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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 > Penaline's Profile
Penaline's family
Penaline
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
50
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($442 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Currently, I am concentrating all my energies towards raising money for school fees for my two children. When I received my second transfer, I used almost the entire transfer to take my children to school. That time they were reporting to secondary school for the first time. Had I not received money from GiveDirectly then things would have been tough for me. This is because my husband who worked as a driver had been involved in an accident leaving me with all the responsibilities of raising school fees. My plan currently is to start a poultry keeping project that will enable me pay school fees for my two children without much struggle. I normally rely on horticultural farming to raise this money and I feel this is no longer enough. I am already straining to pay the fee hence the thought of starting poultry keeping to supplement my source of income.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did very well by giving us the freedom to choose how to spend the money. This freedom gave each and every resident of my village the freedom to choose and to do so wisely. Different people have been satisfied differently each depending on the need as at that time. I feel this is a thing that GiveDirectly did very well and that I did not find anything wrong in all that they did
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used KES 16000 to pay school fees for my two daughters who were joining ng secondary school then. I also used part of the money to do some shopping for then as they joined their secondary school to pursue their dreams. The amount that remained was used to buy goats for rearing. I made a decision to buy goats since they would easily multiply and help me in paying school fees for my children in the near future. I am personally very grateful to GiveDirectly for the support that I received from them. The support came at a time that I was feeling very helpless having had my husband involved in an accident. I was left to look for school fees for my children all by myself but GiveDirectly helped me do this with so much ease.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($479 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was at the farm when suddenly I heard my phone ring, upon checking I saw a Mpesa message on my screen. Since I could no read and comprehend what the message was about, I kept my cool and headed home so that my son could interpret it for me. On reaching home my son confirmed that we had received the promised transfer from GiveDirectly. The joy that I felt was immense, I knew that this would be the beginning of greater things in my life, thus I was so thankful for the support that came our way.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I was able to construct a decent house for my family. We no longer live in a congested house like before, thanks to the unconditional. I was unable to build a house before due to school fees responsibilities. I comfortably enjoy living in a spacious house with my family, which is a great milestone. I am so happy and relieved for the support I received from GiveDirectly that lifted my living standards amazingly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a consistent farmer and a businesswoman running a mobile eatery on the market days. I am blessed with six children. The house that we were living in was small and grass-thatched, but I had no choice but to put up with it due to financial constraints. The house was stuffy most of the time because it contained the seven of us. Upon receiving my initial transfer, I used KES 35,000 in constructing a decent and spacious house for my family. I then paid school fees arrears of KES 5000 so that my children would study comfortably. Finally, I used the remaining amount on foodstuffs and clothes. I am so grateful for the support that lifted my living standards.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I live in a single house that is grass thatched with my 7 children. I feel like my husband and I are not getting the privacy that we ought to have because of sharing the same roof with these children. Three of them are above the age of 15 and our culture does not allow parents and grown children to sleep in one house. I also rear chicken that spends the night in the same house and their droppings leave the whole house smelly even after a thorough cleaning. I am a peasant farmer and I depend on my 0.5-acre farm to get income and due to persistent drought plants wither before harvest. I desire to build a spacious house of approximately 32 iron sheets at a cost of KES 29000. Receiving this money will give my family a decent place to call home.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I have four children at Sogororbei Primary School and last year, as they were closing, all of them brought home impressive results that left me very happy
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Because of prolonged drought in this area, getting clean water that is safe for domestic use is a challenge. As a woman, it is my responsibility to ensure that there is enough water for domestic use in the homestead. Every morning, I cover 10 kilometers in search of this commodity, and because I do not own a donkey I have to carry it on my back with a 20-liter jerrican. I do 3-4 trips in a day because once is never enough. This not only leaves me exhausted but also with chest pains that last for days.