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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 > Sharon's Profile
Sharon's family
Sharon
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
25
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Sharon's next check-in.
 
20th 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?
Comparing four months ago to now, I can confidently say that poverty is abit at a lower bar. Currently, as a family, we are able to fend to ourselves without much struggles. Every time we receive transfers from DiveDirectly, the rule is to do some household shopping and invest something in the farm since this is now our source of livelihood.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The seedbed that I have set will be ripe for actual planting of these vegetables in the next month. My hope is to buy fertilizer within the next four months to boost these crops.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Biggest difference is that I have expanded my subsistence farming by engaging in more crops, vegetables now included. I recently set up a seedbed for growing cabbages. This, I have done on a large scale basis and therefore much of the work is dedicated to this activity. I have hopes that in the next three months, I will have more harvest which means there will be enough for family consumption. This will also help me boost my business which will translate to more income for my family use.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I will have harvested my vegetables since these are short period crops. Harvesting will also mean that I will pump some to the business which is currently doing good. In six months time, I will have also planted some other vegetables and this will be a continuous process that will support me and my family even when the transfes have come to an end. All these translate to a good life and an easy settlement of bills.
 
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?
Four months ago, I was not able to take my children to a good school. We have always strived to ensure that our children are attending academies since these are schools which we consider there is a good education. Currently, I have managed to put all the four of them in the academy and now they are happy studying just like our neighbors'.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Since I deal on the sale of tomatoes and cabbages, my next goal is to ensure that by the time four month's are elapsing, I will have grown a large plantation of cabbages. This will be a great boost for my business since I will be harvesting and availing them for sale. Unlike when I was buying and selling and this will have improved my income.
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 seeing my improved business. By the time the transfers came, I was running a small business whose output would not be enough for my entire family. When I started receiving the transfers, I have always strived to increase the stock. I can now smile of huge returns since my business is currently doing well and I always take home what is enough for me and my family.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the six months, one of my children will be in her final grade in primary school, sitting for her final year exams. I am sure that since I have a flow of cash she will study without being interrupted in this important and final year of primary studies. I expect that by the time she will be sitting for exams I will have cleared all her fee arrears and the will not be disturbed by being sent back home for school fees.
 
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 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 is currently different from how it was four months ago in that I make a good profit from my business unlike before where it was so hard due to low capital. I pay school fees on time and my children are no longer being sent home to collect the school fees like before and this has improved their performance in school.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new additional goal for the next four months is to start horticulture farming. This project will earn me a good income after every four months of harvest and I will be in a position to attend to all my family needs and even sell the surplus to get an income to pay school fees.
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 expanded my business of buying and selling potatoes at the market near home. This earns me the daily income to meet other additional needs for my family and even pay school fees for my children. Before, I could get a small profit which could not enable me to meet the above needs. My children could sometimes be sent home to collect school fees because I was not able to pay school fees on time, and this was affecting their performance in school. After I had expanded my business using the transfer from Givedirectly, I pay school fees on time and my children have enough time for their studies at school. I am so grateful for the support from GiveDirectly because it has really improved our standard of living.
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 be generating income from two sources. My business will be earning me some profits and also the sales of my farm produce and this will make me to meet the basic needs of my children and even pay the school fee on time.
 
6th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
I am fully assured of getting food for my family unlike before when i could stress myself over the business.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am going to pay school fees for my children who are in school.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
I am happy that this transfer boosted my family financially since my business was not reliable.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I am planning to practice serious farming of planting potatoes for sale to get money.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time almost 7 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My new goal is to improve my maize farm.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I am now planning to start a business and GD transfer will boost my plan.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, my maize farm will have improved and will reap more from the harvest.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I spend the transfer to improve farming and now i can see the difference.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
On January 2017 my family and I experienced a shortage of food due to famine that was rife at that particular time. I worked extremely hard to make sure my children could not go to bed hungry while sometimes sacrificing my food for them. This is the biggest hardship I have faced in my life.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My children are playful and they at often times bully each other. It is tiresome having to discipline and scold them repeatedly. Therefore my happiest part of my day is during the day before they arrive home from school and I am by my own.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my monthly transfer to pay for my three children's school fees, books and use the remaining amount on domestic needs.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
Two years ago I started growing potatoes commercial farming and selling them at a nearby market. The profits I accumulated enabled me to transfer one of my four children to boarding school for quality education. To me this is an achievement I am proudest of.