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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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Caren's Profile
Caren's family
Caren
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
32
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Caren's next check-in.
 
10th 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?
My life is currently different from the way it was four months ago in that I'm always happy and proud of my self. This is because I have been able to purchase most of the items which I couldn't afford previously. I no longer borrow most of the things including clothes for attending special events. Poverty had ripped off my self-esteem and was almost losing my self. I thank God I am back on my feet and have regained my respect and self-worth.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Currently, I have a small kitchen which is not in good condition. It has a leaking roof and at the same time, it doesn't have either a window or door. Therefore, I normally get a hard time cooking especially when it's windy or raining. Therefore, for the next four months of my life, I have an additional goal to save the coming transfers so that I can purchase the building materials which I'll later use to construct a new kitchen.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
For the past four months, I have been able to comfortably purchase most of the household items such as utensils. I have also been able to afford a balanced diet and even bought a few decent clothes. These are the things I wanted badly but I couldn't afford. I relied on farming which isn't reliable considering the unpredictable weather patterns that come as a result of climate change. I would hardly invest the money I got because it was very little. I'm happy because through the GD transfers I was able to afford all these items.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I have a child who will soon join preschool next year. I feel happy for her progress but I again feel worried because I had not saved any money for her school fee and school equipment. I'm therefore planning to start saving part of the money I am receiving from Give Directly so that come next year, I won't face any financial challenge while enrolling him in school. In the next six months, I expect to have reached my target savings
 
7th Payment
Transfer Amount
4560 KES ($45 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
We were living in a leaking grass-thatched house until last month when we were able to construct a new iron-roofed house. This is the greatest change I have seen in my life because I now live comfortably and in a decent house that GD transfers enabled us to build. The previous grass-thatched house that we were living in was in a very dilapidated state as re-roofing had become a challenge due to the scarcity of grass in our area. Those who had grass to sell were also selling them at a very expensive price that we could not afford owing to low income.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
We just recently constructed a new house which were are planning to plaster for durability and presentability. We are now planning to save and combine our transfers so that we can be able to buy the required materials such as sand and cement within the shortest time possible.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Because I have no source of income, life was very difficult because I had to solely depend on my husband who also does not earn much from the casual jobs that he does for income. Receiving these transfers has improved our daily lives as we are able to afford better meals even on those tough days when there are no casual jobs available for my husband. Before these transfers, we would have no choice but go hungry on such days because we had nowhere else to get help.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I hope that in the next six months, we will have plastered our house so that we can fully settle in a neat, decent and a spacious house where we are not uncomfortable hosting guests. This will also give us enough time to invest the rest of our transfers in any business that will generate us income after the project is over.
 
4th Payment
Transfer Amount
4560 KES ($46 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I have been able to buy new irons sheets that I intend to use to erect a new house in the near future. The idea of building a new house came a s result of getting the cash from the organization.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to buy new clothes and look descent just like any other member of the village. A part from that I also intend to make sure that the house construction process is completed in a nice way, and the finishing done appropriately both for the interior and exterior parts of the house.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have been able to buy enough food for my family unlike previously when I used to struggle so much in the past. Right now my husband and I have joined the one acre fund project where we acquire high quality fertilizer and seedlings that will see us get a bumper harvest at the end of the season.
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My plan right now is to buy household items such as new furniture because the ones are in a dilapidated state. I intend to plaster my house once the construction of the external area is completed.
 
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced was when I got married three years and my spouse didn't have a house and bedding to sleep on, so we used to spend at a neighborhood's house since my he(my spouse) was a casual labourer with low income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when we have a count for our day with my spouse and we play around with my little son.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer on building a new iron sheet roofed house; starting a new business of selling cereals.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement which am proud of is when I managed to save Ksh. 3000/= through table banking last year and I used my savings to buy my son clothes, shoes and a few utensils for my household.