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.
Sign Up
to follow someone and stay updated on their journey with GiveDirectly.
Want to hear more updates from recipients? Click below to follow 10!
access_time
8 days ago
Mark
enrolled.
"Since I live in a makeshift house, I plan to complete my 2-roomed house. It's my priority. I will spend $200. This means when my daughters visit they'll have a good place to call home.
Goats have supported me for long. I need to upgrade the breed I have now. To do this I will buy an additional 15 goats, to the 20 I have. It will cost me $700. When they grow, I can sell them and support my children's education an other needs such as food and clothes. It also means I won't have to worry too much on where to get money.
The remaining transfer will be used for daily support. That's to buy food, buy medicine for my goats when they're sick and other emergencies. The transfer will help me buy food for at least 3 months."
View Mark's
profile
access_time
16 days ago
Dama
enrolled.
"What a great relief to me to have received GiveDirectly to my home! Over the last 7 years, I have been seeking refuge from my son's house because he mostly stays away from home. This has been a period of shifting to my kitchen when they visit us with his wife. Culturally, this is not allowed and I have always felt breaking our "Giriama" norms. Since I have desired to have a separate house, I am now a happy person to be part of the potential beneficiaries. The money will help me to construct a 1-roomed iron-roofed house for myself, which will restore the dignity that I have lost for a long time. This project will cost me utmost $600. The remaining amount will help me to buy food and medicine. Thus, this is generally what receiving this money means to me."
View Dama's
profile
access_time
1 month ago
Sidi
received a $421 second payment.
"I was really ill by the time I received the second transfer. I am happy that the transfer allowed me to seek medical attention. Because I couldn't afford medicine, I was merely lying in bed at home when it helped me. Although I am unable to accurately estimate the cost of the treatment, I can be proud that GiveDirectly's transfer allowed me to recover. After that, I spent $35 on a goat and used the rest of the money for food."
View Sidi's
profile
access_time
1 month ago
Francis
received a sixth payment.
"Immediately after I received my transfer, I prioritized buying maize flour. I, therefore, spent $10 on food because my family had run out of food. As a result, we feel slightly relieved from the severe famine that is currently sweeping our region. I am glad the food will last my family for some days. In addition, I have saved $15 for my land preparation in anticipation of the next planting season. Previously, we never had sufficient rain translating to the current hardship we face. Lastly, I have planned to use the remaining cash for my medication since I suffer from a chronic condition. With the past three months' transfers, I could easily acquire food and buy medicine. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for the financial support."
View Francis's
profile
access_time
1 month ago
Tabu
received a $28 sixth payment.
"As a mother of five children, I rely heavily on small business that sell cooked food to support my family. My husband also runs a herbal medicine business. However, our daily wages are never enough to meet my family's insatiable educational and nutritional needs. We did not have food when I got my recent transfer. As a result, I spent $15 on food. The remainder went into school fees for my five school-going children. The transfers I received in October, November, and December enabled me to purchase two goats for $80. I chose these because goats are valuable and will benefit my family in the future."
View Tabu's
profile
access_time
2 months ago
William
received a $439 initial payment.
"I invested a larger part of the transfers in boosting my livestock rearing. This is because I had desired to improve it to be more stable to support our needs without much struggle. I spent $ 325 to purchase one cow, three goats, 2 turkeys, and 8 chickens. This is a long-term investment for the family that will help us whenever face a financial crisis in the future. Similarly, I bought various veterinary medicine for the livestock for treatment when they get diseases. In addition, I intend to use the remaining amount to acquire food and clothing for my wife and children."
View William's
profile
access_time
2 months ago
Brian
received a $439 initial payment.
"Before withdrawing the money, my wife and I sat to deliberate on how we could use the transfer on. We subdivided the amount into three dockets that are; for the renovation of our house, boosting our business, and for agriculture. For the renovation, we used $180 to put a plywood ceiling into our house as well and did some painting. We are happy as a family that we now stay in a nice-looking house. Thereafter we spent $200 to buy more stock for our chemist business. We opted to do this because we were unable to meet most of our customers' demands since most medicines are expensive. Therefore using the stated amount, we were able to stock most of the drugs which have a higher demand. As of now, the business is doing well and our clients are certified. For the agricultural docket, we used $100 to construct a mini fishpond of 4 square meters. The aim of this was to grow some fish for family consumption. We bought 200 fingerlings which are now growing. For the remaining amount, we bought some food for the family."
View Brian's
profile
access_time
2 months ago
Rajab
received a sixth payment.
"I would like to continue with my chicken business. I want to grow my chicken rearing into a business as its a venture that does not require so much technical expertise. As my chicken grow I hope to get them to a point that they lay eggs that I can sell while hatch others to add to my current numbers. I also hope to use Givedirectly transfers to feed this chicken to allow them grow and also buy medicine whenever necessary or even vaccinate whenever necessary. My hope is that when my numbers grow to above 200 I can now venture into other businesses from the proceedings of this chicken rearing buisness."
View Rajab's
profile
access_time
2 months ago
Ngumbao
received a sixth payment.
"To meet the educational and nutritional needs of my family, I always have to sell herbal medicine. I do have any alternative business to engage in for financial benefits. The proceeds of this business are always insufficient to cater to all our needs. However, with the monthly transfers, our situation is always salvaged. Therefore whenever I receive the transfers, I prioritize the two mentioned needs. For the past three transfers preceding the recent one, I spent $20 monthly to offset fee arrears for my daughter in High School. The remaining $15 helped me to obtain food for the family. However, with the last transfer, I used it on fee payment since schools were opening at the same time."
View Ngumbao's
profile
access_time
2 months ago
Beatrice
received a $440 second payment.
"The largest purchase made with GiveDirectly funds was a one-acre plot of land. I had wished for years to own my own property, and the funds allowed me to do so. Even providing food for our two children and ourselves can be difficult with my husband, who is a local medicine man. As a result, a portion of the funds were also used to stock up on food. My husband and I both work from home, with me sewing men's and women's clothing. My products are reasonably priced; for example, a pair of men's pants costs $3.5 and a dress costs between $2.5 and $4.5, so the prices are reasonable. A portion of the GiveDirectly transfers also went towards the payment of our children's school fees at Katoseni Primary. We pay $10 in fees for our eldest, who is in Grade four , and $10 for our youngest, who is in PP2. The funds arrived at a time when even the maize we normally grow had failed, making everything more expensive everywhere, and it was a great relief to have a financial cushion, thanks to GiveDirectly."
View Beatrice's
profile