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 > Dama's Profile
Dama's family
Dama
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Forestry (e.g rubber tapping)
faceAge:
38
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($481 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I can attest that I am a changed person in relation to the initial living state I was compared to now. My life is now different since I feel fulfilled with what I have achieved with these transfers. I am now a happy and confident mother unlike before. Poverty had instilled fear in me and I was an unhappy mother due to the fact of lacking to provide basic needs for my family. My future is bright, no more stress in my life and my children are going to school comfortably unlike before when they could spent most of the time at home due to school fees.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has no fault as far as I know it. It has improved the lives of many, including myself through the transfers we were sent. From the transfers, we have built comfortable houses, paid school fees for our children as well as purchased livestock and fed our families. Everything has been so smooth in my experience with GiveDirectly, and so there isn't anything they haven't done well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
One of my greatest desires in life has been to build a decent, comfortable house for my family of four. This has been impossible to achieve, however, since I was unemployed, until a few weeks ago. We, therefore, lived in a small, dilapidated house that was falling apart. When we received the first transfer, we started building a better house, but could not complete it since the money was not enough. For this reason, I was elated when I received this second transfer. I purchased materials including timber and iron sheets, to complete the construction of my new house. The material and labour costs amounted to KES 25,000. I plan to spend the remaining amount of KES 28,150 to acquire ten goats that I hope to exchange for oxen later on.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($509 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 2 PM when I was preparing lunch for my children then I heard a message ton from my phone. Since I am illiterate, I asked for hand in help from my helper. Upon checking, she realized that it was the long-awaited Mpesa message that I had anxiously been waiting for. It was from GiveDirectly, they had finally fulfilled their promise. I felt so happy and thanked them for the gift which I was positive would transform my entire life.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that, through the cahs transfer, I was able to construct a very beautiful spacious house for my children. Before GiveDirectly came into my life, we used to shelter under a very small house that could not accommodate my other family members. Since they are all grown-ups, they had to seek shelter in or relatives' houses every night which was frustrating at some point. As a parent, I felt I had failed my children becasue of what they were going through. However, after receiving the money I had to prioritize constructing a new house for them to avoid being seen as beggars in society. I glad the story has now changed becasue they no longer seek shelter from anyone as it was their daily routine, also we are capable of welcoming visitors since we have an extra room for that purpose. Courtesy of GiveDirectly
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying some building materials such as iron sheets, building poles, timber, nails, thread, and a wooden door. This was for the construction of a new house for my children since our previous one was very small and with the nine family members, it could not accommodate us all. I also used KES 8200 of the transfers on paying the mason as labor charge. Also, I cleared school fees for my son KES 7000, and he is now studying peacefully. With the remaining amount, I am using it in buying foodstuffs for the family that would a least take us to three weeks.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I was blessed with 9 beautiful children, 3 of them did their K.C.P.E ( Kenya certificate of primary education) back in the year 2019, but due to financial instability, I could not take them to secondary school. Though they passed exams, they did not get any scholarships because competition was very high. Receiving this money means good education to my children. I am planning to spend 80,000 shillings to pay school fees for the 3 of them, this is for a whole year so that they can start learning. I will invest the remaining amount on business (buying and selling goats) in our rural areas. In each goat I can make a profit of 1000 which I can save 70% of it for my children future education. I hope that they will pass with flying colours and later be employed and support the rest of the family in future.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Morning is my happiest part of the day. This is because my body is active and I am able to work and provide my family basic needs such as food. Unlike in the afternoon when it is very hot.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am a charcoal vendor who makes 350 shillings in a day. This amount is enough for food only, for this reason, I have failed to sustain other needs such as school fees for my children. Therefore, lack of a good source of income is my biggest challenge.