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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Completed
Newsfeed > Betty's Profile
Betty's family
Betty
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labour
faceAge:
32
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?
My life is currently different in that I can now pay school fees for my children comfortably. I have been able to lease half an acre farm for three years. I have been practicing crop rotation on this farm. When I harvest my crops, I usually supply them to businesswomen in different towns and use the income to pay school fees for my children. Had it not have been for this investment, my children who are in secondary school education would have dropped out of school due to lack of school fees.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Currently, my additional goal for the next four months is to improve the state of my house by converting it into a semi-permanent one. I currently live in a mud house and it is always so dusty and my family lives with the fear of contracting respiratory diseases. Cementing its floors and walls will reduce the dust circulating in our house and the cleaning process will also be easier. Apart from this, my family will always live happily knowing that the chances of contracting respiratory diseases are minimal.
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 my family now feeds well and gets a balanced diet. This has been made possible through the poultry-keeping project I was able to start using my transfers. I have been using the income from this project to buy fruits and enough food for my family. As a result of this, their health has started improving.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect that my life will have changed in the next six months in that I will have cemented my house. The cleaning process will have been made easy. In addition to this, I am also hoping that I will have increased the size of land I will be leasing. This will ensure a continuous supply of income for my family since my production will have increased.
 
16th 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?
My life is different in that I am now free from stress unlike before. I now can afford to buy food for the family with little or no difficulties. I can as well pay school fees for my children without much struggle and I am not buried in debts like I used to be when I was not receiving these transfers. All these have made me a happier person and a proud mother to be precise.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My additional plans over the next four months is to start a shoe selling business. I plan to do this with the savings that I have made from my potato farming business and selling the chicken that I have. I also intend to finance my project by selling some of the potatoes that are due for harvesting in the next few weeks. This, I expect shall be fulfilled in the next four months.
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 have been able to take my potato farming to the next level. When I started receiving these transfers, I have been able to plant my potatoes in time and have been able to apply fertilizers which has increased my production. The increase in production has enabled me to take my children to school and pay their school fees without much problems unlike before. Moreover, I have had the surplus being used to facilitate the next planting which has enabled me to be consistent in my farming.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect my life to change in that I shall have started my shoe selling business which will enable me to relax and think about other possible investments for the family. When the business shall have picked then I can save up the money and be able to buy my own piece of land in the next six months or more.
 
12th 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 currently different from how it was four months ago in that I'm able to meet the basic needs of the family because of constant income from the sales of eggs, which was hard before. I can also pay school fees from my savings.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal in the next four months are to expand the poultry project and to build a bigger structure to accommodate the same. I'm also planning to start a dairy farming project using part of my savings.
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 preceding the current transfer is that I have started poultry keeping project which was not possible before. I collect one hundred and forty eggs per weeks and I sell at the nearby shopping center near home. This project has enabled me to join village saving group which was not possible before because I didn't have an income to enable me to have an extra income to save. I'm able to buy the basic needs for the family. Before I used to do hard jobs to get the money for food but after venturing into poultry keeping my life has changed completely. My family has enough food to eat. After I had saved in the group for the last one year I was able to buy a heifer and also pay school fees for my daughter who was joining form one this year. This could not have been possible because I didn't have a constant income to pay all these expenses. I have also bought building materials using part of the saving to build a bigger structure to expand the poultry keeping project. I'm so grateful because my life has changed completely
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in the next six months in that I would have ventured into dairy farming. I will have biought a dairy cow and reduce the cost of buying milk.
 
5th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
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The recipient was not asked any questions as part of this follow up.
 
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?
I want to start a poultry farming by first building a poultry house and buying a few chicken to start with. I also want to start rearing sheep.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently much better compared to the period before i started receiving the transfer. I no longer overwork myself and i always look forward a new day.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months i expect to be living a better and a more comfortable life. I will have enough produce from my farm and i can sell the rest for income generation. my family and i will be very happy.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that i am no longer stressed because i know that even if i am not lucky enough to get a wage, the transfer will help me take care of the basic needs like food. I am so happy
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship i have ever faced in my life is back then two years ago, i couldn't get money to buy food for my family since doing farming was not possible due to lack of money to begin farming
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when i have really worked hard in the course of the day and at least i have food on my table enough for my whole family
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfers to start poultry keeping specifically for egg production as well as for sale in the market
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement i am proud of is when i planted potatoes which did well and the proceeds i got after harvesting enabled me to construct my house