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?
Now my family do not worry about food for the first few weeks of the month. We pool the transfer together and buy the maize in bulk and also do the monthly shopping which has helped improve our lives. We look so healthy as we get to eat at least three meals a day unlike when we could hardly do that due to lack of stable income.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have a plan for paying school fees for my children who are in secondary school.
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 fact that I am able to put food on the for my family on a daily basis. This is unlike whenI would struggle to even put one meal a day for my family. We could hardly afford to buy even a tin of maize leave alone even think of buying a sackful to last us to the next month. There is always enough food for the family to eat every day.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to buy more stock to help boost my business to increase the generation of income which we can use in paying school fees for the children and buying food for the family.
15th 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?
My life has changed so much ever since I started receiving transfers from Give Directly. I have peace of mind because most of my needs have been catered for. Nowadays I can eat well. We can afford to eat a balanced diet thrice a day. Initially, we would even sleep hungry due to lack of funds to buy food. My husband had been taking most of the responsibilities but he recently retired. Although he stays at home, I feel that I am still able to handle our family expenses from the money that I get after selling my farm produce plus the monthly income which I get from GiveDirectly.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I do not have any new goal at the moment. I still want to concentrate on providing for my family. I can't handle any new goal at the moment because if I do, my family will suffer. Since we planted late, the farm produce will not be ready earlier enough before four months and this is why I do not what to start something new which might not succeed in the long run.
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 was able to buy food easily. Normally my harvest usually lasts my family up to the next harvesting season. Since I did not get a good harvest last season, I knew that I would have trouble feeding my family. I am glad that this transfer really helped in taking care of the situation. They came at the right time when I needed them the most.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect my life to change because our crops will now be ready. The harvesting season is around the corner, therefore, my expense for food will reduce. Most of my income is spent on buying food. Since there will be enough food in my house, I will not be purchasing food most of the time. The transfer that I normally get will now be channeled to other needs. I will now be able to accomplish most of the goals that I have been dreaming of.
11th 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?
My life is currently different from how it was because now I can afford a decent meal. We can now eat three times a day. I was also able to buy maize in bulk therefore on very tough days we can make porridge or just boil the maize for a meal. The fact that my child will not be sent home because of school fees for the whole term makes me a happy parent. I must admit that I am stress-free since nothing is bothering me unlike before where I had to think of where to get school fees and food at the same time.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to buy a new water tank. I am always worn out because of walking a long distance and carrying twenty litres of water from the river Yala. It also robs me time to hustle or do some of the domestic chores that I normally leave pending.
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 developed a great sense of hope and motivation in life. This is because I managed to pay school fees for my son who had joined high school and I know that I will continue doing that until he finishes school. I knew that a lot of things were required when admitting him therefore, I decided to save the transfers that I had been receiving every month until this goal was met. I don't think I would have managed to raise that amount without GiveDirectly chipping in especially now that my husband has retired. It would have been difficult for us.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I will have already bought a water tank. When this goal actualizes, I believe the harvested water will last me up to the next rainy season. This will save me from walking a long distance to river Yala in search of water. I will use this time to rest and do more important activities like cultivating my farm.
8th 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 currently different from how it was four months ago in that I eat well unlike before.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to lease land for agricultural purposes.
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 buy food easily unlike before.
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 finished paying the water tank fully hence when it rains I will be able to fetch water and so I will not struggle fetching water in the far off places.
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?
I have a new goal of farming vegetable so that I can have an extra source of income. Since vegetable farming requires a lot of farm inputs I did not know I would manage it in terms of the cost but now that I'm sure of getting some money monthly I believe I can achieve it.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently different from the way it would have been if I did not receive the money in that if that if it was not for the money by now I would not have constructed the water tank. I can now harvest rain water thus I won't have any challenges getting drinking water.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to have a tree plantation in the next six months which I can sell in future to the people who wants to build to earn income.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in daily life since I started receiving the money is that I'm not worried anymore of how to raise money to construct a water tank because I managed to do the construction.
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest hardship I have faced in my current life is illness. Due to this I have not been able to do my daily activities. Because of severe pain, I have had sleepless nights.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when my children and other family members are back from school and work respectively. I feel happy to meet them healthy as the day closes.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I plan to spend my transfer on plastering my unfinished house so that I stay in a decent place. Further, I will spend part of the transfer to buy and install a water reservoir tank because the main source of water in this place is river Yala which is far away from my home. I will have solved water inadequacy in my home.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My proudest achievement is building my current house. I had been living in a grass thatched house for many years but now live in a better permanent house though it is not completely finished.