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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Newsfeed > Benard's Profile
Benard's family
Benard
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
55
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Benard's next check-in.
 
15th 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?
After constructing a new Iron-roofed house last year, courtesy of these transfers, I have not done anything else that would be visible to the human eye with my transfers this year. I am very glad that the whole year, I have not had any challenges paying fees for my children in secondary school.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I do not have any additional goals at the moment as I still want to keep paying my children's school fees so that they can fully stay in school and not get sent away for delayed school fee payments. It will also be great to clear this year's balance so that going into next year, I will less burden.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have always had a problem raising school fees for my two children in secondary school due to my low income. This would force their teachers to send them home frequently whenever they failed to pay the fees on time. Lately, the frequency at which they are sent away from school has really decreased because the transfers help to pay the money on time which gives them ample time to concentrate on their studies.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I only hope that by the time this project ends next year, I will have cleared the school fee balance that my two children still owe their respective schools. I know that after the project, life will be tough and raising the school fees will also be tough because I do not have any stable source of income. For this reason, I wish to clear this year's school fees and pay some of next year's for me not have such a hard time next year.
 
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
In the last four months, the transfers have changed my life in that I was able to finish paying fees arrears for my firstborn son who had finished secondary school last year. He did his final examinations last year and could not get his certificates because he had a huge fees arrears in school. Through these transfers, I was able to clear the balance and get his certificates for him.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I wish to ensure I pay all the fees arrears for my children. I would not be happy to see my children being sent home for fees arrears while the others are in school studying. I want to ensure they are always in school studying so as to good grades.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Before the transfers, I used to live in a grass thatched house which was very small and could not accommodate my family well. I was forced to ask my children to always sleep at my neighbours house. This is because we could not all fit in the house at night. I felt I was putting my children's lives in danger in walking at night to find a sleeping place. This is why when I started receiving these transfers, I was able to buy building materials such as iron sheets, timber, and nails which I used to build a new iron-roofed house. I am glad I have provided shelter for my family and I no longer bother my neighbours with my children.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My plan in the next six months with GD transfers, I want to focus on paying school fees for my children. I would not want a repeat of what happened with my firstborn where he finishes school but cannot get his certificates because of arrears. I would want to pay their fees in advance and this will help them get good grades when they are not regularly sent home for fees.
 
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 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 if I do comparison between now and in the past. Earlier, it could not be easy to eat a complete meal in the family, but now it's very easy because part of the money has been used to buy foodstuff. I used to toil in order to pay school fees for my children, but as we speak now, I can have time to plan, look for lucrative opportunities to venture to raise income.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to enlarge my farming activities. We are in a planting season, and predictably, season could be good, the rains have come at the right time. I am going to buy farm inputs such as fertilizer, seeds, and equipments to allow me to have good yied.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I am now capable of paying school fees for my three children very comfortably, the thing I used to do through toiling. I am now able to get what to eat very easily, unlike the past time.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to have good harvest, get some money out of it and buy three exotic cows for dairy purpose. I have leased four acres of land and already it has been fully prepared, waiting for planting. I shall do inter cropping; maize and beans, then apply for tender for food supply to secondary schools after which money to buy cows shall be raised.
 
4th Payment
Transfer Amount
4560 KES ($45 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference is I currently do not struggle to pay school fees for my children in high school unlike before this was a real hustle.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I am looking forward to building a better house for my family, moving out of the grass thatched house.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I used to do odd jobs to earn money for household expenses and paying fees for my children. This has changed ever since I began receiving the transfers.
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I am planning to build a house foe my family.
 
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship have faced in my life is the death of my daughter in 2010, she had HIV/AIDS and i spent alot of cash on her treatment but finaly she passed on, it was hard to accept but finally have moved on with life.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when i see my children back from school as they share there daily expiriences in school, i motivate them to work hard to make abetter future and be indipendent.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
Am planning to build my house and pay school fees for my children.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My proudest achievement so far is starting abusiness of hides and skin, this has enabled me raise cash that i have invested in building plots, i collect rent on amonthly basis and am able to pay fees and buy food for my family.