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 > Hestings's Profile
Hestings's family
Hestings
landscapeCountry:
malawi
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
41
workCampaign
Malawi Large Transfers
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
297300 MWK ($364 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different now in many ways, last cropping season I did bad in my harvest and I did not have enough food for my family. This was a problem that was eating me up on how I will cope with it. The coming of GD has rescued me from this bondage I was in and now I can happily say I have enough food for my family. Another change in my life is accessibility of farm inputs which has been a problem in the past but now I have enough farm inputs and I will have a great productive year.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give Directly is doing well in helping poor people with cash to solve their personal problems. The idea of not going through the government or village heads has so far been successful in terms of reaching out to very poor people in our communities. So this giving directly approach is what GD is doing very well and there is no favouritism in the process.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my second transfer on four bags of fertilizer, ten bags of maize, pots and plates for the household and I managed to saved k150,000.00. My plans for the money I saved are for agriculture. I have a land of one acre which I have had difficulties to cultivate over the past years since I could not afford the inputs. This year I am well prepared and I am very sure my production will be way better.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Firstly, I am very excited to be included in this project by Give Directly. For a long time, I have been struggling to have food and basic needs in my household for a long time when my mobile foodstuff business collapsed. I was forced to rent my good house and live in this small one so as to find an extra income for survival with my family. Now I am planning to revive my business and buy some goats to rear and sell in the future. This money will also help me secure fertilizer in time without waiting for the government subsidised one which takes long and tedious to access.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In my community, every household dream is always to have good food for that day. So as for me, I am always happy when I know I have enough food for that day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Growing up in a poor remote area like this comes with many challenges when you are also poor. As a man, I am obliged to provide for my family and I always seem to be failing when it comes to the resources I have. Hence,our biggest challenge is just lack of opportunities to be making some extra income for other equally important needs such as soap,clothes and fees for the kids in school.