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 > Charles's Profile
Charles's family
Charles
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
46
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
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Follow to be updated on Charles's next check-in.
 
22nd Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I plan to direct all my transfers towards paying school fees for my children. I would wish to give them the best education ever something that my parents never gave me. Besides that, I will also set aside some amount to help in the plastering of the floor and walls of my house.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Previously, I have been living in a one-room house that served as a kitchen, living, and bedroom to my family. Today, I have a different story to tell because I have successfully built a kitchen that I have ever dreamt of. This has been enhanced by buying building materials which included iron sheets, nails, timber and paid laborers to build it using the transfers that were sent. Thanks to GiveDirectly because the kitchen serves as a bedroom for my children at night and a cooking place as well.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect that in the next six months, I will have built a kitchen that will double up as my children's room. This will solve the problem that we currently are in where they have to sleep in the living room. They find it uncomfortable and they have consistently complained of lack of privacy as well.
 
17th 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?
I have a new goal which is to get a new house for my eldest son who is currently around twenty-two years. This new house will also act as a shelter for the other siblings. To make this dream become a reality, I will have to make sure that I get enough construction materials in place before finally getting down to the construction process.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Building the new kitchen structure for my wife will be a big step towards becoming a free man. I currently have a very small house that I have to share with my kids, and it generally makes me quite uncomfortable. I have, however, made purchases of the building materials which will see the process become a reality.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My life will change for the better because by then I will have managed to take care of the expenses such as building a new house for my eldest son. This particular house will also house the other siblings who currently have to spend in my house, which at times is quite embarrassing considering that some of them are already beyond eighteen years of age.
 
14th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
The biggest difference in my life is the fact that I paid the long-overdue dowry. For twenty years, I have been planning how to pay my spouse dowry to my In-laws but in vain. I was able to finally do this using the transfers from Give Directly. In addition to that, I am happy that I can provide my family with a whole day's meals unlike before when we could only afford a meal a day. We are a happy family!
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
A few months ago, my kitchen burnt down including everything in it and I haven't been able to put up another one. My plan, therefore, is to save the monthly transfers and use it to construct a new kitchen.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
We have been married for the last twenty years, and over this whole period, I have never paid the dowry to my in-laws. This resulted in quarrels with my wife blaming me for not finishing the process as expected which resulted in bad blood between us. I have always wished to pay this dowry in order to make this arrangement official but for lack of money, that just remained as a wish. I am glad that as we talk now, I was able to raise some money; with the aid of the transfers from Give Directly, and paid the dowry. We are now one happy family and this has been the biggest difference in my daily life.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
After my kitchen was razed down by the fire, which also acted as a separate sleeping house for my children, I was now forced to sleep with my children in one room. This has deprived me of my privacy and comfort too. I am hopeful that in the next six months, I would have completed building a separate house that will be used as a kitchen and a bedroom for my children.
 
10th 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 family can now afford food for the whole month. I used to struggle so much to provide for the family. I do casual work that only earned me a meagre income that would pay school fees for my children in small bits. Sometimes, my daughter used to stay at home due to lack of money to clear the school fees. My daughter can now stay in school as I pay the fees every month from the transfers.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I still want to concentrate on paying school fees for my child. So far, I do not have any new goals.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I have used these transfer to pay school fees for my daughter. People from my village used to laugh at me that I will not be able to take my daughter to school. I started paying school fees for her when I started receiving the transfers. My child can now concentrate on her studies and pass her exams. Thank you GiveDirectly for making my daughters dream come.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I had a kitchen which burnt down and I had to sleep with my children in the same house. I plan to buy building materials to build a new kitchen so that my children can get a place to sleep in and my wife a proper place to cook and store food. I also plan to buy cement to plaster my house which I built and I had not finished plastering. In the next six months, I will be having a beautiful house and kitchen where my family can live comfortably.
 
8th 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 from how it was four months ago because I ate well, my children also get satisfied and don't complain of hunger which was previously the norm. I have also managed to pay school fees on time. Thanks to GiveDirectly my children will not be sent home due to fee arrears.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to build a kitchen which will also be used as a sleeping room for my kids because currently, we sleep with them in the main house but I feel they have become of age. We just need to sleep separately.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Getting casual jobs was difficult in our village and I had to try my best so as to take care of our needs including paying school fees for my children. When I started getting the monthly payment, I felt at ease and this is so far the biggest difference in my daily life so far since, I am able to pay school fees for my children easily. Previously, I could be in loggerheads with the teachers because I was not able to pay school fees in time. My children could be sent home due to fee arrears which were stressful and this made me quarrel with my wife as we blame ourselves for giving birth to a lot of kids whom we could not take care of.
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 paid dowry hence reduce the burden since all in all I have finish this plan at one point.
 
3rd Payment
Transfer Amount
4560 KES ($45 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving the money from GiveDirectly is that for the first time I paid my child's school fee without a struggle.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months I expect to have constructed an iron roof kitchen to replece the one thta burnt down.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently differently from the way it would have been had I not received money from GiveDirectly in that I'm now comfortable and I do have a lot of worries on how to meet my family needs.
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I have a new goal of constructing a kitchen because my kitchen burnt down. I had this in mind but I couldn't afford it, so I didn't prioritize but now that I'm receiving money monthly I believe I can achieve it.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I am facing in life is lack of reliable income to provide for my family. Farming is not very promising as the weather conditions have eventually changed to the worst. I rarely harvest enough to feed my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the morning when I prepare to go to the farm. Good care for crops usually gives better harvest when weather condition is favourable.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend the transfer on paying school fees for my daughter. Girl child education is one of my greatest dreams in life. Her education will bring light in my family and society at large.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement I am most proud of is building my own house. It is spacious and does not leak. I feel very happy for this as I no longer beg for spaces to sleep in other people's houses.