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 > William's Profile
William's family
William
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Motorcycle or bicycle taxi
faceAge:
19
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on William's next check-in.
 
26th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 4 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal for the next four months, If corona pandemic continues, I will spend the money on constructing a house of my own. Currently, I sleep on my grandmother's house but I wish to have my own.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my life is in rent payment for my room at the college. I am so happy that my parents are at peace while they are looking for money for fees and upkeep knowing that I cannot be thrown out of my room since I always get money for rent. This has given us peace. I am so happy that my parents have gotten a lesser burden than if I did not have the money form GiveDirectly.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect to have completed building my own house at my father's compound in the next six months. This will be very nice since I don't like sharing a room with my cousins who are way younger than me. I will spend the monthly transfers to buy building materials bit by bit until I have enough. According to my plan, I will have a new house that wholly belongs to me.
 
21st Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Since my main focus right now is to ensure that I have a peaceful stay at the college, most of the time I will just be using the money to pay my school fees dues as well as taking care of my rental budgets every single month.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference for me is that I have been able to take care of my school fee needs from time to time ever since I first started receiving the cash transfers. At least I am sure that I cannot miss classes due to lack of school fees payments. The biggest motivation I got to join my current college institution was the first transfers I got and the assurance that the money was going to be trickling in for twelve consecutive years.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
Going into the future, life may not change so much based on how I will be using my monthly transfers. Like I have mentioned, my primary target is to ensure that I sort out my school fees needs as well as paying my rent at the end of every month. Then finally I just ensure that I get a balanced diet every single day so that I live a healthy lifestyle.
 
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Since I started receiving the monthly transfer from GiveDirect, life has been less challenging in the university as it was before. This is because I am now able to meet most of my needs without relying on my parents even for the pocket money. This makes me feel more responsible and independent because I feel I am able to help my parents from the small expenditures.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Currently, I do not have a study table and I'm forced to use a chair or my bed and this is quite a challenge. My plan in the next four months, therefore, is to save some money with the aim of buying a study table.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I am a student in one of the local universities and I majorly depend on my parents for both fee payment and pocket money. But since my parents do not have a stable source of income, getting enough money for the fees is quite a task, leave alone the pocket money. It has always been a challenge raising some money for my upkeep but ever since I started receiving these transfers, at least I am able to take care of my basic needs without necessarily burdening my parents more.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
Being a student in the second year, my goals are directed towards performing well in class work and making life bearable in the university. Therefore, my expectation is to be able to meet my daily basic needs without an additional strain to my parents.
 
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Early this year, I was able to join college because my parents and I thought that the transfers we receive from GD would help a lot in paying my fees considering that we will be receiving them for many years. I had no hopes of ever joining college because my parents would not be able to raise the fees on their own if it were not for GD.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Besides paying my rent on time, the only additional goal I have at the moment is to make as much savings as possible so that I can start a business for extra income and avoid solely depending on my parents for financial support as I do now. I have not thought of the kind of business I want to venture into because I do not know how much I will be able to save yet.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
These transfers have made my daily life much easier than before in that they have helped pay my rent on time which has brought a lot of peace between my landlady and I. I recently joined college, therefore, had to rent a house which I am required to pay for before a certain date of the month. Depending on money from my parents to pay the rent did not work out so well as the money is not always sent on time. This angered my landlady who never likes it when one delays with her rent. To avoid all the commotion, I decided to be using my transfers to pay the rent and later save the money sent to me by parents which never comes at a specific time of the month.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I have a plan of making some savings from the money that I receive from my parents as pocket money. I hope that this will not just be a plan in the next six months but a reality so that I can settle on a business to run on the side in order to ease my parents' burden of providing for my needs while am in school. I want to be able to take care of my personal needs while my parents concentrate on paying my fees.
 
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 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 pay my rent without delay. This has given me a good reputation with my landlord. Previous my parents would delay sending me money and this meant paying my rent late. At times the landlord threatened to lock me out of the house and this gave me stress thinking of where I would go if that happened.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Currently, I have no goals of my own. I desire to complete my studies so all my incomes are gearede towards that.
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 able to buy a goat which has given birth to a kid. This acts as a form of investment. When I am at school I am settled knowing that my investment secured. I have also been able to pay my rent from the money I have been receiving from GD. This had given my parents a break.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I will be living a better life where my house rent will be the least of my concerns. My parents will no longer have to struggle to send me money for rent. They can divert the resources to my siblings back at home.
 
8th 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?
I am able to support my family financially despite that fact that I am a student,all thanks to GD.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to use the next few transfers to pay my rent so that I can focus on saving the next few ones for other uses.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The transfers that I have been receiving have helped me to purchase personal items such as clothing. I now dress better than I did before.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I hope to save some of these transfers so that I can buy a goat as a way of investing part of the money.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 6 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My new goals are; building my house (simba) since I currently stay at my grandmothers place which is uncomfortable and the next one is joining college.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently different from how it would have been if I never received the transfer in that, I managed to reduced the fee balance which had piled while in high school ; it could not have been the case right now.
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 will have built my house ( simba) hence having all the freedon since currently, I stay at my grandmother's place which is uncomfortable especially whenever she has a lot of visitors.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest in my daily since I started receiving the payments is that I feel good because I managed to reduce the fees that had piled in school. I am now working hard towards clearing the remaining amont so as to pick my certificate which is majorly an evidence of completing high school.
 
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I am facing is getting funds to go to college so that I may further my education. My parents cannot afford to pay for my fees at college hence I am forced to do manual labour in the village
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when I am relaxing with my family members making stories and laughing about them
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfers on buying iron sheets so as to start building my house since I sleep at my grandparents house. After around four months I will start saving my transfers so that I may further my education. I just cleared form four and would wish to join college
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement I am most proud of is my parents. They struggle despite the small income they have to take me through school .