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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.
Stages:
 
Enrollment
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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Eric's Profile
Eric's family
Eric
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
House construction
faceAge:
33
workCampaign
Standard Kenya
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($501 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
GiveDirectly really changed my life with the money we received. I managed to start to completion of many projects. Currently two cows and two heifers, my farms are doing well and also my children have no problem in school like it used to be before.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly's visit and the work they did in our village was really great. What they did was really amazing and no one has ever complained over it. It is just our hope that they will still come back someday so that we may start other new projects and also accomplish what we never completed with the initial transfers.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
Upon receiving the second transfer, I spent the second transfer on buying livestock. We made a decision in our household to buy two cows each was 15000 KES. We had to start with livestock since for a very long time we had been buying milk from the neighborhood. This has been costing us a great deal and the only way we could sort the problem was ensuring that we buy our own cows. We spent part of the remaining amount on paying school fees for our son and used the remaining in the farm operation, buying farm inputs and also used in a sugarcane plantation. We are still grateful sine the projects we started long ago with the transfers are still running.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($535 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
It has always been my dream to own cows. I have always tried to go for different kinds of jobs just to raise money to even buy just a cow. This has not been possible because my income from casual work and farming has not been enough for even meeting my family needs. When I received this transfer, I used part of it to support my mother by plastering her house but the remaining part, I used to buy a cow which I keep as an investment for my family. I will use to tell my children the story of Give Directly when they grow up using this cow as an example. I pray it may have a long life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
When I received this transfer, I knelt down to thank God for what He had done to me. I could not hide my smile and the joy in me was too much. I had to take sometime in the house before breaking the news to my wife. Surely, It was a moment of joy in my life.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying cement and sand which I used to plaster my mother's house. The house has been in a very bad condition and I feared it could fall on my mother. That is why I chose to plaster it so that it may be a bit strong. The rest of the transfer, I used in paying school fees for my niece who I have been taking care of since her parents died last year. Right now she is college and she had been sent home for the same. I did not want her to feel miserable so I chose to pay her school fees before I even paid for my own children to make her feel part of the family.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means I am lucky. I have been praying to God to help me get money to buy land and my prayer has been answered.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the morning when working as a Mason, I enjoy building houses for people who pay me at the end of the work.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I am facing in my life is lack of stable source of income, I am a casual worker. I am not able to provide basic needs like good education and shelter for my family. At times my children do miss school due to lack of school fees.