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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Enrollment
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Completed
Newsfeed > Mark's Profile
Mark's family
Mark
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Other
faceAge:
56
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Mark's next check-in.
 
22nd Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to save up and start small scale farming for upkeep purposes to prevent me from borrowing unwanted loans. This way the farm produce can help sustain the household reducing the daily expenditure.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference since I started receiving my transfers is that I have been able to clear my debts. I had a huge debt that I had borrowed and paying it back was becoming a problem. I used to hide from my debtors because I had given several excuses and ended up not paying. But GD helped me clear the debt and moving forward I can walk confidently with my head held high knowing I am debt-free.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I am certain that I will debt-free and I will be and I will be having enough food for my upkeep and that of my family. This way I will be a responsible husband come, father.
 
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?
Currently, I don't strain too much because an extra source of income I get from Give Directly, thus I am able to provide for my family financially with no difficulty. I also used part of my transfer to invest in farming that has been giving me another source of food to supplement with what I get from my business and Give Directly transfers.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to work extra hard to attract more customers by doing marketing and adding a variety of products.
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 now have a television which gets me updated. I have been saving for a while to enable me to finish paying the remaining amount since I took the television on hire purchase. I thank Give Directly for getting me from one level to another. I no longer go to my neighbor to watch television. I now use my leisure time to watch television instead of going to drink alcohol with friends
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 am planning to boost my welding business since this is the major source of my livelihood. I am planning to employ another extra person who can work when I am not around as I look for another market.
 
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 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 l am now getting enough profit that can allow me to put food on the table without too much struggle. Additionally, I am also able to pay school fees for my children with ease without them being sent home due to school fees arrears like it used to happen in the past.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to buy a solar system. This will help me so much because I mostly rely on the use of electricity when doing welding, which at the end of the day leaves me with minimal profits due to its expensive nature. There are occasions when I end up using my profits to pay electricity bills, which does not make economic sense.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have been working as a welding operator because that is where my passion lies, but the challenges I have been facing all this while is working without proper equipment and machines. There was a time when my business nearly collapsed because I used to get orders from clients but I could not deliver to their expectations because of lack of proper equipment and raw materials. However, I have now managed to buy enough raw materials which makes my job execution quite easy. Most of my clients are now happy; as a matter of fact they keep referring their friends to me because they know I will never disappoint them. The influx of customers has resulted in an increase in profits which I then use for my up keep and payment of school fees for my kids.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
Within the next six months, l expect to have bought the solar system and will be using it to execute my duties instead of relying on electricity. Using solar powered panel will be much cheaper on my side because I will not have to spend a lot of money paying the electricity bills.
 
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?
The other difference in my life since I started receiving these transfers is that my business is now doing well. I have been using part of my transfers for food and the other part to boost my welding business. It has been my only source of income which has supported my life for the last year. I was very afraid of it collapsing since it was not doing well and it was my only source of income. I am glad right now the fear of loosing my business is no more because of GD transfers.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I wish to buy iron sheets, timber and nails. I will use the materials to expand my verandah which has always been my dream. It will help me keep my other properties safe from the rains and thieves.
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 every time I receive the money, I am always in dire need of money. I have never received the money when I am not in urgent need of money. In most cases, It has always been when we lack food in the house. Since I have a small business which has always sustained my life but due to many family demands, it has always gone down. I have always used the profit from the business to pay school fees for my children and for food, I have always had to look for a different way to find money. This is where I have been relieved by the transfers. We have always had food to eat.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I want to continue boosting my business. I would still use part of transfers to boost my business by buying at least one piece of iron and equipment for the business. I am hoping by the end of the year, it will be stable enough to handle all my family needs.
 
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 6 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My health and that of my family is doing better than any other time in my life because we do eat a balanced diet. Since I started receiving this transfer, I have been able to buy food in time and enough for my family. I used to starve my family by providing insufficient meals until they were very weak and thin but now when I see my children, I see a brighter future because of GD. Secondly, I have been able to pay school fees for my children who were always in the list of those being sent home for school fees everytime children were sent home, are studying in peace. It was a surprise to many that they were in school for the whole of the third term without being sent home for the same. The shame I used to go through when I went to ask their teachers to give me more time to raise school fees is no more. I walk with my head high up when walking into the school compound because am not begging anymore but to pay fees.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Before I started receiving transfers from Give Directly, I used to live for the moment, I never had future goals because of the state of my life. I sused to depend on casual jobs which were not consistent. These transfers have caused positivity in me to an extent that I would want to start savings account for my future. I really want to invest in savings for I know it will sustain my life after I receive all transfers from GD.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have been running a welding business for two years now but there has been no growth and its state keeps on deteriorating every day. This is our source of income which we depend on daily yet. We never fail to consume profits I make but we fail to input more into the business because we have too many financial needs that the profit from the business cannot sustain. I had feared my business would be no more because I had consumed even the capital. When I started receiving this transfer from Give Directly, I have always spared part of my monthly transfer to help in improving the business by adding more equipment, renovating business premise and adding more stock. I have to admit GD has given back life to my business which had been considered as a perfect example of failure in our area. I know the future is bright for me and my family.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
It has always been my dream to own a cow if not cows just like my friends and neighbours. This is one of the biggest investment in our village which commands a lot of respect from peers. I cannot story freely or be in the company of my fellows because of the status of my house. In the next six months, this is my priority which I have to accomplish as an investment for my family and to gain respect in the community.
 
3rd Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference currently is that I am able to buy new welding tools and materials that helps me in my daily job.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change because I will be in a position to buy more raw materials and make more finished products that will earn me more profits into the future.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is now different because I am able to add a few raw materials that I normally use to make the finished products which I then sell to my customers.
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My new goal currently includes buying more materials that will help me make more windows and new steel doors that I will eventually sale to my customers, out of which I will make some profit.
 
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 is raising school fees for my two daughters who were schooling at Our lady of fatima and Kariobangi North,Nairobi city.I could hardly think right, being that, I was solely depending on subsistence farming.Dropping them out of school was the hardest thing in my life I could think of.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the morning when I wake up to face a new day and leaving for work to make ends meet.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer on improving my welding business by purchasing materials like iron plates,metals,welding rods etc.This would allow me to stock completely done products that would draw more customers and improve earnings.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My proudest achievemement is paying school fees for my two daughters, Dorothy and Linet who have successfully completed their secondary education in 2012 and 2014 respectively.This makes me proud and motivates me to work even hard to further their education.