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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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Enrollment
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Completed
Newsfeed > Jackson's Profile
Jackson's family
Jackson
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
47
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($473 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 plan to start the construction of a small dam which is going to collect surface water. The water collected is going to be of great help to my cows during the dry season. During the dry season, we usually experience a lot of challenges getting water because most rivers dry up.As a result we have to trek long distances as far as 2 km looking for water for our cattle. The construction of the dam is going to cost me KES 10000. I plan to use the money that I will get from my business of buying and selling cows to construct the dam. I usually make a profit of about KES 2000 per market day and in a week I go to three markets. This is when the business is good. Despite the many responsibilities that I have, I believe that little by little I will be able to construct the dam though it might take time to complete it.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did well when they decided to offer their help to our community. The lives of the people have been uplifted because they were able to use the transfers in various ways, most especially on things that didn't have before. Some of them built houses, others bought livestock, and so much more depending on their needs. They also did well in that during enrollment, they visited each and every household without leaving any behind. There was hence no biasness on their part. The only thing that I feel that going forward they should do, is that they should try to offer help to the girls who have given birth to children but are still living in their parent's home. This is because most of them are just still living at home but they have a lot of responsibilities, they are the ones who fend for their children.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent most of the money that I got on purchasing the goats. I bought three goats with the second transfer and it costed me a total of KES 15000. I decided to buy the goats because I wanted an alternative source of milk for my family when the cow dries. Though I had always wanted to purchase goats before, I was not in a position to because most of the money that I made usually goes to the payment of school fees for my three children. I engage in the business of buying and selling cows where I make a profit of around KES 6000 per week. Apart from that, I also sell milk where I get paid KES 2700 per month from the sale of 3 litres per day. This money that I make from these income-earning activities is what I use in paying school fees and catering for other basic needs of my family.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($500 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment I received the transfer I felt so happy. I remember it was around 9:45 am, I was taking care of my cows. when I heard a ringtone message from my phone. I didn't know it was a message from GiveDirectly, when I check the message I felt so happy because I have never received such amount of money before. I immediately inform my family members and they felt do happy too. I knew I would be able to purchase an ox and other things that I had planed. I withdrew the money after three days. I I wanted to take my time to plan with my family.
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 have bought an Ox at a cost of KES 20,000. This is an investment that I have always wished to invest in. I will sell the ox after eight months at the cost of KES 40,000. The reason that made me not to purchase a dairy cow is that, it's so costly and I had other needs to meet. I depend on small scale farming. We plant maize and beans. Sometimes we get poor harvest because our area is semi desert. We had no savings for investment. I am so happy now because GiveDirectly has changed our living standard. I have hope that in the next few months I will buy a dairy cow and I will get enough milk for my family and even sell the surplus to earn an income.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 20,000 to buy an ox. This is an investment because I will sell in the next eight months at a higher cost to buy a dairy cow. I paid KES 10,000 for school fees for my children in secondary school. This enabled them to study well without being sent home to collect the school fees. I gave out KES 10,000 as church tithes, I bought furniture, solar panels for lighting the rooms. The rest of the money I added to my business of buying cows from farmers and selling at the market. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed my living standard.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means an increased source of income. I am currently engaged in a small business of buying and selling cows within and outside the village and selling them in a nearby market. The business is nowadays unreliable because we seldom get cows to buy and sell. I am therefore planning to buy a dairy cow of approximately Ksh 30,000 and my projection is to milk 8 liters a day. Out of this, I will sell 5 liters at Ksh 30 per liter and consume 3 liters. The proceed I get will be used to cater to education and household expenditure. This translates to an improved household income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My morning day entails working (digging, weeding, and fencing) in our 1.5-acre piece of land where we have grown maize for domestic use. I spend the rest of my afternoon looking for cows for sale on the next market day which comes on Mondays and Fridays. Going back home in the evening having bought some cows is the happiest part of my day. This means I will be able to put food on the table for my family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in life is unfavorable climatic conditions in our region. Over the past 10 years, we have been unable to harvest enough crops on our farms due to unknown diseases. Initially, we used to rely on maize to cater to both education and domestic expenses. This has become something of the past due to unknown diseases which affect our maize. We used to harvest 22 bags of maize on our 1.5 acres of land unlike today, we harvest only 8 bags which is not enough to sustain a family of 5. Life has become intolerable and this has led to sleepless nights. Thanks to Give Directly for their timely entry into our village.