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 > Joan's Profile
Joan's family
Joan
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labour
faceAge:
38
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
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Follow to be updated on Joan's next check-in.
 
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?
With our son still in school, I cannot afford to have any additional plans because most of the money I receive is used to pay his school fees leaving me with little amount that can only be spent on foodstuff.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Receiving these transfers have made it possible for me to save diligently in a local table banking group that I joined after I started receiving the transfers hence easily pay my son's school fees with the money I receive when it is my turn. Working as a hairdresser does not earn me much while my husband also earns very little from his main job as an electrician which is why we had such a hard time paying our son's school fees before. After I joined the table banking group,it has become much easier to pay the fees whenever I receive the money in bulk and it gives us much pleasure having our son fully stay in school without being sent home due to delayed fee payments.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My mother-in-law who recently passed away had been sick for a very long time. I had to stay home to nurse and take care of her therefore could not work regularly. This left my husband with all the burden of our household financial obligations including paying for his mother's medical bills. With the little he earns, it has always been so hard for him to keep up therefore was very stressed. I expect to go back to work so that I can support my husband financially and even in talking care the household needs.
 
18th 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?
For the past four months, not only have my children been able to attend all the lessons because I was able to pay for their school fee on time, but I have also been able to provide most of my family's needs with a lot of ease through GiveDirectly's transfers. I feel so proud as a parent having met these needs on time.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
Currently, I do not have a reliable source of income. But since I have skills in hairdressing, I am planning to start saving some portion of the next four month's transfer that I'll be receiving from GiveDirectly purposely to start and run a salon.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Both my spouse and I do not have a reliable source of income. Instead, we rely on casual work and whatever we earn out of it can only meet the basic necessities like food. It has therefore been a challenge to raise school fee for our children for a long time now. I'm glad that this is not the case anymore because, through the transfers from GiveDirectly, we have been able to pay the school fees on time. This has given me peace because I'm not worried anymore about how to raise my children's school fees.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
My expectation in the next six months is to open and run a salon business. I am currently saving some part of the monthly transfer and once I have enough, I will start operating the salon business. The proceeds from this business will help us look after our family well by providing all the basic necessities as required.
 
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?
Due to the huge fee balance my two children owed the school four months ago, they would mostly be sent away from school which broke our hearts as parents because we felt like we had failed. We were constantly stressed especially when they had to stay at home while their peers were in school. Now, my kids are no longer sent home because we have managed to pay most of the fees they owed using our monthly transfers and we are happy they can fully stay in school.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
One of our children in secondary school is in his final year and is expected to clear the fees for the entire year so that he can be allowed to take his final exams later this year. He still has a very huge balance and our focus as a family is to clear the balance as soon as possible so that he can settle in school without the interruptions of being sent home for fee balance. I plan to use my next four transfers to pay his fees so that we can clear the balance in good time.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
We have two children in secondary school and we are really struggling to pay for their school because we are low-income earners. This has made their fee balances accumulate over the past one year and most of the time they would be sent home from school. Since the beginning of this year, they have never been sent away from school because we have always channelled all of our monthly transfers towards their school fee payment and the balance has been greatly reduced.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect that in the next six months, we will have cleared all the school balance that both our children owe their respective schools so that we can start saving for other projects. We are planning to move out of my in-law's compound into our own home early next year and we would wish to start buying the necessary house construction materials as early as we can which I hope will commence in the next six months.
 
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 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 in that, I am able to take care of my needs easily like purchasing household items e.g sugar and cooking oil which was impossible previously. we could miss meals most of the time because of the low income that we depend on but right now more of the meals are catterd for.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal in the next four months is to establish my home and pay school fees for my son who had depended on fundraising.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
Handling the pressure of paying school fees was the worst nightmare in the last four months. I could do casual jobs or seek assistance from my aunt who could insult me before chipping in. This could hurt me. I had no choice but to bend low just for my daughter to get money for school fees. The fact that nowadays I get transfers from Givedirectly had brought a big difference in my daily life in that, I have managed to pay her school fees easily without going through the hustles. I feel happy because she is not sent home too frequently unlike before.
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 established my home hence have a peace of mind in my own place because currently, we have small and many issues with my inlaws which will definatle change if I move out.
 
5th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Four months ago,I struggled to get our daily meals because my husband's job is very irregular and my job as a hairdresser is not earning me much.But now,with part of the money,we can buy basic foodstuff in bulk and also use the rest to pay our children's school fees,which was also such a headache before.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am currently overwhelmed by a lot school school fees because I have two children in high school,my main goal it to clear this year's fees in the next few months.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
My daily life has become a lot easier as we are able to afford meals an pay fees on time without much of a hustle.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
After clearing my children's school fees for this year school,I would like to start a business that would help me earn some extra income to support my family.
 
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?
Yes,I have a new goal. I know I will be able to pay school fees for my children in high school. We will not have to call for fundraising to keep them in school like we have been doing.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Were it not for the money I received from GiveDireclty,my children would have never gotten a place where they can sleep. We no longer have to squeeze ourselves in the one house.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six moths,I expect my life to change with my children in school and all fees paid and maybe buy some furniture for my house.
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 have a cemented kitchen. At least my children have a place to sleep.
 
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have currently is lack money to pay for my children school fees, one is currently in secondary school and another is yet to join college.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the morning because its yet a new day that I have seen.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer on starting a new business than will generate income for my family.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement I am proudest of is having built a house for my family.