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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 > Michael's Profile
Michael's family
Michael
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
61
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Michael's next check-in.
 
21st Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 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 build a better house given the one that I have is currently in bad shape. The roof is leaking and the floor has cracks all over.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference is I can now facilitate my loan with ease unlike before. I used to struggle to pay my loans and sometimes my creditors caused chaos at my home while asking for their payments. This was very embarrassing but I am glad I am over it thanks to GD.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I am hoping to have started buying building materials for the construction of a better house. It won't be that costly because we are only left with my wife all my children are grown and most of them have their homes. That means I will construct a small but beautiful house.
 
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?
In the just-concluded farming season, I used the transfers to buy quality farm inputs such as quality hybrid maize seeds and fertilizer. I was also able to hire labourers to assist with the farm work because we could not weed the farm on our own due to our advanced ages. All these brought a great impact by giving us a better harvest than we have ever witnessed before even though most people did not harvest much due to bad weather conditions. We have enough food that will take us for a long period and we will not have to farm this season which now allows us to lease out our farm for extra income.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
At my age, I am not able to invest the transfers in any business which would have been the best way to invest my transfers so that I can have an extra income. I want to buy more goats with some of my transfers and increase my herd so that whenever there is an urgent financial need, I can always sell some of them and raise enough money. I also want to buy a few personal items such as clothes and shoes as I do not have a lot of decent ones in my closet.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Even though I have no stable source of income due to my advanced age that limits me from engaging in any income-generating activities, the transfers have always made me feel like I have a job because I get a monthly income that I use to support my family needs. I also feel more independent as I do not have to rely on my children for financial support as before.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect that in the next few months, I will have invested more on personal items such as clothes and shoes because I do not have many decent ones at the moment. I have other plans and needs but this would be the most urgent change I want in my life. I often travel and I always feel that I am not properly dressed because I have suits that I have owned for the past five years which are no longer in their original colours. I no longer want to be an embarrassment to my family, so I hope this will soon change.
 
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 I am at ease when it comes to farming, I do have money to hire people to work on my farm and this has lead to good harvest.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal for the next four months is to buy a dairy cow. My family will not only get milk for consumption but I will also be selling at our nearby shopping center and use the money I will be getting to cater for my family's needs. Since I do not have a stable source of income, I am planning to improve my poultry keeping project by buying more chicken as my future investment. This will help me to earn more income to use in supporting 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 that since I started receiving the money I have been having an easy time when working on my farm. This is because I spend the money I am getting from GiveDirectly to hire people to work on my farm. Due to this, I also get some time to work on other income generating activities. I am also planning to buy a pair of oxen which I will be using to cultivate my farm. This will help me save the money I would otherwise use in hiring laborers to work on my farm and I can use the money in case of an emergency.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to have bought a pair of oxen. I will be using it to till my farm so that I can be able to save the money I would otherwise use in hiring workers to do the work. Owning the pair of oxen will also make my farming work easy and take a shorter period of time. In addition to this, I will have improved my poultry keeping project. This will increase my income as I will be able to sell more eggs plus the cockerels. This will help me to cater for my family needs on time.
 
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is different from how it was four months ago because I always have some money in my hand to use for my daily needs. In addition, I am always confident that I can easily access some little loan from a friend should I be in financial needs. I am always certain that I can always repay my lender whenever I receive my transfers.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I am planning to save my transfers and buy some few iron sheets which I will use to replace the roofing of my little grass thatched house. Replacing the grass roof with iron sheets will keep me safe from extreme cold during the rainy season. This will save me from being affected by pneumonia.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
In the last four months, I have had a lighter burden since I did not have a lot of financial commitment. Prior the last four months, I had been saving some money to make my dream of owning a sheep a reality hence I was always drained financially. I have, therefore, been spending all my transfers on buying food for my household. I have not engaged myself in hard labor as I could do before to supplement my household's income. As a result, I have been living peacefully because I have an assurance that my monthly transfers will always come.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to save my transfers and buy a heifer to add to my livestock. It will be my biggest investment in life since I have never owned a cow from my childhood. Moreover, my possession will increase and this will restore my dignity among my community members.
 
7th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 6 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is currently from the way it was four months ago in that my life has improved and I can afford a balanced diet, this has really improved my health.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I havve a new goal of constructing a new house becuase currently I have grass thatch house which is expensive maintaining since grass is very rare currently.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest diference in my daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer is that I have peace and I no longer get worried of how to raise money fo rmeeting my family needs. Now that I'm sure of money every month I can easily borrow knowing that I won't face hallenges repaying it.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to have constructed a new iron roof house.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
455 KES ($4 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My new goal is that I would like save so that I can build a new house made of iron sheet.I am currently living in a grass-thatched house which is not so decent.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently different in that I am able to buy whatever I want whenever I want because I am sure Give Directly will send me money. I also have a phone that I can use to communicate with friends and family.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months,I expect to have achieved a well balanced diet in my family because I will be able to buy sufficient food with my transfers.I will also be able to pay my debts with One Acre Fund,that will lower my stress and I will be assured of their best services.
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 can now live stress free because I know that I will receive money from Give Directly.
 
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 life is loosing my six children in a period of two years. I used a lot of my resources on their medical bills. Aftermath of their death is loneliness and deep thoughts of sorrow that are not ending soon.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when I am from work. I tune to the radio stereo while relaxing and taking evening tea. I am so much relieved then.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I plan to spend my transfer on buying livestock. From the cattle I will get milk for domestic consumption. It is also a form savings to my family. Further I plan to spend the transfer on farming. I will buy commercial fertilizer and seeds so as to enhance my farm produce. This will broaden the family income base.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My proudest achievement in life is owning a herd of cattle. From subsistence farming, I managed to buy five cows from which I get milk. I am proud of my hard work.