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.
Stages:
 
Enrollment
attach_money
 
Transfers
check
Completed
Newsfeed > Reuben's Profile
Reuben's family
Reuben
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
House construction
faceAge:
42
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
attach_money
 
Follow to be updated on Reuben's next check-in.
 
26th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
attach_money
 
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My additional goal is to start a forage farm for my cows. I will buy the cuttings so as to plant Napier grass. I will use the money to prepare the land too.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life for the last four months is the ability to provide school supplies for my children. Stationaries and personal care products for the children had become a huge burden until recently when I started to spend this money to easily provide them. My children have all the supplies they need and this makes me happier.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to have improved because I will have enough fodder for my livestock. nappier grass will be an alternative to the maize stalks that I have been going around my village buying and hauling them to my farm. I think that I will reduce the prevalence of pest and disease to crops, animals, and chickens that would have been brought to my farm with the stalks from other farms. I will also have to reduce the cost of production hence I will have more income. I will not have to be buying feeds for my cow anymore.
 
24th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
attach_money
 
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My additional goal for the next four months is to be able to fence my compound in a bid to put more of my land under farming. My real intentions is to plant nappier grass in the said piece of land. This I am sure, shall enable me realize my dream of producing more milk from my dairy keeping project that will enable me earn more income from it and improve the living standards of my family.
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 poultry keeping project that I have since started. I have been able to do this by accumulating money over time from the transfers that I get and from other casual jobs that I have been doing. The poultry keeping project has enabled my family and I to have better living standards and I feel so much indebted to GiveDirectly for enabling me realize this dream.
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 shall have my cow producing more milk and make more income. I also expect my poultry keeping project to be doing well since I have had additional chicken to keep. All these are diverse investments that are geared towards making my family to be more independent financially.
 
19th 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?
Currently, I am living a better life since I started getting financial support from GiveDirectly. I can now plan and achieve my goals. Initially, I would have an idea but implementing it was a challenge. The uncertainties of getting money as a casual labourer made everything appear complicated. I feel good because I can now budget and plan according to my income.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next few months, I am planning to save enough money so that I would be able to construct a water pan. The pan will help in harvesting rain water for my livestock. The water would also help me to water my crops during the dry season. This idea will permanently solve the water crises that has held me back for a long time now.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I recently harvested some fodder feeds which I had planted a few months ago. I used the transfers I received from Give Directly. This fodder feeds is a guarantee that my livestock will have enough food throughout the year. I am glad that I was able to address this challenge at last. I had lost a few cows as a result of hunger since I couldn't afford to buy fodder that would sustain them for a long time. I feel proud and hopeful that all will go well moving forward.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
Having a water pan in my farm would bring a great change to me. Water shortage has been a great challenge to me with my farming activities. Having it will enable me to store water for my livestock and also for irrigating my plants during the dry season.
 
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
attach_money
 
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Currently, I am less worried about life and its challenges. Ever since I started receiving transfers I am more flexible and ready to face any obstacles that may come my way. On the days that I may not get a casual job to do, I can still comfortably cater for my family needs with the money which Give Directly usually sends to me. Previously I would get stressed by the thought of forcing my children to sleep hungry because I could not get the means to buy food for them. I thank God for directing this organization to this village.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal in the next four months is to save more money because I want to start doing business. I am planning to start poultry farming. I chose to do this because eggs in our area is a rare commodity. Apart from that businessmen from the city come to our village to buy chicken in bulk and resell them in the city. This means the demand for chicken is very high. Currently, I depend on dairy farming, I at times do casual jobs to earn a living. The poultry farm will be like my alternative source of income. I hope having this will help me take care of daily household needs and the other income from casual jobs and dairy shall be for educating my children and investing in other projects.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have been saving my monthly transfer for the last four months. I recently spent that money to buy a solar panel for lighting. Before I use to have a small kerosene lamp which was not bright enough. It was also expensive because I had to buy kerosene on a daily basis. Now we got a bigger one which is more efficient because it can light my two rooms at the same time. I also do not have to buy kerosene anymore since I only need to charge the panel under the sun free of charge. My children can now study well in a separate room. I know this will improve their performance in school
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I believe that in the next six months, I will be getting more income. Since I recently started a poultry farm and I also do dairy farming I will continue with my casual job which is painting my income will definitely rise to a significant amount. This will enable me to move my children to a private school. They will get a good foundation do well in their studies and become important people in society.
 
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?
My life is currently different because I have ease of access to farm inputs. I bought maize seeds and fertilize on time. This increased my production and hence I get huge harvest giving me plenty of food and money to meet my needs.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I Plan to start a poultry keeping project. I will buy wire mesh for fencing the compound to protect my chicken.
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 getting more farm to till. I used the money I received on leasing about one care for planting beans and potatoes. I am passionate about farming because it is a way of making an income. This will strengthen my financial ability towards buying a piece of land to live in. I am hiring because ours is used for livestock keeping.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I will have to build a new house. I will make bricks using this money and then use it to build.I intend to leave my old grass thatched house for a beautiful new one. This home improvement is only possible with the next six months transfers.
 
5th 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 different since my farm harvest has increased brought about by daily monitoring, applying pesticides and fertilizers.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My goal is to improve maize farming by increasing the hectares under maize.
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 GD transfers have helped me improve my farming.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months I will have improved my farm and include beans.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 6 years ago
attach_money
 
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
my new goal is to lease a piece of land and farm on it.i will plant beans and sell the produce to give me an income.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently different since i have light from my solar lamp i bought using the transfer.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
i expect my life to have greatly changed in the next six months.i will be farming beans and get an income from selling the produce.i will have built a wooden walled house,painted it and bought furniture
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that i now have a lamp in my house.I had been living in a dark room but now i bought a solar lamp with the money i received from GiveDirectly. My solar lamp gives me sufficient light at night and this makes me happy.
 
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I sometime face hardship on some seasons. At times I plant beans and they fail to mature hence they make me undergo losses.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I become happy when I get referrals from my clients for painting work
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I will spend my first transfer on beans farming. I will also build an house for myself since I have just started my family.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
I have achieved much in my painting work. I get contracts to do painting, and my clients love my work.