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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8 months ago
Kenga
received a $27 thirtieth payment.
"I did not have any money to prepare my land for agriculture, especially during the rainy season. So, I used $24 to pay for an ox plow to prepare my land for planting. Additionally, as schools were closing, the school insisted that no child should leave with a tuition balance. Therefore, I used $26 to pay fees for my three children. I also bought two chickens with $4 to rear. I usually buy and rear poultry so that when I'm stuck, I can sell them to generate funds. Furthermore, the recent rains damaged my house, and the mud walls started to cave in. So, I used $34 to repair the walls to prevent collapse and future damage. The remaining $14 went towards buying food for my family to ensure that we had enough to eat. Mostly, I rely on subsistence farming when it rains to ensure my family has food. I also raise chickens that I sell during market days to make a living. The transfer funds help me a lot for which I am eternally grateful."
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8 months ago
Elias
received a $27 twenty-second payment.
"I support myself by selling vegetables and fruits, but business has been challenging lately. Before the program began, life was tough, we faced a lot of challenges including scarcity of food, water, and financial resources. However, I'm grateful that our situation has improved. Starting the vegetable business has provided me with daily income. From the transfers received, I used $55 to pay school fees for my younger brother, who had been sent home due to a pending debt. Additionally, I spent $28 on purchasing food, clothes, and shoes for myself, as I needed them. Another $14 was used in adding more stock to my vegetable business, significantly boosting its performance. Lastly, I purchased a chicken worth $5, which I plan to rear and sell later on . Overall, my life has become much easier, and I'm glad to be part of this positive change."
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8 months ago
Ndoko
received a $27 twenty-second payment.
"I used to earn a living by digging out tree stumps to support my family of nine, but I had to stop due to chest problems. This job was crucial for providing food, school fees, and medical expenses, but it became increasingly difficult. Although my husband works as a livestock trader, his earnings are barely enough to sustain our family. The assistance provided by this project has been life-changing. The transfers have enabled me to educate my seven children and ensure we have enough food on the table. From the transfers received, I allocated $35 to pay school fees for my children as they had an outstanding debt that needed to be settled. Another $13 went to buying food for my family as we had run out. Additionally, I invested in two chickens worth $8, and spent $46 on a sheep and a goat, considering them valuable assets in case of emergencies. Despite the hardships I've faced, I am grateful that this project has positively impacted and changed my life for the better."
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8 months ago
Emily
received a $347 second payment.
"I've started a small poultry farm with about 40 chickens, and it's already proving profitable. I sell eggs and chickens, which helps cover emergencies. Each egg sells for about $2 and on a good day, I can collect up to 20 eggs. The prices for chickens vary; I sell a male for between $6 and $8 and a female for between $4 and $6. This success has inspired me to expand my venture. My goal is to grow the farm and raise more chickens on a larger scale. This will increase our income and provide a more sustainable way to support our children's education and meet our daily needs. It's a promising investment."
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8 months ago
Jacob
received a $27 fourteenth payment.
"As a form one student, my goal is to ensure continued support for my education. To achieve this, I established a chicken-rearing project last year through the transfers. I am pleased that the proceeds from this endeavor have assisted me in covering needs such as school fees when I was initially joining secondary school. Currently, I have at least 50 chickens, and my aim is to expand this flock. I believe that during financial emergencies, both at home and at school, I can sell some of them to raise money. With the transfers scheduled to end before I finish form four in the next four years, chicken rearing will ensure that my school fees are covered even beyond the transfers."
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8 months ago
Kamone
received a $27 twenty-second payment.
"I used to dig out tree stumps to support my family of nine, but the labor was too intense and exhausting, and I had to stop. Providing for my family was a challenge, especially since my husband's income as a casual laborer was insufficient to meet our needs. We often faced scarcity of food and struggled to afford school fees for our seven children. However, I am immensely grateful for the assistance provided by this project. It has allowed me to purchase chickens, buy food and clothing, and ensure that my children attend school regularly. With the transfers received, I prioritized our basic needs. I allocated $20 towards purchasing a mattress, addressing our need for proper sleeping arrangements. Additionally, $18 was spent on purchasing food and shoes for my children, who had none. I then invested $12 in purchasing two chickens to add to our existing brood, to be sold later on at a profit. Furthermore, I used $16 to settle my children's school fees, clearing a debt they had accrued. Finally, I dedicated $34 to buying clothes for myself. I am deeply thankful for all the assistance provided, which has significantly improved our family's well-being."
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8 months ago
Kahindi
received a $27 twenty-second payment.
"GiveDirectly has enabled me to increase my flock from 11 to 20 goats which has been mainly through cash transfers. The cash I received from GiveDirectly in the last quarter, I used $64 to buy more livestock which included a kid,2chicken and a sheep with hopes that when they multiply they will be a reliable investment that I can depend on and also help me meet my emergency needs. Am a farmer rearing livestock for a living and now that GiveDifrectly is here it has become my source of monthly income In addition to buying livestock, $8 of the transfer went to paying school fees for my child who is a nursery school and the rest of the transfers was also used to buy food for my family and also meet their small needs."
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8 months ago
Emaline
received a $27 twenty-second payment.
"Am a housewife who majorly depends on my husband being a casual worker burning charcoal to make ends meet. On receiving the transfers I used $20 to clear the school fees balances that we owed the school where my daughter schools after she was sent back home. I had been saving in our monthly go-round, a Few months ago I took a loan to take my child to the hospital on which I used $20 of the transfers to clear the debt at the merry-go-round so that in the future I may be allowed to take a loan with ease. I also used $30 of the transfers to buy a goat and 3 chickens hoping that they would later multiply and expand my pool of income. The rest of the amount was used to buy household utensils since I did not have enough."
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8 months ago
Kazungu
received a $27 twenty-second payment.
"Being a mechanical student with no source of income GiveDirectly has been a great help towards achieving my goal of securing a 2-roomed house knowing that I have reached that age that I no longer have the joy of sharing the same house with my parent, therefore I used the $36 of quarterly transfer to buy 6 iron sheet for the house that am planing to build that needs 22 iron sheets in total with hopes that through givedirectly I will be able to achieve it by June. Not leaving behind the urge to be financially secure and have future investments, I used $40 of the transfers to buy a kid and 5 chickens with hopes that when they multiply it will be a sort of investment and even I can sometimes sell them and meet my emergencies."
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8 months ago
Jumwa
received a $27 eighteenth payment.
"My main objective for the coming year and beyond is to continue saving a portion of my monthly transfers so that I can purchase more livestock, particularly goats and chickens. Despite my advanced age, I find these animals easy to care for and maintain, and they serve as a reliable source of income when I am facing financial difficulties. At present, I own three goats and several chickens, and my goal is to breed them and increase their numbers. I can easily sell them to meet my financial needs since I do not have a steady source of income to rely on."
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