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 for the next four months is to buy irons sheets and other building materials for building my new house. I am planning to save the monthly transfers I get from Give Directly and top it up with the money I will be getting from the casual jobs to buy enough building materials.
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 great improvement of my farming. Initially, I was only running a subsistence farming but at the moment I have managed to also venture into livestock farming which means a projected increase in my income. The maize I planted are now flowered and it is just some months before we harvest and stop buying maize as we have always done. Our hope in life has been rejuvenated and our perspective on what seemed hard is now easy.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to have fully furnished my home in the next six months. I will have completed building the house by then and hopefully saved enough money to buy the necessary furniture to start with. All in all, I will have achieved my greatest dream of living in my homestead
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 four months’ time, my new goal for my life is to begin keeping poultry. I find this project easy to manage and does not require a lot of resources and attention while the proceeds from it are really promising. These benefits will help me run the family.
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 I have managed to build a house. I currently boast of a bog comfortable house that I have. This goal has also given me another thought of bringing in a wife. Had it not for empowerment that I got from the organization, I wouldn’t be thinking of marrying since I had not a decent house.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In six months’ time, I expect to have already started poultry farming. I also have high hopes that I won’t be struggling to provide for my family’s basic needs since the proceeds I get from poultry keeping will help me. Since chicken also lay eggs, my family can also feed on them hence healthy people in my family.
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 from how it was four months ago in that I no longer lack some basic needs as before. Due to this, I no longer depend on casual work in order to get money. In addition to this, I have been able to join a savings group with the intention of using my savings to start an income generating project. I would want to have a stable source of income to support my family.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The new goal for my life is to buy a dairy cow. I will use the savings from my merry go round group to achieve this when I finally get my share. The cow will be an investment for me when it reproduces and elevate my poverty level.
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 have been able to start a poultry project. Due to this, I have been able to earn an income through the sale of eggs and cockerels. The profits have been helpful in meeting my family needs on time.
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 dairy cow. My poultry keeping project will have also expanded. In addition to this, I expect that my tea seedlings in the nursery will be ready for transplanting in the field. I know with all these projects, I will never have to go for casual work again.
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?
My life is currently different from how it was four months ago because I have gained more self-esteem. I have gained lots of prestige after purchasing a cow using the transfers from GiveDirectly. Besides, I am more hopeful of a bright future since I have managed to obtain high-quality farm inputs and planted my maize on time. Hence, I look forward to a huge harvest. Thus, I anticipate high income in the near future when my cow will be lactating and I will have harvested the maize.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The additional goal for my life for the next four months is to open a shop. I will save the transfers from GiveDirectly through table banking to finance the project. Still, I will sell my farm produce, especially maize to gain more funds to facilitate 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 have afforded to buy my own cow - something that had never happened in my life. Consequently, I have gained significant prestige from the cow. Besides, I look forward to reaping heavily from the cow in the future. It will reproduce and multiply. Still, I will get milk for consumption and sale.
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. By that time, I will be operating my own business - the shop. Still, my cow will be lactating, and thus getting me milk for consumption and sale. Additionally, I will no longer be herding our cattle. Instead, I will hire someone to handle the job. Overall, I will be leading a better lifestyle that is marked with increased income and reduced tedious activities. Thanks a lot GiveDirectly for giving me a helping hand.
7th 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 now is different from how it was in the last four months because now I'm able to save some amount in a merry go round which I was not able before, I'm also able to meet basic needs easily unlike before where i could struggle much to get an income.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My addition goals for the next four months is to buy a dairy cow and start a poultry keeping.
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 I have tea nursery beds, this had made me busy because I'm always on the farm, tilling and even pruning unlike before where I was idle and lack of work to do. I'm so much great full because this will earn me an income in one year to come.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I would have to build a good poultry house and started a poultry keeping and a good house to live.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
455 KES ($4 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?
I plan to buy chicken and let the brood grow as i continue to receive these transfers.I will rear chicken in a large poultry system.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The difference in my life is that i have a chick today.i will be having a cow in the next three months.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months i will be having a cow .I will have bought this cow from the money i receive in these transfers so that i can rely on it as a source of income.It will provide milk that i can sell even as it gives birth and multiplies.
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 have hope and looking forward to receiving money from the next transfer.I am so happy today being the first time i receive money from GiveDirectly.I will always be in a capacity to eat properly since i can buy food with this money.
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 lack of school fees. I was forced to drop out of school in standard 8 because my parents could not afford to pay my high school fee. This was hard for me since I had always believed that education would change my life positively. I lived in denial for a very long time but I finally chose to struggle and make sure that my children will not go through the same experience.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the afternoon when I have accomplished all the day's work. This is the perfect time for me to rest and have my mind relaxed.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend part of my transfers on buying seeds for planting. I also intend to save part of the remaining amount to enable me buy a cow before the end of the year.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
In 2013, I started poultry keeping as a source of income. I started small and I never imagined that it could grow into something big. Within two years, I was able to sell all my chicken and buy a dairy cow. This made me so proud and motivated me to work even harder.