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 do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I bought a solar lighting kit months ago on credit because I could not afford to raise the whole amount required to buy it. I am required to pay monthly instalments until I clear the rest of the balance. I have been paying the monthly instalments using my transfers and it will be difficult to raise the required amount each month on my own due to low income, so I hope that I will have cleared the whole payment before the project ends.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I do not have a stable source of income as I only depend on casual farm jobs within the village. These kind of jobs are mostly available only during the farming season, which means that in the past months when all the farming was over and people were just waiting to harvest, I had no jobs at all. During that period, the transfers supported me to take care of my children's needs, especially school requirements. It could have been very tough paying for their school fees during that period if I was not receiving the transfers.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have two children in their final year of primary school and will join secondary school next year. I know it will be very tough buying the requirements for both of them during the rush hour as most school items will have increased in price, so I want to buy some of the items this year. This will give me an easy time because after the transfers, I know life will be a bit tough my income will be affected hence the need to plan early.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
I bought a solar lighting kit months back which has brought a very huge difference in my life withing the months that I have had it. Our house is now well lit and my children who will sit for their national examinations this term can now read for longer hours and with a lot of ease. I also bought chickens that I can later benefit from when they reproduce well enough to be sold.
14th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
attach_money
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
When I finally buy the solar lighting system which I hope I will have within the next six months, my daily life will definitely change as I will not have to spend daily on kerosene and the brightly lit house will make it easier for my children to read at night without any difficulties. This is great news especially for my child in his final year in primary school and needs to revise more for the final exams later this year.
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 transfer, my family had an easy time despite the fact that it was a dry season accompanied by famine which saw a hike in foodstuffs prices such as maize which is our staple food. I have been able to provide proper meals for my family through the help of GD transfers which without, would not be possible because I earn very little from the casual jobs that I usually depend on. I have also managed to keep my children in school throughout by paying the required amount on time but on those few occasions where I was not able to pay the fees, I would confidently talk to the teachers to give more time because I am assured of something at the end of the month.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My biggest plan is to buy a solar lighting system using my next transfers so that I can have something to be proud of at the end of GD project and also move away from using the toxic kerosene lamps are also very dim. I will buy those types that are usually sold on credit so that I can use the transfers for the remaining months to clear off the remaining amount because I am not able to pay for it in full.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My husband and I managed to save some of our previous transfers and purchased the necessary materials that we used to plaster our floor which was very dusty before because it was made of mud. This has made my environment quite clean as we no longer have to deal with a dusty floor that mostly affected our health. The house is also very to clean now and we do not have to constantly worry over jigger infestation and endless renovations through smearing.
11th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I want to buy a solar system. It is costly to buy keresone on a daily basis since I only depend on casual work which is not giving much. The income cannot sustain all my familyt needs hence I want to buy solar so that I can use the money on buying kerosene on other family needs.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving these transfers is that I have new seats. I only had one seat in my house and I used to have a difficult time when I had visitors because I had to borrow seats from my friends. This impacted negatively on our friendship and times they could avoid me because of how I used to bother them to help me with begging for seats. I have been feeling lonely because most of my friends choose to stay away from me since they thought I would just go and beg every now and again. Right now, I am working hard on building back my friendship with my neighbours because I do not beg any more for seats. I have my own.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I wish to clear school fees balance for my children who are in the eighth grade of primary school. I would not want them to be sent home while the others are studying in school because of the arrears. I want them to have maximum time to study in school so that they can do well in the final examinations.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Secodly, I have plastered my house. I feel very happy because the floor was rough and the muds on the wall would come out making my house very weak. I was also tired of smearing my house every month and it was costly too. Right now, I use the time and resources I used to smear my house to handle other family needs. The fear of the house falling too is no longer there. I feel there is a big burden taken off me.
7th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
attach_money
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to use the cash to start a small scale business that will help me generate more income and have a stable income so that I do not have to rely on the cash flow from the organization.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have been able to use the money to pay school fees for my children because they are no longer sent away from school due to lack of cash. I am now able to pay school fees on time so that my kids spend most of their time in school.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to buy more school uniform for my children because right now they wear torn clothes which makes me so embarrassed.
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My children are able to feed on a balanced diet every day of the week as opposed to how we used to struggle before when I just used to buy any food that could especially vegetables due to lack of enough money.
4th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 6 years ago
attach_money
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
Currently, I would stick to what I had planned.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My children are always in school because I pay school fees in time, my children have good clothes and we have never gone without ever since I started receiving this transfer.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I would want to pay school fees so that I may not have any arrears when they finally finish school.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I have been struggling to keep up with paying fees for my children because I do not have any stable source of income but since I started receiving this transfer, they have never been sent home for the same.
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 bringing up the family well through farming. To begin with, i have a family of ten and the only work is farming, some time the harvest is high in that it becomes difficult to get good market for your farm outputs and this can result to failing to meet some family needs."
What is the happiest part of your day?
"The happiest part of my day is night, because this is the time i have some rest after the whole day engagements. It is the time i have my children around the table taking evening meals together as a family, and as a mother, it gives me happiness and joy."
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
" I am planning to spend my transfer on farm improvement by buying farm inputs like fertilizer and seeds, start small business and savings for my children for future use."
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
"The achievement that i am proudest of is that i normally work hard on the farm and as a result, we are able to harvest more for family needs as well as for sell to generate money for other needs."