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.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is different from how it would have been four months ago in that my business is now doing well. I was afraid in the last four months because I knew my business would collapse. With GD transfers, I was able to boost my retail business by adding more stock to the business. This has brought a change in my family because my income has increased as a result of increased profits. I no longer struggle and fear as before the transfers.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal in the four months is to fence my home. I feel there is no secret in my home since everyone passes right in front of my house. I would want to have some privacy by fencing my home.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have had to build a toilet over and over again because of the nature of my area. I live in a swampy area and any construction which is not permanent, in most cases collapses. This is why I have always desired to have a permanent toilet so that I can handle the issue once for all. I have built three and all have collapsed during the rainy seasons. Right now am glad I have a permanent toilet which is really giving me peace in my life. I don't have to avoid my chief anymore during his monthly health routine check.
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 fenced my home. I want to use my transfers for savings so that I can buy materials which I will use in fencing my home such as barbed wired and poles.
15th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
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 am more peaceful and ambitious in life. I no longer get stressed more often like I used to several months ago because I am sure of getting my monthly transfer every month. This always gives me hope that whatever I plan is likely to be achieved. The last four months, I have also learned on being budget conscious which has made my budget easy to follow and handle appropriately.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to buy a calf. I would have wished to buy a cow but my budget won't allow at the moment. I am hopeful that the calf will grow and one day starts reproducing. It has always been my wish to own many cattle because of the many benefits that they give. They are always in high demand in the market, therefore, someone can never be poor if he or she has a lot of them. Apart from that, one can sell milk and earn more money. They also come in handy when emergencies arise.
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 am now able to easily take care of my needs. Recently, I was able to buy a water tank. I have always wanted to replace the spoilt one but due to lack of enough finances, I am always forced to use jerrycans. They were usually not very effective but I am happy that I was finally able to buy a big tank that would hold several liters of water. Apart from that, I easily pay my monthly contribution to our merry-go-round. I used to worry on where to get money for the merry-go-round contributions on and sometimes submitting it on time was not possible. Life has become simpler and easier because I don't overwork my self with casual jobs in order to meet these 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 bought more utensils. I would wish to have more of them that are enough for my visitors. I am also planning to buy a hen. Hopefully, the hen will hatch and multiply in the next few months to come.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
attach_money
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
I have seen so many differences. Apart from making more profits from the retail shop, I also managed to buy a mattress. I used to have an old ragged mattress and could get embarrassed when I hosted visitors. I rarely allowed anyone past the living room to my bedroom because of the embarrassment I feared I could go through when someone saw the torn mattress. Let alone the embarrassment, for a long time I did not have a good night sleep. I kept tossing in bed because the wood was too hard for my ribs. Currently, my sleep is not disturbed. My bed is so comfortable. The embarrassment is gone
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to purchase a cow for rearing. I want to have my own cow for milk production purposes. By that time, I will not be buying milk all the time and channeling that money to other projects that will bring me progress. This hopefully I am doing in the next four months.
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 retail shop stock has never gone down since I started receiving these transfers. I am making more profits as compared to before when I had to take a lot of debts to restock whenever the stock went down. This meant that most of the profits went to repaying the many debts I had taken. Due to this, the business was very shaky and making losses instead of profits. Now, it is well stocked and I am enjoying all the profits from it.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the six months, I am expecting my life to be more comfortable when my stock shall have grown and earned me more profits. Doing things like paying school fees or even buying food for my children will be so easy to do without strain or even pressure.
7th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 6 years ago
attach_money
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is current different since I have gained a peace of mind out of boosting my small retail business and now my customers are able to get their preferred items hence my profits have doubled .
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to join a merry- go-round and from my saving I can buy a cow
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily is boosting my small retail business and now my customers are able to get their preferred items hence my profits have doubled .
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to shall have have joined a merry- go-round and from my saving I will be able to buy a cow for the next six months .
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
attach_money
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My bedding are worn out and I have never bothered to change it because I could not afford but now that Ihave started receing the monethly I have a goal of buying new bedding.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different in that through adding a stock to my business, I managed to earn extra profit which enabled me to buy beans seeds that I have already planted. If it wasn't for GD, I not have achieved this.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to plaster my latrine in the next six months so that I can have a hygenic latrine.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Having boosted my business the income has improved. This has given me peace and hopes of improving my life. This is the biggest difference in my daily life since I received the money from GiveDirectly.
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced is lack of enough rainfall in the region which prevents me from practicing farming,I can only use the small profit I make from my small business to buy food, pay my child's school fees and buy clothes for my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when I close my business, join my family home to find them healthy and we can have a meal together.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I have a plan to save my transfers so that I can buy a new mattress and bed. I will also use the remaining savings to improve my business by adding more stock which will then help me pay my grandchild's school fees.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My proudest achievement is I built a semi-permanent house after my husband past away, I can now harvest rain water from the roof when it rains and use it for cooking and drinking.