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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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Enrollment
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Completed
Newsfeed > Stephen's Profile
Stephen's family
Stephen
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
37
workCampaign
Standard Kenya
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($512 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different in that I have finally achieved my goal of having a sugarcane plantation. In my area, I have seen a lot of lives changed financially because of sugarcane they planted. I have over the last two years developed an interest in planting sugarcane. As a result of low income and limited piece of land, I have never managed to have my own sugarcane plantation. With GD transfers, I managed to lease in a piece of land which I have planted sugarcane. By the time I make the third harvest, I know my life will not be the same again. I will have grown financially and use the profits to start up a business for my family so that we should not go back to the struggles we had before.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
As for me, I am very much fine with GD operations. I am satisfied with how they offer help to everyone in the village irrespective of your financial status and background. This has brought equity in the village and no one looks down on another because we were served equally by GD. This brought unity and peace among villagers. So far so good. I do not see anything good that GD is not doing well.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent my second transfer on leasing in a piece of land which I used for planting sugarcane. I have desired to have a big sugarcane plantation but due to low income from casual work, I only managed to plant maize in my small piece of land. I did not inherit much land from my parents hence I have to supplement my harvest with casual work for survival. When I received the transfer, I used it to lease in 2 acres of land for planting sugarcane. Currently, my farm is doing well and I know when I get my first harvest, I will sell to the nearby sugar company and raise money to start a business. My plan is to have a stable source of income which I can only achieve through a business. Thanks to GD for helping me achieve my dream.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($550 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
There were many dreams I have been having in my life but due to financial constraints I have been experiencing, none of them had been accomplished. When Give Directly sent me the transfer I decided to diversify in farming. I used part of them transfer to lease a piece of land, hire a tractor to till my farm and buy sugarcane seeds. I have since planted the sugarcane seeds and I am hopeful I will harvest in a year's time which will help change my family's lifestyle.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment I received this transfer, I was on my way to supply pineapples to a school and I only had 1000 KES. I had done my shopping and unfortunately ran short of cash. Just before I could ask a friend to lend me some money, I saw the Mpesa message from GiveDirectly indicating that I had received my transfer. I was so overwhelmed with happiness, God had just remembered me most when I needed some financial help. I, therefore, had no option but to buy more stock than I had planned to boost my pineapple business which is the source of income for my family.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I received the transfer at a time when my son was just about to join high school and my biggest worry was how I would pay his school fees due to my low income. The money came in handy as I used part of it to pay for his school fees and has no worries of him being sent away for arrears. I then decided to invest the remaining amount on sugarcane farming by hiring a tractor and buying sugarcane seeds. Sugarcane farming is very common in our area because it has a ready and a well-paying market.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means that I will be able to lease a farm to plant water melon and tomatoes. Currently there is big demand for water melon and cultivating it shall increase my income. I will save part of the transfer to pay fees to my son who sat his KCPE this year as he will be joining form one. I will also boost my wife's tomatoes business because she is the one who budgets for minor expenses like buying food daily in the house from her daily earnings.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of the day is usually in the evening because I spend a lot of my time doing hard labor in the farm, but because at times customers come into the farm to buy horticulture from me, I do make some sales, and when I get back home I always have something to buy my family food and save for future needs.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced is the current on going drought that have affected my crops in the farm, I have lost two acres of land to drought. The money I invested in this farm was borrowed from a women group and I am worried that I will not be able to payback due to poor yield.