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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Newsfeed > Betty's Profile
Betty's family
Betty
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
25
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Betty's next check-in.
 
19th 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 last four months, my life is different in that I am stable financially. I do not have to wait for my parents, siblings or even friends to get money to handle my financial need. Before the transfers, I used to only depend on others to get money to meet my needs unless I borrowed which I would really struggle to pay back. With the cloth business I have now, I do not have to wait for others to sort my needs. I feel I have made a big step in ensuring my future is better than today.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I have a new goal of boosting the cloth business. I would not want the business to collapse because at now, it is my main source of income. If I do not input more in the business, It will collapse and take me back to where I was before the transfers.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
After college, I did not have any source of income and in all my needs, I depended on my parents. I tried to go for casual work to raise money but the pay was so little I and I felt wasted and gave up. I thought of business but due to lack of finances for capital, I was not able to achieve this goal. I decided to stay at home waiting for an opportunity which I was not even sure about. When I started receiving these transfers, I knew God had answered my prayer. I used the transfers for savings which was my capital for cloth business after 7 months of savings. Right now, I support my parents in providing the daily needs of the family because of the business.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in the next six months my business will have stabled and I have some savings for emergency needs. I am hoping when I have saved enough, I may again find another way to invest the money. I am thinking of poultry project though not asure because I know through that I will get more income to help me in my family life.
 
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 in that, I am more focused and financially disciplined. I have been able to save money for over four months which I used in boosting my boutique business. Atleast, I have another source of income apart from being employed.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I haven't thought of a new goal. I had started a business some few months ago and I still want to make it stable. Focusing on something else might lead to collapsing of my new business and I do not what to risk seeing my dream boutique failing.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months is that I was financially disciplined and for the first time, I managed to save the whole amount for the months which I used in boosting my boutique business. I had started it some few months ago and it was not yet stable. The joy of seeing my business running well makes me happy and the fact that I know how to plan on how to use the profits well is the best thing ever that I had to learn in order to make it continue working.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I do not expect my life to change so much in the next six months because I still want to continue boosting my business to a place where it can be stable. I feel that when I start another project, the business might collapse and I do not what it to reach to a point where I will forever regret using my transfer in running the business.
 
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?
Apart from just starting the business, I can happily say that it has been able to give me profits since its conception. Given that it does not make losses, makes me want to invest more and more in it so that I continue making profits. This is how my life has changed from how it was four months ago. This has also made me self reliant and not solely depend on my father who is just a peasant farmer.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I do not have any new goal but to expand my current mobile banking business. I want to be more financially stable, I am yes, but not to the level I would desire in this life. So, in the next four months, I still want to expand the business by investing more money in it.
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 I am my own responsibility. I have my own business running through the money I am receiving from GiveDirectly. Back then, I had to rely on my single parent father who is just a peasant farmer and also had to support my other siblings who are in college. This was hectic for him and I could see it. It was so strenuous for him given that the farming sometimes does not yield much to feed on at the same time meet family needs. With this money, I have started a mobile banking business (Mpesa), that I run. It is giving me some good income and I have released some burden off my father by being self-dependant.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My focus is financial security. I want to be able to make more money by expanding my current business or even starting more businesses. In the next six months, I know I shall have moved a step ahead financially given that the money I receive from GiveDirectly is invested in my mobile banking business only.
 
8th 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?
I am assured that I will finally have the business.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I would want to expand my business.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have always wanted to have a business of my own but I have never had one due to my low income but with Give Directly, I will finally have it.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I would want to have to 2 MPESA agents.
 
Initial 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?
Ever since my main dream has been to start a cosmetic shop. And I am still sticking to that till I succeed! Hence I don't have any new goal in my life since I started receiving the transfers.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
If I would have never received transfers from Give Directly, I would have not been running a savings account that would cushion my life in hard times.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next 6 months, I would like to be financially independent. I am currently living with my parents, but I would like to move out and be independent!
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I can now have my own savings account-before I started receiving transfers from Give Directly, I was living from hands to mouth since I never had reliable source of income.
 
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 looking for a job. I keep on applying for jobs but I encounter hurdles of immortality for me to be considered. In most cases I loss the opportunities because I don't accept their immoral demands. Alongside competition from other professionals, I have not found it smoother.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when I get to the internet. I get an opportunity to read news updates, share experiences on social media and listen to music. It is an interactive session with the rest of the world and I enjoy it.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I plan to spend my transfer on establishing a small M-Pesa business. I currently do not have a job despite having graduated in Bachelor of Commerce. I will be able to earn an income from it which I can use in helping my retired father to cater for household needs.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement I am proudest of is completing my education in Bachelor of Commerce. Despite lack of school fees and challenges that affect girl child, I overcame them and made it in education. I am now a professional who can get a job and independently support my family. I am very proud of achieving this ambition.