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.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Currently, I can take care of my family well. I have a constant flow of income from GD and this means I can easily fulfil all the financial goals I set before. I am a farmer and I have very big farms which have made us be dependant on it for our provisions. I can easily hire extra manpower to help in the farm work, this makes my yields increase hence increase in generated income which in turn makes a change in our living standard. We can get food to eat daily and even buy clothes to put on our backs to look more presentable.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have a new goal of saving and starting up a new business for my new wife so that she can gain independence and help in contributing to family upkeep.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
My life is currently different as I am able to earn income away from selling my farm proceeds. I could sell the whole harvest to earn income and this would sometimes make us go without food after selling the entire harvest. I can now depend on the transfers to buy other foodstuffs and consume the farm proceeds which now lasts for a longer period of time and we can only sell in times of financial emergencies.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I shall have set up the business for my wife by the end of the six months. She is a new wife and needs something to fall back to in times of financial constraints. She is capable of providing for the family equally. This will help her generate income to help take care of our family.
15th 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 has really changed from how it was previously. This is because I used to engage in casual work which was not enough to sustain my daily household expenditure. But since I started farming I earn enough from the farm products that I am able to invest elsewhere and enlarge my revenue base.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am looking forward to rearing pigs as a source of income. This will enlarge the level of my revenue since the market of pigs is currently on demand.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Upon receiving my recent transfer I embarked on farming. This has been my desire ever since. What kept me away from farming was the lack of adequate resources. But thanks to GD's transfers this was made possible.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to have started pig rearing and God willingly I will be earning more income this will improve my living standards and those of my family members.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Currently, my life is different than it was four months ago because I always have a supplementary source of income. I do not have to depend on the daily wages alone which in most cases are insufficient to sustain my family. From the transfers, I have also been able to pay school fees for my children consistently. Before I began receiving the transfers, my children could occasionally be sent home for school fees.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, my new goal is to save some money and buy a cow which I shall use to pay dowry at my wife's maternal home. I have been planning this for a while, but I believe that I shall accomplish it this time. Succeeding in paying dowry will make my wife love me more and we shall, therefore, live happily.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
In the last four months preceding the current transfers, the biggest difference in my life is ease in the acquisition of food. Prior to the enrollment in GD programs, I fully depended on unpredictable casual jobs which were poorly paid. As a result, fending for my family members was difficult and we could only afford to take one meal a day. Currently, life is better since I am always assured of some money every month. Although I still do casual jobs, I do not fully depend on them like before.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect my family to be living happily and peacefully. After paying dowry, I shall have a lighter burden to focus on how to start an income generating activity which will also contribute towards diversifying my family's income.
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 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 so much better than it was four months ago. My farm tools were old and worn out so I decided to purchase new ones. I bought a new panga, a hoe, and a slasher. These tools help me to work on my farm as well as when I am contracted to work for someone else's farm. The old tools made my work a bit more tiresome and less efficient but that is not the case anymore having bough new tools.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I still do not have any new goals but I am looking forward to living a better life as I have invested poultry farming and so far it is picking up well.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference that I have seen is the fact that I have invested in poultry keeping and livestock keeping. Rearing this birds and livestock will improve my life as they act as sources of income for my family. selling eggs and some livestock products such as milk will give me money to meet the daily needs. Currently, I buy food from the farm produce. The very good food products I get from the projects have also boosted my families health. This is because they are able to eat well and proper regular meals. I am so happily that we are all well-fed now.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I will have food security given that my poultry farm is doing well. My family will also dress well and school fees will not be a problem as it was before I started receiving the transfers.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 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?
Currently I do not have any new goal.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I am doing well health wise since I received treatment at the right time and I now I have poultry business which I have been longing for.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I would want to buy a cow as investment for my family.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference I have since I started receiving this transfer is that I have a business which is doing well and I know will boost my income and enable me financially.
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 my life is when I fell sick which made my wife to leave me, this made me become more depressed as there was no one to take care of me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when I can relax after a hard work in the farm and grazing the livestock.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer on buying livestock and farming in order to fend for my family.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement am proud of is when I bought my furniture through savings I got from sale of my farm crops.