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
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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Benson's Profile
Benson's family
Benson
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Small business
faceAge:
34
workCampaign
UBI
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
25500 KES ($246 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 my own grocery shop using the money I recently received, now I do not pay rent which means that I can save more than I did before from my business. The business has also grown because I boosted it with part of the second transfer I received. This has changed my life because I now earn a lot more than I did before and I can now comfortably provide for my family.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Since the moment I knew that I was going to receive the transfer, my plans were to renovate my house then construct a shop where I can sell my groceries so that I can stop renting a stall which is small, costly and unsafe. With the houses already well renovated using the first transfer and the grocery shop constructed, I feel comfortable that I have achieved my goals. I may consider opening a new business after some time with the savings made from the profits of the current business.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
When we received the first transfer, my and I combined the amounts which we used to renovate and plaster both our main house and the kitchen which now look new and beautiful. The roof to the main house was rusty and the houses were both dusty as they were made of much. I had always wanted to plaster the houses but could not due to low income and I was always stressed on how to raise the money. Am very proud of how we spent our transfer because we are now living in a better environment than we were before Give Directly came to our village and I am even happier that I do not have to worry about raising money to renovate the houses which was a big challenge to me.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
Now that I will not be paying rent for my grocery shop after constructing my own, I expect to be making a lot more savings than I used to do before. In the next six months, I hope that I will have set up a new business that will provide an extra income for my family which only means a better life.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
25500 KES ($253 USD)
access_time almost 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 in my daily life is being able to complete my house that had stalled for so long for lack of money and so the relief I got had made my daily life so easy.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next months,I expect my life to change with my business having expanded and that means more income for me and my family.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have a kid who is suffering from an illness that requires special treatment and I was able to take her for treatment using the money I received from GiveDirectly. Were it not for this money,I could have never managed and I am happy she is now feeling well.
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I am planning to expand my current business. I want to open another branch in my local market place.
 
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have ever faced in life was not being able to provide for my family back in 2001-2004, when I was sick and lacking a stable source of income. This led my household to lack the basic necessities.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest moment is in the evening when am done with my motorcycle taxi business and I get back home to be with my family. Seeing my household sit down sharing a meal after a hard days work really makes me happy.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I plan to spend a greater portion of my transfers on improving my house and kitchen. I plan to finish plastering my house since it has been one of my major goals. The remaining part of my transfer I intend to use it to expand my fruit business.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
My greatest achievement has been building my own homestead. I used to stay in my fathers homestead which used to limit me in carrying out my daily activities. Am also proud of having established my own homestead at the young age of 24.