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.
Happy Holidays!
GDLive updates will be slower while GiveDirectly's Africa offices are closed over the holidays.
Pulisikira's family
access_time over 5 years ago
Pulisikira received a $451 second payment.
"My life is different in that, I have been in position to construct an iron roofed house that has relieved me from the burden of renovating my grass thatched hut twice annually. In addition, I have acquired a cow that will help me in the near future. Previously, I didn't have enough money to buy construction materials and a cow."
Changawa's family
access_time over 5 years ago
Changawa received a $535 initial payment.
"The biggest difference in my daily life ever since I started receiving transfers from Give Directly is that I now have enough oxen. Previously I used to have one who that could 't plough on its own. I can now plough my farm because I recently bought another one. This has saved me from the expenses of hiring labor. I was forced to cultivate the land on my own especially when I couldn't afford to hire labor. On such occasions, I would end up harvesting almost nothing. I feel relieved because I will not have to hire any time soon. I am also hoping to get a bumper harvest for the next coming seasons since the oxen can plough large areas of land within a short period of time."
Karisa's family
access_time over 5 years ago
Karisa received a $535 initial payment.
"I remember vividly well it was around 10:30 pm when I saw the notification message on my mobile phone. When I checked its content, I realized it was an Mpesa message from GiveDirectly informing that I have received my first transfer. I was so glad because I did not believe it would happen at the time when enrollment was still on. I also thought the organization was a scam since most NGOs have come and gone without fulfilling their promises. I don't have enough words to express my feeling then, I just want to thank them for coming up with such an idea"
Stephen's family
access_time over 5 years ago
Stephen received a $535 initial payment.
"At around 10 pm, I received a message on my phone. On checking, I confirmed that the message was from GiveDirectly informing me that I had finally received my first transfer from them. I felt happy for the money because I knew that it would, later on, change my life completely."
Jumwa's family
access_time over 5 years ago
Jumwa enrolled.
"Separating with my husband when with three kinds twenty years ago has endorsed a big challenge in my life. Being a solely breadwinner for the family has forced me to engage in charcoal burning, a venture that is labour intensive and low paying. This situation affected my children's education negatively since they had to drop out of school due to lack of fee, something that made them to have early marriages. Currently, I live with my grandchild but still my life looks miserable due to financial instability. Therefore, I consider lack of reliable source of income as my biggest hardship."
Silvester's family
access_time over 5 years ago
Silvester received a $22 sixteenth payment.
"Currently, I do not have a piece of land where I can practice farming instead I'm relying on my parent's farm. Therefore, in the next six months, I have a plan of saving some money so that I can use it to purchase a piece of land. This will make me more independent thus I won't rely on my parents anymore."
Juliana's family
access_time over 5 years ago
Juliana received a $517 second payment.
"It is everyone's prayer in our village and the next villages that they are part of this GiveDirectly program. On getting enrolled and receiving the transfers, I was really very happy that most of the challenges which I was having in life if not all will be over. If I had never received the transfers, I am sure that I would be really devastated with lots of problems. I would not be having enough foods, new clothes and also a new house. I am really thankful that my household is part of the program and we have done a lot with the money."
Rose's family
access_time over 5 years ago
Rose received a $451 second payment.
"My life has become better because I paid my children's school fees and used some money to facilitate agricultural activities. We have hope of getting harvests that we shall sell to get money for constructing an iron roofed house. Before, I depended on loans and it was not easy to pay back since there was no clear source of money."
Sarah's family
access_time over 5 years ago
Sarah received a $517 second payment.
"Looking at the great work that GiveDirectly has done to us, I can't imagine how life would have been if we would not have received the transfer. The new house which I have constructed, the medication which I sought using giveDirectly money and the school fees which I cleared for my son would not have happened. It is indeed clear that my son would have dropped from school and my health condition would have deteriorated the most since I would not have gotten the required medical attention. Thank you GiveDirectly for considering to work in our village."
Lornah's family
access_time over 5 years ago
Lornah received a $22 sixteenth payment.
"My expectation in the next six months is to have bought a heifer for rearing. This, I pray, will later reproduce and be a source of income from the sale of milk. The proceeds will help me to meet my family's basic needs and improve my financial strength."