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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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Completed
Newsfeed > Benard's Profile
Benard's family
Benard
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
36
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($485 USD)
access_time 3 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 now different because through the transfers I have already purchased building materials for a putting up a better and more spacious house. The transfers have also enabled me to buy a dairy cow which I had desired to have one for the past two years but couldn't afford. Also the one I had died and was overwhelmed by school fees burdens. I am also grateful because family is more happier and healthier than before. Previously I used to stress up because my job as a capernter wouldn't suffice to feed and school my kids at the same time.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has improved my family's livelihood.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent a part of my transfer on purchase of building materials for putting up a modern two roomed house because the current house is too tiny for my growing kids. The remainder I topped up and bought a dairy cow in order to sustain my family and reduce the cost of buying two liters of milk each day .
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($499 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was in the middle of my farming doing land preparation in readiness for planting when I got a notification of an incoming new message on the phone. I checked and to my surprise, it was a Mpesa. I was left overjoyed look at how my family would have a better house, I had dreamt of for long without being successful to build one.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I have lived full of dreams and most of all having my family live in a secure, ample and pleasant home. I am a farmer and raising enough from my farming to cater for all the family needs has been challenging thus I had prioritized my children's educations. I have a single doubled roomed house that cannot accommodate us comfortably and making it worse is we can spend a night together with my grown-up children under this single roof. The biggest difference in my daily life is the happiness of looking at building materials that I have assembled courtesy of GiveDirectrly. I am assured that soon I will build a new decent house for my family. This will allow me to accommodate my family within thus avoiding the risk of walking at night to my parents' home. I feel relaxed and happy that my dreams are soon come to be.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Being a farmer, I always put in efforts to bring the best of my farm. When I got my first transfer, I used KES19000 to invest in farming. I bought chickens, sheep, seeds, a chain link and spend some on land preparations. I feel good looking at the big things I have done courtesy of GiveDirectly since I am assured this give me better yields and more farm produce both from crop and livestock keeping. In addition, I used KES13000 on my children's school fees. Educating my children is the best gift I can give them thus it was my happiness paying their school fees to give them a good time in school to pursue their dreams. I took another amount of KES21000 to buy building materials. I have one house that is not enough for my growing family thus building one will be my happiness since we will have the comfort of a home. I spent the remaining amount on my household's daily basic needs.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money mean a lot to me because I will use this money to build a house and buy a cow. I have a big family of 6 children and we only have a single room house that we live in.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is during lunch time when we have lunch with my family. It is during this time when I have come from farming and I feel burden free. This is because I wake up we early in the morning to go to farm at 6am upto 12pm.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship in our entire life is the one that occurred this year. We were evicted from Mau Forest on May this year by the Government through the ministry of Forestry. We lost everything including 2 houses, livestocks and agricultural products.