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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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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Mercy's Profile
Mercy's family
Mercy
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labor
faceAge:
34
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($454 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
After buying a small piece of land and paying school fees for my children with the first transfer, I have a new goal to construct a new house for my family of eight on the new piece. I had been living on my parents' land, which was so small and has always my family hope to get a better space.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The monetary support from GiveDirectly was useful to every household since everyone had to choose how to spend. I cleared the school fees for my children and also equipped them well alongside buying all that was missing in the household. I saw nothing wrong with the approach and I am hopeful that other villages appreciated the support as well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 15700 of my second transfer on paying school fees and equipping my child, who was joining grade nine. Since it was a transition from primary school to secondary, a lot had to be bought for her admission. I also spent KES 20000 on buying a heifer that I am hopeful will provide enough milk for my family of eight in the future. At the moment my family has been dependent on my neighbor's cow that we had been keeping. I spent KES 10000 of the remaining amount on foodstuff and used the remaining amount to equip the other three children with all the school requirements they needed. I feel relieved after making all those changes with the received transfers.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($481 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was almost 5 pm and I was busy milking the cow when suddenly my child came running holding a phone in his hand. He told me that my phone had rung and upon checking it, I found out that I had a new message. I decided to check the contents and wow! I could not believe my eyes when I read that I had received KES 55000 from GiveDirectly. I was so happy that my children noticed it. They asked me what was going on and I gladly shared the good news with them. They were so happy on hearing this because they had known that there was some money that we were waiting for.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer has brought a big difference in my life and that of my family. We now have land, something we never thought we will be able to buy soon. We will now be able to cultivate and grow crops that we can sell to get money for paying school fees for the children. The children are also happy because they got new school uniforms.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When we got the transfer, we first took out KES 2000 that we used in paying school fees for a child who had been sent home due to arrears. We then spent another KES 5000 on paying a debt. We had taken some foodstuffs from a shop on credit and we had not managed to pay the owner due to lack of money. We also spent KES 2500 on buying new school uniforms for our children. The ones that they had, had grown old. We also managed to buy a piece of land with part of the recent transfer money where we bought it at KES 38000. We bought the land because the one that we are living in it is small and not enough to cultivate. With the piece of land bought, we will be able to grow crops that we can sell and get money for paying school fees for our three children. We have always wished to buy the land but due to financial constraints, we have not been able to. My husband and I depend on casual jobs of farming to earn a living. The money that we get paid most of it usually goes to the purchase of food. With the remaining amount of money, we used it in buying some school items for one of our children who was sitting for her final primary school examination. We are thus so much grateful to GiveDirectly for their big support.
 
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have a child who will be joining high school in April and I am worried that I will not be able to admit him because I have no money set aside for that. Receiving this money will be a relief to me since I will be able to admit him comfortably once the results are out. Paying for his education together with his five siblings has been a hard task for me because I earn less from the casual jobs that I do.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Providing food for my children is a challenge but for the last months, they have had food and attended school though with arrears. Seeing the healthy and happy has brought me joy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I earn an average of KES 200 every day from the casual jobs that I do around my home and is not sufficient to meet the needs of my family since I use all of the money on food. I strain to get money for school fees for them and therefore lack of income is my major challenge.