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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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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Benaline's Profile
Benaline's family
Benaline
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Teaching
faceAge:
45
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($466 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
After the completion of the projects I had with the received transfers, I have a new goal of constructing a modern chicken coop after the purchase of an additional brood of 10 chickens. Alongside the construction of a chicken coop is the initiation of a small cereals business that I had been hoping to start at the immediate shopping center. I have always seen a need of creating a one-stop shopping point for all cereals that are in high demand within the village.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Everyone in our village is happy at the mention of GiveDirectly and can't miss a kind word to describe how good the work they did in the village was. In my opinion, this has been the best organization to ever work in our village with clarity of information, timely delivery of their promises, and no bias at all. I have nothing to crucify GiveDirectly for since everything they promised was delivered to everyone.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Before exhausting the transfers I had received from GiveDirectly, I had promised myself to put some on a lasting project that I will still be able to see and benefit from in many years to come. This could not have been something else apart from an investment in livestock. I bought a heifer worth KES 28000 that I am hoping to see its productivity in the future and help my family in sorting household bills. I also invested KES 5000 on 10 mature chickens that are currently laying eggs even though I have not been able to construct them a decent modern coop that would restrain them against the free movement that sometimes led them to lay eggs in the bushes. I spent the remaining amount on school fees clearance for one of my children who needed KES 10000 for the term, and the remaining on debts and household goods that included food and clothing for my family of 9. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for leaving lasting memories not only in my household by also across the village.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($493 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was nine in the morning and I was busy washing the utensils, my mind pondering on what we were going to do since our school-going children had been sent home due to failure to clear school fees. I was jostled by my phone which was ringing alerting me of an incoming message. I decided to check it and to my surprise, it was an SMS indicating that I had received the lump sum transfer of KES 55000 that GiveDirectly had promised. I became so happy and I immediately informed my children what had transpired. We celebrated together and I gave thanks to God because my prayers had been answered.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
There has been a very big difference in our lives ever since we received the transfer from GiveDirectly. We have been able to build another house that is much more modern and spacious than the previous one. We therefore no longer have to worry about where we are going to get the money to do so. Another thing is that our children have been able to settle well and study because we were able to complete paying the school fees arrears that we owed the school. Life has thus become better and this has only been possible with the help from GiveDirectly. We are therefore so much grateful, may God bless you.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We spent most of the money that we got on building another house. We have been living in a muddy house for a while and we have always wanted to transition to a wooden timber house that is much bigger but we have not been in a position to. This is because of lack of money as most of the little money that we make usually goes to payment of school fees for our children. So with the boost of support that GiveDirectly decided to bless us with, we saw an opportunity to achieve what we were not able to achieve all these years. Thank you so much GiveDirectly.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means I will finally finish up building my house. Initially, I had built a house made of wood but it kept being destroyed by termites until it was inhabitable. I started converting it to a cemented bricks house. This will cost me KES 50,000. For the rest of the amount, I will pay school fees for my four children in college and secondary school.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The biggest part of my day is in the afternoon. At this time my children have come taken lunch and are back to school. My farm animals are well-fed. I can rest assured that day I will milk them. My day is spent doing farm work and taking care of farm animals.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardest is when my milk business went down a year ago. I used to operate a milk business, buying and selling at a profit. Then droughts came and there were no customers to buy from. It became hard because there were also other competitors in the same sector. I gave up and started just doing farming. So I lost an income, we now depend on my husband as the sole provider.