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.
Stages:
 
Enrollment
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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Dama's Profile
Dama's family
Dama
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Small business
workCampaign
Kenya Basic Income
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Dama's next check-in.
 
5th Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($27 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I separated from my husband, and since then I am the only breadwinner in my family. I earn a living from selling local brew in the village. The produce I get from the coconut trees is reducing each day because of the drought. low harvest has caused low income. This has proved challenging for me to provide for my children. Receiving the funds was an enormous boost for me financially. My eldest son will join class eight in May. I used KSH 2000 from the transfer in clearing his school fee balance. He will continue with his education after May because there will be no arrears. I then spent the remaining KSH 1000 to buy food for my family. When I received the money, I did not have money to buy food since I did not make any sale for the past three days.
 
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($27 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well in terms of helping the needy in society. I can tell you for sure that there are many people whose dreams have died because they did not get that little push they wanted. I am happy that my son’s dream of wanting to study hard and become successful later in life is going to be achieved through the help I am getting from GiveDirectly
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I currently have a son who is class 7. He has a school fee balance of KSH 6800. My son is a bright boy and performs well in school. I feel sad that I am not well financially to be able to pay off his school fees. I currently do not have a job. The farm is what I depended on most for my survival. It has now been quite a while since it has rained. The drought has made our life difficult and it is just hard to survive. The manual jobs I am currently working on pay very little and they do not come by so often. This has made it difficult for me to be able to provide food for the whole family and also pay school fees. When I received the transfer my priority was to pay and reduce part of the debt I owed to the school. I, therefore, spent KSH 2000 of the transfer to pay the school fee. I also spent the remaining KSH 1000 buying food for the family. Due to my poor financial condition, I opted to buy food so that we can have enough stock so that we do not starve.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received the text at 9 am in the morning. I was sitting outside my house thinking of what next about my son’s education and where I was going to get money for food for my family. My phone rang and I picked it up and upon confirming I learned that I had received the money from GiveDirectly. I was very happy and I smiled. I knelt and prayed to God.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The money has been of great help to me and has made a bigger difference in my life and that of my child. He can continue with his education at the moment and I cannot take that for granted and all this is because of the money I received. I am grateful that I was also able to buy food for my family and it helped us a lot.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
child who is in class 7. He had been sent home by the headteacher due to some fees balances. I being a single mother, life has not been that easy for me. I have been struggling and making it even worse I do not have a job. Before receiving the cash my son had spent 2 weeks without going to school and was just having his private studies from home. When I received the cash I spent KSH 1000, which was my priority to pay off some part of the school fees so that he could go back and continue with his education. I also spent KSH 200 on buying food for the family.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
In 2015, I started hawking fast-moving goods. I also decided to sell palm wine at social events, a job that was putting food on the table for my lovely children and dear parents. However, double trouble is when I lost both parents in a month in 2019. It was frightening, and all my savings went by the wind. Ever since I have never made a comeback. With the transfers, I wish to start over again my hawking business to earn myself a living.
What is the happiest part of your day?
It is too soon since I lost my parents. The ordeal is still vivid in my mind. Whenever I chit-chat with others, I feel happy because I temporarily forget the happenings.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Imagine losing both parents in one month! It is disturbing my mind up-to-date. I know no peace. I was left all alone, as a result, I opted to come to my maternal home to take care of my parents' belonging. Life has never been the same ever since as the struggle to sustain my family is overwhelming. With no clear cause of my parent's death, I am in fear because I do not know what may happen next.