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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Completed
Newsfeed > Rehema's Profile
Rehema's family
Rehema
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Other
workCampaign
Kenya Basic Income
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Rehema's next check-in.
 
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($25 USD)
access_time 10 days ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
This year, my main objective is to focus on investing in livestock, particularly goats. Goats are low-maintenance and can easily be sold to finance various expenses like school fees, food, and other daily necessities. Moreover, I plan to use them as a financial cushion for unexpected emergencies. I aim to use funds from my upcoming transfers to purchase these goats, providing my family with additional income to address any future needs. I am deeply thankful for the opportunities provided by this program, as they have played a significant role in improving my life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I engage in various activities such as selling charcoal and removing tree stumps to provide for my family of five. The prolonged drought made accessing food difficult for us, but thankfully, circumstances have improved. Now, I can buy food comfortably, save money in a local savings club, and have also ventured into livestock and poultry farming. I have a son who experiences seizures, so I had to allocate funds for his medical needs. I used $12 for his transportation to and from Kilifi Hospital for his monthly clinics. Additionally, I managed to set aside $30 in our local savings club for unforeseen emergencies. I also used $30 to settle my son's school fees, enabling him to return to school after being sent home due to an outstanding debt. The remainder of the funds was spent on purchasing essential items like maize flour, oil, vegetables, and soap for my family, which were running low. I am immensely grateful for the assistance provided through this program, as it has brought about significant positive changes in our lives.
 
14th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 5 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My ultimate goal is to attain financial freedom, a state where I have the freedom to acquire and afford whatever my heart desires, and this is what I believe will bring me genuine happiness. I am deeply appreciative of GiveDirectly for granting me the power of choice, enabling me to make independent decisions regarding the use of the transfers. I am committed to channeling my future transfers into investments that will bring me closer to this goal. Undoubtedly, GiveDirectly has positively transformed my life for the better.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The responsibility of caring for my child, who suffers from seizures, has placed a significant financial burden on my family. As a subsistence farmer, I struggled to afford the necessary treatment and medication for my child, which made his condition worse. The assistance provided by GiveDirectly has been a blessing, enabling us to address his medical needs and also invest in our livelihood. Out of the transfers we received, $34 was allocated to cover his treatment and medication, and I'm pleased to report that his health has improved. Additionally, I used another $34 to boost our investments by purchasing two goats, which I intend to raise and later sell, creating a sustainable investment for the future. The remainder of the funds was wisely spent on replenishing essential household items that we had run out of. I am genuinely thankful for the invaluable support extended to us by this organization.
 
10th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($25 USD)
access_time 9 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
To generate money, I'm hoping to establish a poultry business with a focus on chickens. This will guarantee that my family is well provided for and it will give me peace of mind.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have no job or means of income, and my family relies on me for their daily necessities. I decided to buy two hens for $5 using the funds I received. They will provide me with some revenue once they reproduce. Due to a scarcity of food, I spent $40 on groceries for my family and saved $30 in a Sacco. I then paid $10 on school fees for my second-grader. The remainder of the funds were spent on medical expenditures for my lastborn child, who was hospitalized after having a seizure. I am very grateful that I was able to bear the medical cost thanks to your monthly transfers.
 
6th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I wish to have started rearing chickens by the end of this year. Since I lack a source of income, and given that am a housewife, livestock keeping is the surest way I could raise funds to support my children’s needs. Besides, having this alternative income stream would relieve my husband of the pressure that he undergoes to provide for us.  
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The little my husband makes from selling chewings sticks in Mariakani is hardly enough for regular meals. Not to entirely depend on and to support him provide for our three children, I mostly spend the cash transfers on food; unless there is a pressing financial obligation. Whereas I spent the entire cash on food in December and January, I channeled $4 and $14 from the recent transfer toward school fees and medical expenses respectively. Am happy that my son is cleared to study for the entire academic term without being interrupted to collect tuition money. Also, my second-born son, who is mostly ill, has enough medication to take him throughout the month. Above all, am happy that hunger is rarely an issue in my household, courtesy of Give Directly. 
 
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($25 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give Directly does a good job of giving me monthly transfers that mainly help provide food and keep my child in school. Furthermore, the organization contacts me regularly to check on my well-being and to establish my experience with cash transfers. Everything the organization does is for the good of the beneficiaries, and I couldn't be more grateful. There is nothing wrong with it.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I got the transfer, my second-grade son Charo had missed two days of school owing to a $3 outstanding school fee debt.  I was still waiting for the middleman I send to sell my charcoal to bring me payment at the time. It takes him up to four weeks to pay me, and even then, the most he will bring is $7. Aside from that, my husband had made nothing from his chewing stick business. This is why I prioritized paying off the tuition fee, and my child gladly returned to school. In addition, because my three children had not been eating regularly for the previous week due to the household running out of maize flour, I spent the remaining funds on food. My heart is content now that Charo is studying peacefully and without interruptions, and the family has enough food to survive the rest of the week.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($10 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Around 9 p.m., I had already gotten to bed ready to sleep when I switched on my phone which had been charging all day. Suddenly, it beeped with a message alert. To quench my curiosity, I checked to see the message's contents. There are no words to express the feeling of happiness that swept over me when I confirmed Give Directly had sent my first transfer. After a long wait, the money would finally help lessen the household's hardships; hunger is the greatest.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My household ran out of food a week before the cash transfer, which made my children and I sleep hungry at least thrice. Buying food was the priority when Give Directly sent the money. I am happy because we have never skipped a meal or slept hungry since I received the cash to date.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Being the breadwinner for my family of six people, my husband sells chewing sticks in Mariakani for a living. These chewing sticks are mostly used as toothbrushes, especially in mosques. The little he makes from this business is sometimes not enough to fully meet every household need, like food. As a result, hunger is mostly a concern in the household. Before the transfer day, my family had slept hungry at least thrice during that week due to a lack of money for food. I channeled around KES 900 towards the purchase of food that lasted us to date. Aside from that, my son, Charo, who is currently in grade one, had missed an entire week of classes because of an overdue school fee balance. I used the remaining KES 300 to clear this amount and he merrily resumed his studies.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I'm a mother of three, one of my children is already enrolled in a nearby primary school, one is mental and the other is still a baby. I have been depending on burning and selling charcoal when I can but lately I haven't been in the right shape to take up very physical duties since I gave birth a year ago. Over that period I have mainly been depending on my husband's income from sales of traditional toothbrushes and skewers. When I get this money, I want to take my mental child for further check up and see if he can be helped. I can't tell how much this will cost but I hope it will be enough and that my son will get the medical help that he needs.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I'm always happy when I take my charcoal to Mariakani and get to sell everything fast at good prices like 500 KES per sac. This happened to me two months ago. On that day I had taken three small sacs when I was extremely broke, didn't even have food in the house. I just got there and I was able to sell all at once and at the best prices the market could offer. This really made me happy because I got to come back with shopping.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Having a mental child as a mother is a full time job. It's been quite challenging to take care of the one year old baby and at the same time make sure that the mental one is also okay and is doing the right things all the time. I have to ensure he doesn't interfere with other people's property and also doesn't touch what's harmful to him.