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.
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Enrollment
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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Edah's Profile
Edah's family
Edah
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labor
faceAge:
28
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?
My additional goal is to buy another dairy cow. I have always wanted to have a dairy cow that will help me feed my young family easily by providing us with milk for consumption as well as sell the surplus produced. Once I got my second transfer, I used it to buy a dairy cow worth KES 35000. It was very unfortunate because the dairy cow died shortly after I bought it. I take care of my children a lone and it is not until I get this dairy cow that I will be able to secure a regular supply of food for them. I look forward to buying this dairy cow soon.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did very well by giving each and every household equal amount of money without discriminating on anyone or any household whatsoever. The fact that people were given cash such that each person had the liberty to choose what to spend the money on is something to admire. I did not find anything that I thought GiveDirectly should rectify or improve. The services offered by their officers were just excellent.4
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used KES 35000 of my second transfer to buy a dairy cow. It had always been my dream to buy an improved dairy cow that will be a source of protein for my two children who look up to me to get all their basic needs. I used the remaining amount of close to KES 20000 to buy food, clothes and other basic household needs for my family. Had I bought the dairy cow that survived then it would have provided me with alternative source of income away from the subsistence farming that I normally engage in and this would have made our living standards better as a family.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($498 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received a message confirming the receipt of the transfer around 9 am. I was really happy that the hope I had been keeping to construct a new house was finally coming true. I was grateful, and so to every other member of my household after confirming that we had received the first amount we were promised. After a great celebration, we had to remind ourselves of the initial plans we had as we needed to ensure that we spent the money wisely as per our plans.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life after receiving my first transfer is the construction of a spacious house enough for my family of four. I had been looking forward to such a development, but the inability to save due to the low and inconsistent income I had been making from my farms could not allow me to initiate. I am now grateful that even though my family is still small, I have a well-built home that will keep us over a long period ahead.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
To construct a new house after receiving the first transfer, I needed to purchase a lot. I had been living in an old structure - grass-thatched on the roof with its walls made of mud. The room had been so small that it could not accommodate my family of four. I had to spend KES40000 on obtaining iron sheets, building posts, nails, paid the construction charges, and also the transportation of all the construction materials home. I also obtained 2 sacks of maize as foodstuff at KES6400 since we had not been having enough maize in our stores. I saved the remaining amount as I will still need some money for the interior furnishing of the house and also furniture. I am grateful that the construction work has started and hopeful that it won't take long before its completion.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money will mean a lot to me. I am married to a polygamous family. My husband left me with my 2 children and went to stay with the second wife in Londiani. I was left to take care of the children alone. I took up a job in a flower farm that its contract ended in July. The first thing that I will do with the money is build a 3-roomed, iron roofed house with KES 40,000. I will buy a cow with KES 30,000 from the transfer that I will receive so that I can get milk for my family because right now I either buy or get from my mother-in-law. I will use the remaining amount to feed my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of the day is in the afternoon when I have fed my children over lunch hour and them having to go back to school and study.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship has been financial constraints and support from my spouse. Since he left for Londiani, I have had to do casual jobs like doing laundry for other people in order to educate my children and also cultivate my land in order to get food which is not sufficient for me and my family.