GDLive | GiveDirectly

Unfiltered, unedited stories

We’re committed to transparency and use our survey technology to collect and share real-time updates and stories in this live newsfeed.

Browse the real, unedited profiles of the recipients we serve, learn about their aspirations, and follow them to stay updated as their lives move forward.

Expand to learn about how we collect stories

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.

Dominic received an initial payment.

"The biggest difference in my daily life is the improvement of agricultural activities that I was able to do. This coming year, I am very hopeful that I will have a huge harvest which will in turn change my living standards by a great extent. The acreage under agriculture have significantly increased and I am so grateful for this."

View Dominic's profile

Wilter received a $444 initial payment.

"When I received the first transfer, I used $380 to purchase pieces of iron sheets that would help me in putting up our house. I then used another $50 to buy a tree that would help us make extra timber for building a house. The remaining amount of $100 was used to buy food, clothes and other needs of my family. I feel very happy that I now have all the building materials and the construction of both houses have since started. GiveDirectly has made this dream a reality something that I am so grateful for. We have not been able to do all these investments before because of the little income that we get from the works that we engage in. My husband works as a pastor and this minimizes the time that he has for his own work making it hard to have extra amount of money to make such investments."

View Wilter's profile

Viola received a $444 initial payment.

"The biggest difference in my daily life is the status that has changed. People now see me differently unlike before and I am so happy for this. My work has been made easier since I can now move freely and reach out to more clients. My salary too is more steady than it was before and I am even planning to take my children to better Schools going forward. With the salary now steady and my husband working as a teacher, I feel I am more ready to pay school fees in a better school."

View Viola's profile

Ruth received a $444 initial payment.

"I felt so happy the moment I received money from GiveDirectly. That day, I was alone at home when I heard my phone ring and upon checking, I confirmed that I had indeed received a sum of $550 from GiveDirectly. I did not share the information with anyone apart from my children who equally felt very happy when I shared the news with them. I later withdrew the money after planning on how to use them appropriately."

View Ruth's profile

Selina received a $444 initial payment.

"The biggest difference in my daily life is that we are happier as a family than we were before receiving the transfers. We not only had an opportunity to celebrate christmas in a good way but also remained with some reasonable amount of money to help us clear school fee balance for our children and to do some shopping for them. I feel so much happy for this and grateful to GiveDirectly."

View Selina's profile

Lydia received a $444 initial payment.

"We spent $400 to clear a piece of land that we had earlier bought on credit terms and used the remaining amount of $150 to fix windows in my house and improve our house by putting up a verandah. We are so much at peace now that we have cleared the debts owed to us and which would have taken a little longer to clear had we not received the transfer from GiveDirectly. I normally do small scale farming to put food on the table for my family while my husband is a musician. Income from these sources is hardly enough to sustain the needs of our family and it is for this reason that we were unable to clear the debts owed to us. We are so grateful for the support we received from GiveDirectly and what it has done for us as a family."

View Lydia's profile

Charo received a $28 tenth payment.

"Last year, the money I received helped me a lot with the tuition costs for five of my children. Additionally, I'm hoping that I can utilize the funds this year to make sure that my kids stay in school and continue their education, which is crucial for their future. I rarely make enough money working part-time jobs to support my family's requirements, especially their nourishment. As a result, I also intend to use the donations to make sure that my family and I will have food. Moreover, getting a few hens and goats will make me happy."

View Charo's profile

Kadhengi received a $28 tenth payment.

"I spent the majority of last year's money from the livestock transfer on purchasing livestock. I'm glad I bought five goats because there are now eight of them and more are on their way to having kids. My son and I want to launch a kiosk business together this year. We will primarily sell maize flour and other food items through the kiosk. This will give us a source of income and enable us to meet the needs of the ballooning family. Later, once the business is established, I would like to put aside enough cash to buy a bed. Since my bed broke into pieces three years ago, I've been sleeping on the bare, dusty floor."

View Kadhengi's profile

Kadzo received a $25 sixth payment.

"The cash transfers are the only source of income my daughter and I have. Considering that we are both of advanced age, our bodies can no longer endure the physical strains of casual tasks like making charcoal to make money. Also, given the prolonged drought which has hindered farming, we are forced to spend every cent we get on food so that we do not starve. Though there is little to save for other wants, I would desire to have bought at least four goats by the end of the year."

View Kadzo's profile

Kadzo received a $28 second payment.

View Kadzo's profile