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 additional goal in life is to buy some goats for rearing. This will be added assets in my household that I will rely on in case of a financial crisis. I have settled on this because they are affordable and do not require close attention.
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 been able to clear school fees for this term for my children. Due to this, they will not be sent back home like other children hence they will have enough time for their studies. Also, this has given me enough time to look for next term's school fees. In addition to this, I was able to practice timely cultivation this season since I was able to use the transfers that I received in October and November on this since I had cleared paying school fees. I am now optimistic of a good harvest that will last us till the next harvesting season. This will enable me to save money that I would otherwise use in buying maize flour.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My life will have changed in the next six months in that I will have bought three goats. This will be added assets in my livestock and a sign of wealth. Also, I will have started saving some money daily due to a reduction in our daily expenditure. I will not be buying milk and maize flour as I do currently. I believe that my children will be doing well in school by this time since I will have cleared paying their school fees for the second term. This will enable them to always attend classes and have enough time for their revision.
19th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
When I received transfers from Give Directly, I managed to buy a few chickens. These chicken have since multiplied and increased in number. They usually come in handy, especially when taking care of small household expenditure which I couldn't afford previously when I only depended on casual jobs.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am currently rearing someone's cow and I am getting all the benefits anyone with a cow would enjoy. My only worry is the owner of the cow may take it any time. I fee I should buy my own so that I can have an asset or my own. We are planning to save our next transfers so that we would buy our own dairy cow.
This will give me peace of mind because I now have something to rely on in case an emergency occurs
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
We have been experienced food shortage in our area. This came as a result of low rainfall during the planting season. Our crops dried and most of the people in this region harvested nothing. When we received transfers from Give Directly, my wife and I decided to buy food with part of the transfers and paid school fees for our children with the remaining amount of money.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I am planning to buy two cows in the next six months. This will ensure that I will always have a cow that produces milk since they will be reproducing in turns. This means I will always have a source of income throughout the year. I am planning to use some of the milk for family consumption and sell the surplus. This will also help me in meeting my goals and needs such as paying school fees for my children.
16th 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?
Before GiveDirectly came, my family and I stayed in a small grass thatched house which could not comfortably host us because the same house acted as a kitchen that leads to respiratory attacks due to direct exposure to hazards smoke which came from the burning firewood. My life is currently different from how it was four months ago in that my family members are happy and good for health because they no longer visit the hospital as much due to respiratory attacks which have been facilitated with the construction of a spacious well partitioned decent house that is a life saver.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My additional goal is to build spacious poultry cope for poultry keeping. I'm planning to save part of the transfers in the merry go round group that we had started in our village to enable me to meet this objective that has been my key desire.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Before GiveDirectly came, my family and I stayed in a small grass thatched house which could not comfortably host us because the same house acted as a kitchen that leads to respiratory attacks due to direct exposure to hazards smoke which came from the burning firewood. At the same time, my children could seek a sleeping place at their grandmother's house and it was very risky while walking through the dark bushes at night. The biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer is that I am happy and proud of building a decent spacious house for my family. Therefore, my children have an extra room to sleep and the do their assignment on time hence their performance has really improved in school. Thanks to GiveDirectly since these transfers have come in handy in terms of changing my living standard.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect your life to change in the next six months is to save money in a merry go round group that we have started in our village to buy a dairy cow. This will enable me to cut the cost of buying milk which is so expensive for me.
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?
We used to live for a long time in a small thatched roofed and mud house which sometimes could rain whenever there was a huge downpour. Currently, we live in a newly built iron sheet roofed house and planning to put up a kitchen too. I was also able to plant good and certified maize seeds on time unlike before when we sometimes could not plant on time or even not plant at all. My children also clothes well and they have good clothes.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to build a new kitchen in the next few months. The one we are currently using is an old mud house and it is no longer safe to live in because its so old.
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 my children and the whole family have enough food to eat. Before we started receiving the transfers, there were days when we had to stay with very little food since I majorly depend on casual and manual jobs to earn and buy food which is sometimes hard to come by. Such days would force us to bear with the little food that we could get. Receiving these transfers and having enough food also means I have enough energy to out there and toil for my family. We are so happy as a family.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My expectation in the next six months is to generally improve my lifestyle. I am planning to buy some sheep for rearing that will help me later to pay school fees for my children in the next few years. I also want to lease some land to improve and expand my farming and get enough space for my livestock to feed.
5th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 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 in that I am currently living a better life. I have a new house with new bedding, better basic needs for my family like clothing and enough food. We currently have peaceful and happy family. I am so optimistic of good things coming into my life.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The new goal that I have in my life in the next four months is to buy goats and start a poultry farming and to join a merry go round as my saving plans.
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 been able to get enough and balance diet meal for family unlike before when we could go without. I have been able to engage in less and paying casual job. I have had a relaxed life in my past four months unlike before.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months I expect to be living a better life in that I will have started a business, to have bought goats and also will have established poultry farming. I expect my family and I to be living a happier and healthy life.
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?
The new goals that I have developed since I started receiving the transfer include buying goats, starting a business and educating my wife.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently different from how it would have been if I had not received the transfer in that my family have enough food and better cloths. This brings happiness in my family.I have developed more goal in my life than before.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six month I expect to have bought goats and I will have started poultry farming.
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 transfer is that I currently feel encouraged by the on going house building am doing currently.My family get enough food and better cloths from GD's money.I am hopeful of good things coming in in my family.
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest hardship as at now is famine,we do not have enough food we usually buy everything from the market which is quite hard because I usually earn little.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of the day is in the evening,because at this point of the day is when Iam proud of my accomplishments of the day.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
Iam planning to spend my transfer on building a new house while using the other amount on food.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My proudest achievement is having a family,I have kids and Iam able to provide for them with my little earnings.