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?
In the next four months, I am planning to keep on improving my farming by attending seminars and other conferences where I can learn more about farming and how to boost my farming as it is my main source of income.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I am a farmer who has ventured into vegetables and maize farming. Before GD came, I only grew maize because I did not have adequate resources to lease a bigger parcel of land for farming. But once I started receiving the transfers, my farming did improve. I have leased a bigger parcel of land where I have been able to grow both maize and vegetables. I have also purchased fertilizer and hybrid seed to my surprise, the proceeds are good. This was made possible thanks to the transfers.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I am hoping that my farming will have flourished and everyone in the community will be purchasing vegetables from my home. Besides farming, I am also planning to reopen my workshop where I can help make steel doors, windows and generally offer welding services. I used to do this sometime back but due to inadequate resources and inconsistency I had to close down. With the two businesses operating I can comfortably sit back and enjoy my old age.
18th 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?
I believe that life has changed because I have been buying a number of chicken birds which I have been rearing over the past years. This project has really changed my life because right now I can easily decide to sell out any of the birds just in the event that I run out of finances.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal currently is to make sure that I start a small scale business such as a barbershop where I can be able to earn an income even post the period when Give Directly will have stopped sending the transfers.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference for me is that I have been able to buy fertilizers and hybrid seeds which I have been using to boost my farm produce every planting season. Previously, I used to rely on organic manure which in most cases is not as productive as the modern breed.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect that my life will have some change going into the future because I will have my own business which will be generating a flow of income going into the future. It is good to have such kind of financial back-up which will enable me to be financially independent going into the future.
15th 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?
My life is currently different from how it was before Give Directly came into our village. Nowadays, I am more focused and goal oriented. I can easily work towards meeting my goals and even confidently settle my financial requirements unlike before. Initially, I wholly depended on my business even though it was not steady yet. I believe that this led to the downfall of the two business I had opened before. The fact that I did not know how to weigh my priorities led to making bad decisions that eventually costed my investments. Today, I have learned the power of planning and budgeting which I make and I am in a better place to now restart the two businesses all over.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to open a saloon and a welding shop. I had started these businesses sometime back but unfortunately, due to improper planning, the two collapsed. Being that I have a passion for both of them, I had to find a way of starting all over again. I feel that there is a need to have them, especially in this village because of the ready market. I am planning to save my monthly income which I normally get from Give Directly to give me enough capital to restart the business.
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 was able to invest in large scale farming. I normally plant vegetables and sugarcane but on a small scale which doesn't generate huge profits. I am optimistic that I will get a good harvest and get good profits because I managed to buy many seeds and hired workers who helped in weeding several acres of land. These was possible because of the support I got from Give Directly. I have already sold some of the harvests for a good amount of money which helped me to easily take care of my needs
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect my life to change in that, I will have put up the two business which had earlier collapsed. This excites me because I will no longer depend on business in order to put food in the table. I will start with my poultry farm because they require less attention and their demand is very high. It is the most promising business which may open other businesses that I have in mind. My next six months is the period that will help me improve my living standards for good.
12th 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?
My life is currently different from how it was four months ago because I currently do poultry farming whereby I have ten chicken and two cockerels. I do sell some eggs to earn me some income and also throw the droplets on my farm which has been good manure to my crops. I am optimistic that if I let my chicken hatch, the number of my poultry will increase thus I will earn more income from the sales of chicken and eggs.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My additional goal is to buy a dairy cow. I have always wished to have my own dairy cow which would provide me with milk and also reproduce to add me more cows. I have started saving to acquire one and I believe in the next four months I shall have managed to buy one.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life preceding the current transfer is that I managed to buy shaving tools and equipment to start a barber shop. I am currently working on building a structure which I will use to run my business. I had been working for someone in his barber shop where I acquired more shaving skills and really wished to have my own.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
Having bought shaving tools and equipment, I believe that in the next six months I will be having a reliable source of income once I open a barbershop. I also expect my poultry to be earning me more income from the sales of both eggs and the chicken. At the moment I only earn from selling their eggs but planning to let them hatch so that I can have more chicken in my farm.
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?
My life is currently different from how it was four months ago in that, I don't stuggle doing casual jobs so as to get money .
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to start a barber shop so as to earn a living.
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 venture into farming in a good way in that I have used from inputs like fertilizer which has lead to the good yields.
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 managed to start a barber shop and venture fully into commercial farming hence I will be getting more income.
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?
Apart from the goals I had earlier, I would like to own a barber shop business.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I know I will finally have my kitchen now that I have iron sheets and timber and my dressing has changed a great deal.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I plan to start up a barber shop to help boost my income.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I have been longing to have a kitchen in my own home where we will be cooking. We have been cooking outside and with the rains now, we have been to forced to prepare supper early and most times my children go to school without breakfast because the ground is wet and we can't cook on wet ground.
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in my life came as a result of separating with my wife thereby leaving me as the only bread winner for my two children. My barber shop business also collapsed, and as a result forcing me to become a small-scale farmer as an alternative means of getting money to feed my kids and pay their school fees.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of the day is in the morning when I wake up in good health and energetic enough to go to the farm.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend the transfer on improving my house in addition to reviving my collapsed business of a barber shop
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My proudest achievement is my barber shop business that was operational until recently when it collapsed. I trained on how to be a good barber at a tender of around eleven years. The barber shop business has been my Primary source of income all through.