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 > Mary's Profile
Mary's family
Mary
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Small business
faceAge:
60
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Mary's next check-in.
 
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
I have already started paying for a wall unit. This assures me that I will rarely use the money to replace broken or stolen utensils. This will also ensure that I have more storage water tanks that will assist me in storing rainwater. In addition to that, I was able to purchase a sheep for rearing. By the end of the year, I'm expecting to have more sheep since it will have multiplied and increased in number.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have already paid for a deposit of a wall unit for storing my utensils. Currently, I'm storing utensils in one of the water tanks but they are not safe there. I'm therefore planning to use the coming transfers to clear paying for the wall unit in the next four months. This will assure me that none of my utensils will get lost or be stolen because with a wall unit one can lock it compared to the water tank where anyone can access it.
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 transfers is nowadays I am stable and dependent. I am always contented because I usually meet most of my goals. Previously I couldn't afford so many things, therefore, I couldn't make any future plans. With the help of the Give Directly transfers, I have been able to accomplish most of my dreams. I recently bought the necessary farm inputs and used the right farming methods. This enabled me to get 7 sacks of corn for the first time in my life. I'm now assured of enough food for the whole year.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to have met my goal of clearing the payment of the wall unit. Once I am done with this goal I will now start thinking of what next I should pursue. Starting another project without finishing the previous one would only lead to many debts and make me a failure.
 
15th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
attach_money
 
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is different from our it would have been four months ago in that I have a steel door which I fitted in my house. I have been having a wooden door and it worries me a lot anytime I am away from home. I have been feeling as if someone could break in as I had heard some rumors about the same from my neighbors. I used my last transfer to buy a steel door which I have fitted in my house. Right now even if am away from home for a week, I am not worried anymore.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal in the next four months, I wish to buy another calf. I would want to improve my life by investing more on livestock. I know when I have more, I will have something to lay my hands on to raise money to meet my needs and family emergencies.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving these transfers is that I have livestock in my compound now. I have been feeling left lagging behind with the fact that I am the only one in my area who does not have any kind of livestock in the compound. I used to feel very inferior to my friends and neighbors. When I received my first transfer, I first thought of the shame I have gone through and decided to buy cows so that I could wipe away the shame. Thanks to GD for giving me a new name.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I would like to ensure I give my best as save to boost my foodstuff business which is my main source of income. It has not been doing well and I fear it might collapse anytime and before that happens, I would want to invest more in it.
 
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
attach_money
 
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Currently, my life is different in that I have been able to budget for my family's needs especially providing food with ease . Before we could afford a meal in a day and this came with consequences such as we faced malnutrition deficiencies, as a result, our immunity was compromised. Now, we are happy and healthy since we are able to get daily meals the monthly's transfer.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to save money and use them on expanding my business so when the transfer phase is completed. I will be able to sustain my family's needs comfortably with the profits from the business.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Previously, I had a wooden door and windows meaning when I was away during the day for work. I used to worry about my properties safety since part of my properties had been stolen before. The biggest difference in my daily life is I have been able to save money in the merry go round and through this savings, I have bought a steel door and two windows which I am yet to replace with the wooden ones when I achieve this I will be certain of my properties safety all the time.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect in the next six months my life to change in that I shall have expanded my business so when the transfer phase is completed. I will be able to sustain my family's needs comfortably with the profits of this business.
 
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
 
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
I now have money to budget with both in terms of providing food for the family as well as coming up with the idea of expanding the size of my house, something that I could not do in the past.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I plan to buy new building materials so that I will use to expand the house I live in today so that it accommodates everyone comfortably. It is important for me to do this because I have always had the plans even before the organization started sending me the cash but the execution bit has always remained an elusive dream.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have been able to buy some livestock such as three sheep and three goats that i will rear and I know they will give birth in the near future and I will be able to sell them out and get cash that I will use to buy a cow which is the ultimate goal because I will be able to get enough milk.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I am sure that i will have accumulated enough livestock and once they mature I will sell them out in exchange of cash that I will then use to buy a cow. This is the ultimate goal because I know that the cow will give me enough milk and I will not have to be buying milk or failing to take tea milk due to lack of cash.
 
4th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
 
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 payments from Give Directly is that I have hope of getting monthly income.I am staying a happy life because I am now eating well unlike before when I used to sleep hungry at times.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I am planning to buy a cow that will give me milk hence I can sell milk to get more money.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I am staying a happy life because I am now eat well and I have hope of getting income every month.
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I do not have any new goal because I have not achieved my previous goal of buying a cow.
 
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship that I had faced was the lose of my husband in 1992 and it has affected me to date. As the sole bread winner for my family, at times it becomes so hard to earn enough income to feed my family and this stresses me out to an extent that I can not operate normally hence not proving for my family sufficiently.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest time of day is in the morning when I wake and in good health.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planing to improve my house and buy a dairy cow for milk and breeding with the transfer I will get.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The greatest achievement that I am proud of is the bumper harvest of 5 sacks of maize that I harvested last year after struggling to get farm input. As a result, my family has had sufficient food to support us for a while now as opposed to earlier years.