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 > Baraka's Profile
Baraka's family
Baraka
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Student
workCampaign
Kenya Basic Income
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Baraka's next check-in.
 
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($24 USD)
access_time 29 days ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
In the upcoming months, my primary focus is to make substantial investments in acquiring livestock, with a particular emphasis on goats known for their rapid reproduction, thereby facilitating a swift multiplication of my investment. The proceeds from the sale of these goats will significantly contribute to financing my education and meeting other future requirements. I am deeply grateful for the financial assistance provided by Give Directly, as it has played a pivotal role in furthering my education. Without this support, I would have been unable to pursue my studies and would have remained confined at home instead of attending school.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Last year marked the completion of my primary education, culminating in the successful passing of the final national examination with exceptional results. This achievement secured my admission to secondary school, setting the stage for further educational pursuits. In anticipation of transitioning to Form One, I allocated $34 towards acquiring necessary stationery supplies like books, pens, and pencils. The financial assistance facilitated by transfers greatly facilitated my enrollment at Mnazimumwenga Secondary School, facilitating the continuation of my academic journey. Despite encountering setbacks, such as the unfortunate loss of four out of six hens due to an outbreak of Newcastle disease after investing $26 in their purchase, I remain optimistic as two hens survived, offering potential for growth and a return on investment. Additionally, I allocated $38 towards purchasing new clothing for myself and footwear for my two siblings. Grateful for the ongoing financial support, I am pleased to be able to independently address personal needs without relying on external assistance.
 
14th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($24 USD)
access_time 6 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My goal is to finish school and build an emergency fund. I am in class 8 which means I still have 4 more years of secondary school to ensure I have a basic education that can get me into the job market. I cannot rely on my parents wholly to achieve this since they also have the 6 other children who have to finish primary education. I know I can only achieve this by using my transfers for school related activities as well as buying animals which can multiply to allow me get an emergency fund that can kick in when I am no longer receiving transfers. Also issues of health can get you off guard so this animals will also act as an emergency fund for the same.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I can't put into words how I feel about the Givedirectly transfers, but I'll do my best to explain what they mean to me. I'm the oldest of seven kids, and we rely on my dad for money. He does odd jobs, so his income isn't steady. There are days when he doesn't earn anything, and those are the days we might go to bed hungry. That's when things like education become less important.But now, things have changed. Thanks to these transfers, my education is a top priority. I can support myself in school. I can even buy things that will help me continue my education even if the transfers stop. In July, I used $25 of my transfer to make a down payment on a goat. By September, I had paid off the remaining $15, and now I have a goat at home. I got sick around the time I received this money, and I used $15 to get treatment. That's because my two months of transfers were on my phone at the same time. I also bought shoes for my siblings, spending $6 in total. I paid $8 for my school fees and bought some school clothes for $8. I spent $5 on food. In September, I contributed $5 to a fundraiser for a family emergency. I spent $4 to fuel a motorcycle, and I took my mom to some events. I bought a coat for $3 and saved $7, which I haven't used yet.
 
10th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES
access_time 10 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
As I said earlier we live with my older brother, our parents are not in the picture. My father and mother had a misunderstanding and my mother went away from the home while my father left for the city. I have no knowledge of the whereabouts of either of them and this means myself and my brother who are the older ones have to carry the burden of taking care of our siblings. I am also still in school and I would not want to miss out on an education. My plan is to use the transfers to educate myself and my siblings as well as feed and clothe them.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am currently in high school and live away from home as the school is quite a distance from home. I rent out a space where I stay as I attend school as my school is a day school. I spend $7.5 every month to offset the rental bill for the house I live in. I also am required to pay school fees for myself from this transfers and hence in March I spent $6.5 on offsetting the balance. My siblings live with my older brother who is solely responsible for them. I support them buy helping in taking carer of food as in March I bought maize flour worth $11, in April I bought flour for $23 and in May I only spent $1.5 but for my food back at school. I also bought my siblings clothes as most of their clothes are old and worn out, I spent $25 on purchasing the clothes in may, I bought them shoes in April worth $4 and I bought myself uniform in April at $9.
 
