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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 > Samwel's Profile
Samwel's family
Samwel
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
65
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($489 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 don't have any new goals at the moment. I have been able to achieve the ones that I had set before. I was able to buy a water tank, a cow, pay school fees for my two grandchildren, and repay a loan of KES 10000 that I had taken from someone. Apart from the above, I was also able to buy food and clothes for my children. My grandchildren are still studying and hence I have to struggle to get money to pay for their school fees. I am casually employed at a school as a watchman where I am paid KES 5000 per month. I plan to use most of the money that I get from my job on paying for their school fees.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did well because they changed the lives of many people in the community for the better. Many of them were able to make developments such as building new houses that are roofed with iron sheets and buying livestock. The face of the village has changed because most of the houses are now iron-roofed unlike before where most people had grass-thatched houses. However, there is one thing that I think GiveDirectly should look into. Some people were left out during census enrollment yet they deserve to be helped because they have children who are in school.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent most of the money that I got on my second transfer on buying a cow. I bought the cow at KES 30000. I decided to settle on buying the cow because I wanted something that is going to help me in the future. When the cow calves, I will be able to get milk that I can sell and use the money that I get from the sales on paying school fees for my grandchildren. I had always wanted to buy another cow to add to the ones that I had but I was not in a position to due to lack of money. The money that I get from my job as a watchman most of it usually goes to the payment of school fees for my grandchildren. I am therefore so much grateful to GiveDirectly for enabling me to achieve my dream.
 
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?
Life has been tough especially after the outbreak of Covid 19 and this had led me to live on debts. Due to this, I was always disturbed knowing that I owed some people money and did not have any means of repaying them. When I received an SMS that early morning confirming that I had received the promised money from GiveDirectly, my happiness knew no bounds. I knew that I would finally be able to clear all the debts that I had.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
One has no peace of mind when he has some loan that he is supposed to repay especially when he has no means of repaying them and this had been my condition before receiving the transfers. I had borrowed money from some of my neighbors last year and early this year to use in paying school fees for my son but I had not been able to repay them. Due to this, I always made sure that I do not pass a place where I can meet with any of my creditors as I had always promised to repay them without honoring this promise. I am happy since I was able to use my transfer to clear all the debts I had and I no longer live worrying on what to tell my creditors in case I meet with them. This has surely made my life different as I can now go on with my daily activities peacefully.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my transfer, I spent KES 20000 to repay a loan that I had taken when my son had been sent back home from school. In addition, I purchased a water tank worth KES 15000. My spouse has been having leg problems and due to this, we usually depend on our grandchildren to help us in fetching water for domestic use. This has always inconvenienced us as we sometimes do not have water to use and my spouse would be forced to go to the river despite her health condition. I am now glad that this will no longer be the case as we will be using this tank to harvest rain water for use and it will save us from many struggles. I spent KES 12000 to pay school fee for my son who was joining a tertiary institution and my grandson who had been sent back home as his father did not have any money to use in paying for his fees and used the remaining KES 7000 to purchase food and other household necessities for my family.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means that I will be able to purchase a 2000 litre water tank ($180) as my wife usually takes a lot of time to fetch water from the river. My wife is aged and collecting water on a daily basis on her back drains a lot of energy. Harvesting rain water will save her time as she will be able to attend to other chores.I also use $300 of my transfers to purchase additional cattle and this will boost my income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening, as the grandchild is back from school. We reunite as a family and have some time together for we thank God for His sufficient grace.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Being aged and less energetic is somewhat traumatizing! I am not able to till a larger piece of my land and this impacts negatively on the household income. Sometimes, I am forced to sell the cattle to educate my grandchild as well as feed my family. This has been my biggest hardship.