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 > Caren's Profile
Caren's family
Caren
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Motorcycle or bicycle taxi
faceAge:
34
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($465 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 am glad that I was able to accomplish all the plans I had before receiving the transfer. At the moment I have a new goal to renovate the old house I had been living in. Maintenance of both walls and the floors made of mud had been so hard that at some point, I have had to hire someone to renovate it. I have a plan to cut down a few trees within the compound to produce enough timber that can replace the mud on the walls and later I will build my savings to buy sand and cement meant for the floors.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well in all phases right from the sensitization stages where everyone was given full information on the running of the project to the end. I am happy that everyone is given a chance to spend the received amount in any way that would serve their needs. I have nothing against GiveDirectly at all since nothing at all went contrary to what they had promised us.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I had been living with my family of six on a small piece of family land for over ten years now. My children's growth had been a worry to me since the space was getting so squeezed every other time that I could not even afford to practice neither subsistence nor livestock farming. I had a plan to secure a piece of land before receiving the first transfer but had no finances that would have enabled me to buy from the neighborhood. On receiving the first and the second transfer, I saw it as an opportunity to finally secure a piece of land. I had saved KES 30000 after spending part of the first transfer that I added to the whole of the second transfer and used in paying for the piece f land. I am glad that I can now expand my livestock farming which can be beneficial for my growing family of six.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($492 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 10 am and I was busy on my kitchen garden weeding when I suddenly heard my neighbors celebrating giving thanks to GiveDirectly. I quickly got out of my farm and I went to check my phone which I had left it charging in the house. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the message saying that I had received KES 55000. I was so happy and I called my husband who had stepped out to work. He was so happy when I told him the good news that he decided to come back home to confirm the good news for himself.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer has brought a very big difference in our daily lives. We no longer worry about what we are going to eat because we bought some food with part of the money that is going to last us for a while. I have therefore been able to save some money from the casual jobs that I usually do and I have joined a self-help group. I have started saving money by making contributions and I believe that this move will be of great help to me and my family in the future.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We spent most of the money in buying a cow. We decided to settle on buying one because we wanted something that will be our source of income in future. When the cow calves, we will be able to get milk that we can consume and sell. The income that we will get from the sale of milk will be used in payment of school fees for our children. We have always wanted to own a cow but due to financial constraints, we have not been in a position to. The little money that we get from casual jobs most of it usually goes to the purchase of food and hence not enough to save.
 
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Ours has been to purchase a dairy cow. At the moment we do not own any, we usually purchase milk from the nearby Kabisimba centre at a price of KES 60 per litre. To us it is expensive, a time we cook tea without milk when we are unable to purchase it. We intend to buy a dairy cow of KES 40000. It will enable us to be self-sufficient in milk production as well as be able to sell the surplus to support other several needs for our family such as paying for school fees.We will use the other money to build a house for our son.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am a housewife involving myself in household chores and doing a bit of subsistence farming. My happiest part of the day is in the evening when I get food for consumption. It gives me satisfaction in knowing that I am successful for the day in providing for my family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Our land is very small, it is an ancestral land donated to us by our parents. It is just 0.2 acres and therefore it is not sufficient to till and take care of livestock. Half of it is occupied by houses and so the one that remains is too small. I cannot do any meaningful economic development in this land as a result of its small size.