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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:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
18
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($493 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different than it would have been if I never received the transfers in that I have bought a motorcycle. I deposited 40,000 Ksh at their offices and to repay the rest of the money on monthly installment. My spouse has always wished to own a motorcycle and we found it wise to own one on hire purchase. We do small scale farming and the harvest that we get is only for consumption. We sell the surplus at the market to earn an income to meet other basic household needs. There was no extra money to saved. Currently my spouse is motorcycle taxi rider. This is our source of income for the family. The money that we get we used it to buy food for the family and save the rest to repay the monthly installment. We are so grateful for the support because it has enabled us to live a better life than before.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community to build better houses and to buy dairy cows. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spend part the money I received from GiveDirectly to buy a motorcycle. I deposited 40,000 Ksh at their offices and to repay the rest of the money on monthly installment. This is our source of income for the family. My spouse is motorcycle taxi rider now which is the work he has always wished to do. The rest of the money I bought a heifer. I will have milk in the next few months when it reproduce. I will be able to cut the daily cost of buying milk which is so expensive. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed our living standard.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($494 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
attach_money
 
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 11pm at night while asleep when I heard my phone ring. On checking it was GD money and I was very excited and immediately relayed the good news to my husband who also excited and we just woke up to celebrate. It's then that we knew GD was real because we had alot of rumours that this was just a scam but I had ignored because the sentiments were from non- GD recipients and I just knew they were jealous.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that the dream of building my own house has come to pass and soon I will be proudly living in my own house. We married about a year and a half ago just after finishing fourth form and have been able to built our own house because my husband was jobless.Living in our parents house has been quite tough because we have been mocked all the time and there has been no peace at all. But I am very grateful to GD for making my dream come true.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent a quarter of transfer on I and my husband's medication. The rest we have planned to use it on building a 22 Iron roofed semi permanent house and furnish it with seats and other household items. This is because we are still living in our parents house.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My house is leaking, it has been my wish to have money to renovate and go back to school.This is my right time to do this once I receive give directly transfer, have estimated the cost of renovating my house to ksh 30,000.The remaining mount I will pay my college fee.I did not proceed at school due to lack of money.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My day start at 6 AM, am working at my one point acre farm weeding vegetables.I return home tired and have to prepare food for my family. I consider midday as my happiest part of my day since I will have humble time to rest.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The hardship I have gone through is my professional dream that has never come true due to lack of finance.