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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Completed
Newsfeed > Ndoko's Profile
Ndoko's family
Ndoko
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labor
workCampaign
Kenya Basic Income
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Ndoko's next check-in.
 
29th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 USD)
access_time 2 days ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
In the coming year and beyond, I plan to invest in buying goats. My goal is to sell them in the future to earn money for food and school fees, especially as their numbers increase. I have already purchased seven goats and two sheep using my monthly savings. My children are still in school, and as they progress, their school fees continue to rise. I want to stay ahead by preparing for this financial need. Currently, I have a total of eight goats, three of which are expecting. I've witnessed my goats reproduce, and I am confident they will keep multiplying. This will ensure that when the need for school fees arises, my husband can sell some goats to provide the necessary cash. Additionally, I want to be able to buy them school uniforms and shoes as needed, which will also be supported by the sales from these animals.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I want to express my gratitude to GiveDirectly for their financial support, which has significantly eased my financial challenges, especially when it comes to paying my children's school fees. With my latest transfer, I allocated $14 to cover their fees so they wouldn't miss school due to outstanding balances. I also purchased two goats for $42 to help ensure future financial security once these transfers come to an end. Additionally, I spent $21 on water and food since we were running low at home. With the remaining funds, I bought a pair of shoes for $5, and I also invested in new school uniforms for my five children because their old ones were worn out.
 
25th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 USD)
access_time 4 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My children are still going to school and as they advance their school fees grows. I want to get ahead of it by preparing. I have 8 goats at home with three being expectant. I have seen my goats reproduce and I believe they will continue reproducing ensuring that they grow in number so that whenever need arises for school fees my husband can sell them and get us the cash to pay. I also want to ensure that I can also buy them school uniform and school shoes when they need them and this will also be facilitated by this animal sale.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a mother of 7 school going children, my oldest is in college and my two youngest is in grade 3. The responsibility of educating the children falls on me and my husband. I sell charcoal and my husband sells animals. My earnings are not much since the 5 children require above $150 per term in school fees. My transfers have helped lessen this burden as I have been able to pay their school fees at $30. I also got two goats at $30 each which we are now rearing to continue facilitating us in our daily needs.
 
22nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 USD)
access_time 7 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My goal this year is to grow my livestock business by acquiring more goats. Recognizing the profitability of this venture in my area, I am eager to give it a try. To achieve this goal, I plan to allocate a portion of my upcoming transfers. Having a reliable business to rely on in times of need will bring me great peace of mind and satisfaction. I am genuinely grateful for how far I have progressed, all thanks to GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used to earn a living by digging out tree stumps to support my family of nine, but I had to stop due to chest problems. This job was crucial for providing food, school fees, and medical expenses, but it became increasingly difficult. Although my husband works as a livestock trader, his earnings are barely enough to sustain our family. The assistance provided by this project has been life-changing. The transfers have enabled me to educate my seven children and ensure we have enough food on the table. From the transfers received, I allocated $35 to pay school fees for my children as they had an outstanding debt that needed to be settled. Another $13 went to buying food for my family as we had run out. Additionally, I invested in two chickens worth $8, and spent $46 on a sheep and a goat, considering them valuable assets in case of emergencies. Despite the hardships I've faced, I am grateful that this project has positively impacted and changed my life for the better.
 
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 11 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
As we approach the festive season, following a challenging year, I am determined to celebrate with my children. With the upcoming transfer, I intend to purchase quality food and clothing for my children, as well as acquire new clothing for myself. The ongoing financial support has been instrumental in aiding me to provide for my family. I am deeply appreciative of the assistance from Give Directly in helping me live a dignified life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I allocated $43 to procure two goats and $7 to acquire a hen, viewing these as long-term investments. I anticipate generating significant income when the goats multiply, enabling me to sell them at a profit and use the proceeds to cover my children's future school fees. Alongside the purchase of the livestock, I invested $14 in providing food for my family. This financial support significantly eased the challenge of putting nutritious meals on the table for my children, especially as my income from selling charcoal is limited. Furthermore, I addressed the immediate needs of my two young children by purchasing two pairs of shoes for them, as they had been walking barefoot. Finally, I utilized $34 to purchase a mattress after enduring prolonged discomfort from sleeping on a sisal twine bed. I am deeply grateful for the financial assistance from Give Directly, which has profoundly improved my quality of life.
 