5th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($28 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I attend one of the local primary schools and am yet to take my final year of primary school. Our family of seven depends entirely on my father, who builds houses. He hardly ever receives appointments for the building job, which makes our family's income unstable. I invested the last two months' transfers by purchasing two goats for $50. They thrive here, unlike other cattle that cannot endure the regular droughts we experience. They have offspring every year, so I'm planning to sell a few of them to help pay for my secondary school enrollment fees the following year. I am aware that my father may not be able to pay for my schooling because my six siblings also rely on him for all of their needs, including their school expenses and thus, the goats will be of help. We bought groceries for our home with the $18 I had left over. I'll use the transfer from this month to pay the $23 in school fees for this year's first term and give my mother $11 to cover part of our living expenditures. Having been accepted into the program, I am relieved that I no longer have to worry about remaining home while my peers attend class because my parents cannot afford to pay my tuition on time.
 
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($25 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well in enrolling every individual without discrimination based on tribal. Additionally, not involving any political or not being influenced by government officials is what they did well something that has reduced bias during enrollment. I do not think there is anything that it did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a class 7 student at the nearby school. After the divorce of our parents, I was forced to live with my 7 siblings at home alone. Life has been very tough for me, being the elder child, I assumed the responsibility of taking care of my younger siblings. After receiving the transfer, I spent $20.5 to purchase 12 packets of corn flour for our family. This is because we did not have enough food for ourselves. In addition, I used $5 to pay part of the term two fees for myself since I was about to drop out of school because of huge fee arrears. Currently, I am very happy that I no longer miss classes like before when I use to miss classes for more than a week. Lastly, I bought new clothes with the remaining amount.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($10 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Around 8 p.m., I was studying in my house when my phone vibrated with a message notification.  I could not help but smile when I confirmed that Give Directly had sent me the first transfer.  I immediately got up and went to the nearby mobile money outlet to withdraw the money and buy food for my family.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Prior to the transfers, I had been sent out of class at least three times since the beginning of the month to collect outstanding tuition balances. These interruptions caused me to miss a lot of classes. However, I was never pulled out of class after receiving the transfer and paying the unsettled arrears. This has enabled me to steadily make up for the hours I have lost. I am eternally grateful to Give Directly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
As a primary school student, I rely on my parents to meet my basic needs such as food, clothing, and school fees. My mother and father generate little income as palm wine sellers and casual laborers, respectively, which barely covers all of our needs. The transfer allowed me to lessen my reliance on my parents . Since I had a pending fee balance of KES 750 that made the administration constantly send me home to collect, I spent KES 500 to slice it off.  I also spent KES 500 on food because our family had run out the day before. At least, the food has lasted us this long. I used the remaining funds to repair my school shorts, which had large holes all over them due to repeated use.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
The thought of receiving 3000 KES every month for 5 years gives me a great sense of relief because as a student, I have had many challenges in paying my primary school fees. With these transfers, I am so happy to learn that, my dream of a bright future is going to come to reality since GiveDirectly has come to offset my burden. I am now confident about settling in school and having a good learning environment because I will be paying off my fees on time. This will results in a good performance and assure me of a better future hence, this is generally what receiving this money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In January, I was still operating my poultry project where I was able to cater to any need that may transpire. This was my best moment because I could raise the school fees when my parents fail to support me. That feeling of independence gave me a sense of confidence in life and I consider this as what brought me joy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The feeling of missing 1100 KES as my fee arrears is something that has devoured my mind because I don't know how this amount can be raised as soon as possible. This has forced me to stay at home for 1 week now because my parents have not managed to raise this money since the last term. Considering my colleagues at school are proceeding with the syllabus, I am even getting confused about how I will catch up with them. I, therefore, consider financial instability as my biggest challenge.