had to put up in my two-roomed house. Right now, I have expanded my house to two bedroomed house through the transfers which I have been receiving on a monthly basis. I used the transfers to buy building material used in expanding the house.
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 boost my poultry project by buying chicken feeds and treating the chicken. This will give me an income which will help me meet my family needs in time as I have always wanted to.
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 in that I have a poultry project which I have been longing for in the last year. It has only been a dream because of my low income from farming. The income has not been much because we harvest twice a year. This would not provide me with the kind of resources I needed to meet my family needs. I had to find a way to boost my income and I chose to do poultry project. I used part of my transfers to buy chicken which I have used to kickstart my project
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 have bought a motorcycle. I plan to use part of my transfers and the profits from my poultry project to buy the motorcycle. I would want to boost my income in as many ways as possible hence I plan to buy the motorcycle.
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?
Currently, I have other commitments like attending to my business which helps generate income other than going to do casual work and coming back home to sweep the compound as I wait for my husband to provide for my family. I am more independent and I do not have to depend on my husband for any financial support.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have no new goal as I wish to boost my business more to stabilize our income levels.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
My family have plenty of cash flow as we have a business which generates income daily for our upkeep, which is so far the biggest difference in my daily life. Previously, we would end the day with just a cup of porridge due to lack of any income generating activity in our home. I started up a business using the transfers and it has helped me raise money to buy food for family consumption and I can't be grateful to GiveDirectly enough.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to save the transfers and expand my business to larger horizons to help raise more income for the family. With the numerous businesses, there will be a flow of cash in my household hence improvements in our lifestyle as a family and I believe my family will be in a much better place than we are now.
12th 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?
Since I started receiving the transfers, we are able to take all the three meals and our diet has also improved and currently balanced diet is the order of the day. Initially, we could go without food on days that my husband came home after a long tiresome day with no income whereas as a housewife I had not gotten any breakthrough the whole day
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have been planning to start up poultry farming but procrastination has been killing the idea and of course, the thought of where to find the capital to start was also a major hindrance. Now that I am guaranteed of a stipend every end month I hoping that in the next four months I will birth the poultry project.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
In the past four months, there has been a very big difference. Initially, we could go without food on days that my husband came home after a long tiresome day with no income whereas as a housewife I had not gotten any breakthrough the whole day. Whoever, since I started receiving the transfers, this has changed drastically. We are able to take all the three meals and our diet has also improved and currently balanced diet is the order of the day. This makes me happy.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
With the transfers I receive every month, I am optimistic that come six months, I will have started poultry farming. This will allow me to have a source of income as a housewife and even support my husband. That way we will share the burden of providing for the family.
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?
With these transfers that we have been receiving for the last four months,I am able to plan ahead and even have dreams,something that was impossible before because all I ever thought of was how to get food.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
When I receive my shares from the table banking group, I will start a grocery business which will ensure that I have my own source of income and assist my husband with the household provisions.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
A few months ago,I totally depended on my husband for everything, including personal requirements, but now I am able to buy some of them on my own and even be able to assist with the household requirements.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I praying that my business will be on the right track by then so that I can start saving more money that we can later use to improve our house which is not in such a good condition.
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 is to save part of these transfers for the next few months so that I can start a shop business. This will provide extra income for the family and relieve my husband of the heavy burden he has.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently different because I am able to support my family by using the transfers to buy the household requirements. I feel very hopeful that very soon,my life will change for the better.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months,I expect to have saved enough money to open my business,this will mean more income for my family and less stress.
We will also be able to buy more of the household items that we currently do not have.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving the payments is that I have money to take care of my problems whenever they arise unlike before when I had to either borrow or wait on my husband to provide.
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship that i have faced was dealing with depression when i was forced to drop out of high school due to lack of school fees.Not being able to continue with my education that would have enabled me to realise my dream of becoming a teacher,depressed me a lot .
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening after finishing my daily chores and i am able to coach my young niece and nephew as i help them out with their homework.This makes me very happy because in some way, it fulfils my desire of becoming a teacher some day.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer in starting a shopkeeping business within our village.This will provide me with a stable and reliable source of income, to help me in taking care of my family even in future once the transfer is no more.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement that i am proudest of is, being able to go back to high school after dropping out for some years due to lack of school fees,and actually attaining good grades that will enable me to purse a course in teaching.