13th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($25 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
With the aim of expanding my income and assets, I have decided to invest in the poultry business by raising chickens. By allocating funds towards this venture, I anticipate the eventual sale of chickens, which will provide me with the means to acquire a goat as well as generate additional income. This strategic investment will enable me to diversify my resources and take steps towards achieving my financial goals.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
As a dedicated mother of six, I prioritize my children's education and well-being. I used $10 to pay the school fees for two of my children, ensuring they receive quality education. To prepare for financial challenges, I invested $18 in purchasing a goat that I can sell if needed to cover future school fees. The remaining $6 was allocated towards purchasing food to nourish my family. Through these thoughtful financial decisions, I am working towards a stable and prosperous future for my children.
 
10th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($26 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I currently have one goat and my biggest prayer is that I buy more goats so that I can have something to take care of. I currently do not have a job and my husband buys and sells goats and the time he gets money we use that money and when he does not have any, we all suffer. I want to support him and lucky enough, it has started raining this month of March and it is giving us hope that the goats we buy will have something to eat and water to drink and they will grow big. When they multiply, I can easily sell them and be able to pay my children's fees and keep my house on track.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a mother of seven children, four of them are in primary school and one is currently in secondary school. I really thank GiveDirectly for the monthly transfers because life is difficult and even affording a proper meal is becoming so impossible. I am currently taking care of my four chicken so that they can grow big and I sell them and make huge profit. With the recent transfers, I spent $10 to stock food at home so that it can feed us for some weeks. I spent $ 10 on buying three chicken that I added to the one I had that is at home and the remaining amount of $14 I was able to pay for my four children who are in primary and one in secondary school their fees.I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure my children have a bright future. I believe with education they can open doors that will lead them to greater heights and they will not forget all my sacrifices, and they will come back and help me when I am old.
 
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES
access_time over 2 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion the organization is doing quite an amazing job especially because for instance prior to receiving the quite recent transfers, my family and I which includes my children had already gone hungry for three days and we would have probably stayed longer like we have in the past. Therefore I am very grateful for the opportunity.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Unfortunately two days prior to receiving the funds, two of my children had actually been kicked out of school since I had failed to settle their debt in tuition fee. So upon the arrival of the donation, I used KES 1,000 to pay school fees for the both of them. Shortly after I decided to use KES 500 to purchase shoes for my children since they did not have any and would walk barefoot and even go to school barefoot. Lastly I used the rest of the funds that remained on nourishment since it had actually been three days since we had a meal and so I therefore bought six packets of maize flour and sugar.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
When I received a message alert on my phone, I asked my husband to check what it was all about. To say I was overjoyed when he acknowledged the receipt of my first transfer is an understatement. Given how hungry I was after going without food the night before, I could finally afford some.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My children are happier now that they have food to eat on a regular basis as a result of the transfers. This is a significant improvement over the previous few months, when they would return from school looking sad due to hunger. I am really grateful to Give Directly for helping me solve my family's hunger problem.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My son is routinely sent out of school owing to unpaid tuition balances. I usually follow him back to school and persuade the administration to let him study while I work on raising the fees by making charcoal. My monthly income from this operation, which is roughly KES 1,400, is insufficient to buy food and pay school fees. As a result, I saw the transfer as an opportunity to clear the KES 600 debt, and my child was able to continue his studies without interruption. I spent the rest of the money on food to address our hunger problem, which had left us to eating only one meal each day.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have seven children, six of whom are still attending primary school and one just finished primary level yet to join high school. I will soon need money for his school fees but as things stand I do not have any source of income. I used to burn and sell charcoal initially but the last time I visited a hospital with chest problems, I was asked to stop physical jobs so I did. My husband on the other hand buys and resells domestic animals to earn. A job that can only get him a maximum of 4000KES monthly. when I get this money, nothing else would make me happier than seeing my eldest son through high school education.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I was very happy in the month of December last year when it was peak business season for my husband. He buys and resells domestic animals especially goats and cattle at a particular local market called Bamba. This is normally a peak season due to a lot of events that take place around that time which involves buying and slaughtering animals. He managed to get a commission of about 10000 KES. This money pushed us for quite some times and I was really grateful.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
We are currently facing a prolonged draught that has taken longer than two years and over that period of time, we haven't been able to harvest anything. This isn't a good condition for a subsistence farmer as we now have to buy a lot more foodstuffs even the ones we could've gotten from the farm. We're forced to buy water from water pans as well as vegetables and grains fro the market. In this case when one doesn't have money then you can not survive the village.