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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 > Elizabeth's Profile
Elizabeth's family
Elizabeth
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
72
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($457 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I do not have any new goal at the moment except to get money for food. Age is slowly catching up with me and I cannot start thinking about major investments like payment of school fees or buying any additional livestock. I will not have the energy to take care of those investments and it is fir this reason that I am thinking about just getting enough money for food and nothing else. As at now, I am so much reliant on my children for support alongside subsistence farming that I do on small scale.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly did very well by giving us the opportunity to choose how to spend the money. I was able to buy a dairy cow and a television that has given me so much happiness and joy. Without the freedom to choose how to spend the money, may be my level of satisfaction and happiness woukd not have reached this level.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used KES 38000 to buy a dairy cow that came with a calf and used the entire amount that remained to buy food for my family. I made a decision to buy a dairy cow since I did not own one as at the moment I received the transfer. This dairy cow shall go a long way in enabling me and my family meet our needs now and in future. Furthermore,It is the only economic activity that I can engage in comfortably with my age . I am so happy and grateful to GiveDirectly for the support. used the remaining amount to buy food for myself and my family
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($484 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was a great joy for me to receive such a high amount on my phone. It was late in the evening when I received a message and being unable to read I had to seek a helping hand from my grandchildren who confirmed to me that GiveDirecetly had sent me some money. I thanked God for that since I had been hoping to receive it so that I could accomplish all I had been planning in my household.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I am grateful for the great progress that I have made after getting the first transfer from GiveDirectly. Even though I have not exhausted all the money that I received, I am glad that I have managed to install an efficient lighting system that has brought the biggest difference in my daily life. I am no longer buying kerosene and also enjoying a fumes-free environment since I am no longer using a lantern lamp that was no good for my health.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Within our village, we were unlucky not to be connected with the Government's initiative to connect every household with electricity. All along we had been dependent on the latent lamp or solar panels for lighting. This has always been expensive and few could afford it since the cost of kerosene keeps shooting and accumulating some money to buy a solar panel and a wet battery had proven to be difficult to me. I was grateful when I received this transfer as this was the only thing that lingered in my mind since I was enrolled. I had to send my son who spent KES 22000 on purchasing a wet battery, pieces of lighting equipment, connecting cables, and also a solar panel. I am glad that my house is now brighter and I can always keep my phone charged using the solar panel. I also spent KES 1000 on buying a memory stick that has been loaded with songs that I can always listen to, and also watch on the small screen that I already had. I obtained some foodstuff with part of the remaining amount and saved KES 30000 that I still have in my account at the moment.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money is a relief to me. Since I lost my husband now a decade, life has never been easy. My age does not allow me to take my flock for grazing. I used to depend on selling of milk which my daily earnings was KES. 350 after selling 5 litres a day. About one year ago I decided to hand them to my 3 sons. This forced me to fully depend on them. I am now diabetic and much of the money I get from my sons goes to drugs and other expenses in the house. I am so great fuel for Givedirectly transfers as the entire transfers will boost me in buying the drugs and going for check up. This will eventually improve my health.
What is the happiest part of your day?
For the past three months my son bought a big storage tank of 5000 litres. This has really made my work easier in terms of water harvesting. Sometimes back I had to go for almost 5 km to and fro for water. This was so challenging to me, in my old age. I was happy when I got this storage tank as I am able to harvest enough water during raining seasons.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The challenge that I currently face is lack of finance to access proper medication. My age does not allow me to do any casual jobs in order to earn money. I really feel ashamed for always borrowing money when going for check up. Sometimes I had to skip some appointments in the hospital because of lack of finance.This is has really affected me psychologically and my health is deteriorating. Iii8