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 > Ruth's Profile
Ruth's family
Ruth
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
68
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Ruth's next check-in.
 
24th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 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?
In the next four months, my goal will still be to build a better decent house. Since I don't have enough resources to build it, I will keep on saving money through merry go round in the coming four months.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I don't have a stable source of income since I rely on farming mainly milk sales. I had a wish to build a decent house to replace my old house but I couldn't fulfill it with the little resources in our family. In the last four months, the biggest difference in my daily life is the savings I make on a monthly basis through a merry go round. My contribution gives me the hope of a good life in the near future since I will be able to build a better house using the lumpsum I expect from the merry go round.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to have received a lump sum from the joined merry go round in the next six months. I had joined a merry go round with an aim to save money to facilitate the construction of a new house. Upon receiving it I will start the construction which I see happening soon thus I am hopeful that I will have either completed it or almost completing it in the next six months.
 
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 additional goals for my life for the next four months are all set for preparing the land for the purpose of planting. We are currently in a season where people plant maize and other subsistence crops. My hope is that the transfers would be able to help me buy farming inputs which include seeds and fertilizer for this purpose and I hope to accomplish this.
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 the transfers have raised my self-esteem for myself and even those around me. I recall that a few months ago, I would shy away from community engagements and borrowing things from shop for my family use. This is because I felt that I was not able to pay back just in case and this made feel so low. Thanks to the organization for restoring this once more.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In six months’ time, I have high expectations of buying a cow. This is because a cow is an investment that will see the family benefit for a couple of years as has always been. The provision of milk, reproduction and the sale of these products will be beneficial to our family at large.
 
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 is currently different from how it was four months ago in that I had felt for long that it was time for me to engage in less hard work but since I had no other source of income, casual jobs and long distance small business was my only options. I was exhausted with this till GiveDirectly came to our village and now I am relaxed I have started a poultry farming that helps me in my daily expenses through the selling of eggs to meet them. Poultry keeping is quite cheap, affordable and easy for me now that I keep them at my compound, I no longer travel a lot or work hard in other people's farm to meet my daily needs. I spent part of my monthly transfers on my basic needs and this has made my life simple since it becomes easy for me acquiring them. I am happy that GD found me at the right time and I can happily relax and enjoying the little from my poultry farming and transfer from GD. Thank you GiveDirectly.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The new goal I have for my life in the next four months is to start a savings plan through opening a bank account so that I will be saving extra money that I can get a lump sum amount in future that I will be spending at my old age for my daily upkeep.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I am growing old and getting less energetic to still actively go for casual jobs and small business like before hence earning a daily income becomes hard with only farming left for me to rely on. It had been hard for me providing for my family daily needs hence I were left heavily rely on my husband for even small personal basic needs. I had been ashamed and stressed about this habit. The biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months preceding my current transfer is the humble mind, happiness and empowerment that the poultry farming I started wit5h monthly transfers from GiveDirectly has given me. Since I started poultry farming, I stopped looking for petty things from my husband since I currently sell eggs to meet them. I am a happy woman that a household can rely on at my age.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect my poultry to be bigger and doing better than now hence will have better income for both basic and household needs. I will have opened a saving plan account and I expect to have kicked off the savings from extra money from eggs sales, little that remains from Givedirectly monthly transfer and farming and this will be my happiness since I know as I grow older I will be in need of more money for my upkeep.
 
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 from how it was four months ago since we have significantly reduced our tendency to borrow food and nonfood items from my neighbors because I have afforded to buy more food. Still, I am less stressed because I have relatively enough money to support my daughter who is at college. Moreover, my family looks more presentable because we have purchased new clothes.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The new goal for my life for the next four months is to build a poultry den. This is because we are currently sharing the same room with my hens. Besides, I endeavor to buy a water tank for storing rainwater. This is because the practice of fetching water from the river tends to be tedious. Accordingly, I will save the money that I get from GiveDirectly to finance the project.
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 preceding the current transfer is that I feel more or less equal to the other people in society. This is because I have attained the capacity to buy adequate and quality food for my family. Earlier on, I would often borrow food and nonfood items from my neighbors since the little income that I attained from casual work could hardly meet our basic needs and demands. Still, I have acquired new clothes for my family members and myself. Thus we look more presentable.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change drastically in the next six months because I will be enjoying a higher living standard. I will be having adequate clean and safe water for use in my homestead. Thus, I will be much relieved from the tedious work of carrying water from the river. Moreover, I will be receiving additional income from the sale of eggs that I will be getting from my poultry since they will have matured.
 
6th 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?
My life is currently different because these transfers have reduced stress and there is adequate food.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to complete payment of school fees and buy a heifer in order to boost milk production hence more income.
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 these transfers have enabled me to buy farm inputs, food and household items.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to have planted maize seeds in the next six months.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
455 KES ($4 USD)
access_time 6 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I am planning to construct a poultry house which I will use to keep poultry. I intend to start this farming which will help me get the eggs for sale and I will be able to sell to get money for buying food and improve my live.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Currently, I am so happy as am able to get monthly pay which help me to fulfill my daily needs. As I spend some of the money to buy food which I would have not been in a position to get the money.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months I intend to buy some chicken for rearing. These venture will help me get eggs which after sale I would get the money to buy food for my family.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest different is that I got the transfer as I have never any free money in my life. Now I earn on monthly basis and feel am like the rest of the people in the village. I am planning to use the money to get the start poultry farming.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest challenge is drought,Iam a farmer and long spells of drought end up destroying my crops.This limits my source of income making it hard to meet my daily needs
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of the day is during the evening,this is because in the evening when we are seated as a family, we share funny stories of the encounters of the day.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I plan to spend my transfer on paying school fees as soon my daughter receives her admission letter to join the college.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
I have been able to educate all my children out of my little earnings,it wasn't easy raising school fees at some point,I feel proud whenever I see them prospering because of the gift of education I gave them.