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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.
Stages:
 
Enrollment
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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Hellen's Profile
Hellen's family
Hellen
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
36
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?
I have always struggled to pay school fees for my children. This is because I have always depended on a small income from casual work which is not even enough to meet all our daily needs. In as much as I used to get very little income, I would not have allowed my children to drop out of school at all cost. I still had to give it my best because I know when they are done with school, they will get well-paying jobs which will help them with their families. Even if they don't take care of me as I would expect, I would not want them to go through the struggles I have gone through.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GD did well in reaching to the vulnerable in the community. Giving money directly without having to go through Government official was the best in helping the poor. If not so, then most of the vulnerable would not have received their transfers. I appreciate that kind of service. Currently, I do not feel there is anything GD is not doing well and would still encourage them to continue with the good work.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent my second transfer on paying school fees for my children in secondary school. I paid the money to clear the balance they had in school. The balance they had dated back to last year and it was growing on a monthly basis hence I decided to clear it once. I used the rest of it on buying building materials such as cement and sand which I used on plastering the house. I am tired of smearing on a monthly basis and treating jiggers from my family too was very costly. My children could easily contract jiggers since I was not able to buy proper shoes or sandals for them to put on. I am glad I no longer treat jiggers as it was the case before the transfers.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($530 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I now have additional assets of my own. This is after I was able to buy a dairy cow that am sure will assist us now and in the future in meeting the basic household needs of my family. I have also been able to improve my egg selling business which is helping us meet most of our family's basic needs much more easier than we found before we received the money from GiveDirectly. I am looking forward to exciting days ahead.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received the money from GiveDirectly at around 4:00 am in the morning. I first saw an MPESA message from Safaricom notifying me that I had received a sum of KES 55000. I could not believe that it was true at first until I received a second message from GiveDirectly itself notifying me that they just sent the money to me.I could not sleep any longer owing to the happiness that overwhelmed me. I waited for my children to wake up and shared the good news with them and they were extremely happy as well. We already had plans on how to use the money and we got down to work the following day.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I used KES 30000 to buy a dairy cow and used the remaining amount to buy other basic household needs including furniture. I also used KES 8000 to improve my egg selling business. I took it as an initiative to use my first transfer to buy a dairy cow since I did not own one then. I am optimistic that this cow and other investments like my egg selling business shall help me in future to even pay school fees for my children as well as meet other basic households needs. Nothing is as fulfilling for a parent as being able to meet most some of the basic household needs of the family.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 5 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have a poultry unit but not big enough to meet the market demand for eggs.I am planning to spend the transfers on expanding the poultry business that I do.I supply eggs to Bomet town and the demand is high.The transfers will also help me buy more eggs from the village to add to the ones I get from my chicken.It is cheaper buying eggs in the village.Currently I have 20 chicken and my plan is to triple the number.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I wake up as early as 5:30 in the morning and prepare my children to go to school.I then milk the cows and after having breakfast I go to the farm till noon.Currently I am weeding maize and beans in my farm.After lunch I look after the cattle and milk them again later in the afternoon.I then do the normal house chores including wash clothes.The happiest part of my day is in the evening when I relax with my children after a long day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in my life is getting a stable source of income.For a long time we have been depending on agriculture but the weather conditions have not been favourable.Crop diseases have also contributed to crop failure.This hampers my plans and ambitions because it is very unpredictable ,making planning difficult.During some seasons we have a problem paying school fees.I have two children in secondary school and it has been an uphill task.