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 > Zawadi's Profile
Zawadi's family
Zawadi
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Small business
faceAge:
35
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53010 KES ($393 USD)
access_time 12 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
As a parent, I will continue to wish the best for my children. It is my hope that when they complete schooling, they will be employed and thus be independent enough to raise their families. To lay this foundation, I am providing the best for them. I hope to complete paying the school fees for my three children in secondary school and thus stay in school without having interrupted sessions from being sent to collect fees. In addition, I hope to expand my samosa business and earn more profits to raise my family of eight. I will be excited to provide the best for my family.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my entire life, I have never come across an organization such as GiveDirectly. I do admire the discipline and respect the staff have towards the recipients. Also, the mode of working is top notch, as there is no payment in order to be enrolled, nor do they discriminate against people. All the recipients are considered equal, irrespective of their backgrounds. Alternatively, there is no corruption as each household is accounted for at the grass-roots level.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Even amidst the financial crisis, we hope to meet all the family's needs, for instance, school fees, food, shelter, and clothing. My family of eight depends on maize farming for a living, but unfortunately, the harsh climatic conditions and diseases have made it hard for us in the last year. Therefore, to continue with the provision and payment of my Merry Go Round savings, I engage in the Samosa business to earn $10 on a good day and at least $3 on the days when the business is not promising. Through this, I have been able to feed my family as well as educate my three children in secondary school. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for the transfers, which enabled me to enroll my son in grade 9 for $250. In addition, I used $200 to cement the floor of my three-room house, which had become dusty and almost inhabitable. I am happy that my financial burden was eased and that my son's education will be uninterrupted for the next term, as I look forward to earning more profits from the business.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($442 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received an SMS alert on my phone and was eager to check it because I was expecting good news from GiveDirectly. When I looked it up and discovered it was a Mpesa message, I was relieved to learn that it was confirming the receipt of the first transfer. I was alone in my room at the time and had to thank God for the provision. I later went out to meet my husband, who was equally thrilled to hear the news. When we were ready to make our first purchases, we collected the money from a nearby shopping center after a week.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
After paying a $250 debt to the hospital where my mother-in-law was admitted before she died, I felt relieved. Raising such a large sum would not have been possible, so I was grateful for GiveDirectly's support. This money also allowed us to improve the appearance of our home by plastering the floors, which are now easy to clean and no longer dusty.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We lost our mother, who had been sick for a long time, just a month before enrolling in the GiveDirectly program. It was unfortunate that she did not recover after we sold most of our assets to pay her hospital bill, leaving us with a massive debt. We received the first transfer while still owing $400 to the hospital. We spent $250 on paying a portion of it because we had a lot we wanted to accomplish. My husband is their last-born son, and her mother has always stayed with us since her health began to deteriorate. We also plastered our house's floors after purchasing 15 bags of cement for $7 each and paying a labor cost of $12. In addition, we spent the remaining funds on food and clothing for my current family of nine. I had previously relied on my baking business and selling cakes to students at a nearby school. I am grateful for GiveDirectly's assistance and hope to accomplish much when the second transfer arrives.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 1 year ago
 
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
Restarting my fast food vending job is basically what receiving this money means to me. I have desired to restart this work but due to the financial crisis, it has never been possible. With this money, I intend to spend $100 to act as my capital to enable me to have a job that can smoothly finance my basic needs. On the other hand, I will support my children's education using $400 because they have big fee arrears. This will guarantee them ample time in school and eventually, good performances. The remaining amount will help me to renovate my house to have a decent look. Hence, this is generally what receiving this money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My young child! In July, I was blessed with a bouncing baby boy. To me, this was a blessing since I was able to give birth normally, something that I never took for granted because some people had to go through a cesarean section during that day. I thanked God for that gift and therefore, I consider this as what has brought joy to my life.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
When I was pregnant, my blood count was very low, a situation that restrained me from actively engaging in my fast food vending job. This has currently affected my ability to sort out some basic needs because I do not have enough money. Nowadays, I am forced to depend on my husband who is a casual laborer on construction sites. His income hardly sustains us since his work is inconsistent and its payment is low, usually $7 per day. This means we forfeit some meals on some days a situation that has affected my health considering that, I am breastfeeding.