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?
My life is currently easy and less stressful as it used to be. This is because I no longer have to worry much about school fees given that GD has easen my work by sending me transfers.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the coming four months, I am planning to purchase a poultry mesh to help me in the construction of a poultry house. I am planning to rare poultry as aneconimic activity.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my life is that I have been able to consistently pay school fees for my children. This was a struggle before I started receiving my transfers. I used to do odd jobs to earn an income which was never enough for both household expenses and my children school fees. This forced them to stay out of school for several days which really affected their performance. But as we speak they have no arrears and their studies are undisrupted.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to have started my poultry business in the next six months. This will help me generate more income for my household, it will also be my financial support after GD has stopped sending me transfers.
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
We formed a merry go round when we started receiving these transfers to enable us to save part of our transfers fro better use. When I received my share, I was able to buy a cow which is the greatest achievement I have in my life so far.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Due to unpredictable rain patterns and insufficient rains in general, farming has become a game of chance in our area and starvation and hike in food prices a common thing. I live near a river and my aim is to make use of it by investing in irrigation where I can farm even during the dry season. My goal, therefore, is to buy a water pump with the money I will receive from the savings in the merry-go-round I am currently saving in to facilitate this. With that, I will cultivate enough food for my own use and for sale to earn an extra source of income.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The past few months preceding the current transfer was were not quite easy due to the drought which was witnessed in our area which caused food scarcity and general hike in food prices. I can confidently say that these transfers made it easy to face that tough period because I was always able to afford decent meals which I know would not have been possible without the transfers. I say this because I compared what life was like this year to the previous years where we would face starvation during such periods and saw a great difference.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My dream is to buy a water pump that I can use for irrigation especially during the dry seasons. I hope that I will achieve this goal in the next six months so that I can kick off the project immediately. This will be a very great thing because I will cut down my daily budget when I have my own farm produce an extra source of income to take care of the other needs such as school fee payments especially after the transfers are over.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is currently different in that I have been able to save money in the merry go round which I joined after being a GiveDirectly's beneficiary and from the saving I have bought a dairy calf. Therefore in the unforeseeable future, once their population increases significantly I will have enough supply of milk hence I wouldn't have to be buying milk from other people in the village as I do right now. At the same time, my family's nutritional status would be healthier because they will have enough to take in because milk is very essential in human life.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have always wished to do commercial poultry rearing business hence in the next four months my new goal is to save in the merry go round which I am currently in and with the savings to build a chicken cope for the start.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in that I have been able to save money in the merry go round which I joined after being a GiveDirectly's beneficiary and from the saving I have been able to buy a dairy calf. Therefore, in the unforeseeable future, once their population increases significantly I will have enough supply of milk hence I wouldn't have to be buying milk from other people in the village as I do right now. At the same time, my family's nutritional status would be healthier because they will have enough to take in because milk is very essential in human life.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I have always wished to do commercial poultry rearing business hence I expect in the next six months to shall have started a poultry rearing business and make an extra source of income and from the savings of this business, I will use to buy a water pump purposely for agricultural needs in my farm.
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
attach_money
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Initially, I could borrow loans now and then but currently I no longer borrow loans thanks to GD. I am able to pay school fees and buy food for my family.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I have no new goals apart from the previous plans that I had set to purchase a sheep and wait for them to grow in numbers.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference is that I got relief in terms of buying food for my household members and schools fees that were a problem initially.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to have bought a cow, and a water sprinkler for my vegetables and plants.
4th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
attach_money
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 able to do other things and not only concentrate on paying school fees which takes almost all my income.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months,I expect my life to shall have changed for the better with me getting more harvest from my farm. My family will have enough to eat.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Were it not for GiveDirectly,I would still be channeling all my income to school fees payment. As per now I am able to do other things with the amount I get from GiveDirectly at the same time I pay school fees.
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I do not have a new goal at the moment but I want to continue with the one of seeing my children through school.
Enrolled
access_time over 6 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced is inability to get enough money to cement my house,buy fertilizer and seedlings.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening and is because after toiling the whole day I feel relaxed and satisfied for the work of the day.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer on cementing my house. Additionally I want to improve my farming by planting trees and buy fertilizer.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement I am proudest of is taking care of my family. I ensure they have food and enough school fees for my daughter who is in secondary day school.