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.
Stages:
 
Enrollment
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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Thomas's Profile
Thomas's family
Thomas
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Other
faceAge:
46
workCampaign
Standard Kenya
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($539 USD)
access_time over 5 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 than it would have been if I would have not received the transfer because the transfer has changed my life positively. Nowadays, people who were once looking down upon me can easily talk to me, ask me to transport their loads with the hand-drawn cart which I bought with the transfer, unlike before when people had no reason to talk to me.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well in giving unconditional cash transfer which has helped people to accomplish their dreams. The transfer has helped people to execute their plans with lots of ease. I have not seen what GiveDirectly does not do well.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent my second transfer on building a new spacious and descent house because the one I was previously living in before GiveDirectly sent me transfer was too small. I only had my bed, a table and few chairs in it and it was already full. I am now satisfied because I have built a bigger house in which I can comfortably accommodate two to three visitors in. Moreover, I have set an extension in my new house where I lock in my goats who were previously spending outside despite cattle rustling which is a common phenomenon in our area. Lastly, I spent the remaining money to buy a hand-drawn cart which I have been using to transport soil and sand for people at a cost, hence earning an additional income.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($537 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
 
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
Before receiving money from GiveDirectly, I had a lot of financial challenges in life which could not come to an end. With the big family and unstable source of income that I had, this problem seemed persistent. Receiving money from GiveDirectly changed my perception on how to deal with life challenges. I believed from that day that in as much as our life challenges are personal, teamwork can break loose the struggles associated with such. However little a donation may be, it can help resolve a couple of life challenges that one may be facing on the other end.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I'm a watchman in someone's compound and at around 3:00 am just immediately after taking my usual rounds within the compound to check if there was any insecurity issue that needed attention, I received a message and to my disbelief, it was a confirmation message that I had received money from GiveDirectly. Having stayed awake the entire night safeguarding the compound, I felt so tired and sleepy but upon receiving the transfer, all the lost strength was regained. It was a big source of motivation and a good start for the day.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I had started fencing my home two years ago to block my neighbors' livestock from getting into my compound to destroy my crops. Unfortunately, I ran out of cash to complete the work which forced me to leave it pending until I get more funds. When I received the first transfer, I used part of it to purchase three rolls of barbed wire that I'm already using to complete the fencing project. It's been the norm in my village to smear houses with clay in order to improve their validity period and for beauty. Since the local clay is not conducive for this work, we incur extra costs of purchasing clay from other regions far away from the village. This comes with an additional cost of transportation for those of us who rely on hired tractors to carry home the purchased clay. With this transfer, I decided to purchase a handcart to help run such small errands.
 
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 buy wiremesh so that I can fence my compound and the remaining amount will be spent on building a bigger house.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the morning when I open my bible and read a verse. This makes me happy as I get inspired with the word of God.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I face in my life is that I have a smaller house compared to the rest of my family members and this makes some of them to mock me.