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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.
Stages:
 
Enrollment
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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Caren's Profile
Caren's family
Caren
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labour
faceAge:
33
workCampaign
Standard Kenya
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($521 USD)
access_time 4 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 because I have improved my ability to provide for my family. I now have a dairy cow that provides milk for household consumption and also for sale. I further utilize the money from milk on personal care products and school fees need such as items and school fees for my children. I then build a house that has given me a lot of comforts since I no longer worry about the rainy seasons. In addition, the house is well furnished that gives me a lot of comfort at home. My home improvement and creating income-generating activities.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In opinion, GiveDirectly did so well in that I managed to solve the pressing needs of building a house that I needed. they gave us a lot of information during the enrolment that I was happy to know. It informed me of how to spend the money wisely.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent the money I received from GiveDirectly on buying a cow and build a house. I decided to buy a cow in order to produce milk for household consumption and for sale to make an income. I had none at all and therefore I used to buy it for household consumption. It was very expensive so I used to spend a lot of money to get little that was not even sufficient. As for the house, the one that I used to live on was an old grass-thatched house that was too small for my family. I build a longer-lasting one made of an iron roof. Then paid school fees for my children and bought for the household.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($545 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I am happy because I managed to purchase materials for the construction of a new house. I used to live in a grass-thatched one which used to leak during heavy rain seasons. It also didn't have enough space to comfortably accommodate my family. Besides that, I currently do not incur expenses to purchase milk for my household consumption because I managed to purchase a dairy cow. I now get enough milk for my family. I am also very happy because I stocked enough maize to push us through several months.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 7 am in the morning when I received a message that money had been credited to my Mpesa account. I was very happy because I knew all my financial problems would finally be solved. I was overwhelmed by the good news since it was my first time to receive such a huge sum of money. I couldn't keep calm. I remember canceling all the plans of that day because I couldn't concentrate. I kept planning and strategizing how I would use the money to change my life
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent the money I received from Give Directly to purchase a few construction materials for my house since the one I was living in was old-fashioned. It was a mud-walled house that required periodic maintenance which was expensive and tiresome also. I knew by building a permanent house we were ensured of security and avoid the constant repair since permanent houses are durable. In addition to that, I also bought one dairy cow, spent some on foodstuff for my household and paid school fees for my children. I thank Give Directly for choosing me as one of their beneficiaries because I couldn't have achieved all these goals anytime soon
 
Enrolled
access_time over 4 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means buying hybrid maize seeds at ksh 2200 (22usd) in the next planting season that will ensure improved yield production during the next harvest season. My second plan is building a two roomed house using 300 usd, whereby one room will serve as a kitchen and my children will be sleeping in the other room since the current old and tiny kitchen we have also serves as bedroom for our children and visitors whenever they come around. I also plan to use 90 usd to buy household furniture then the remaining part of my transfer will be a full package of next year's school fees for my four children in primary school
What is the happiest part of your day?
My usual day involves working in people's farms to earn some income to support the needs of my family. My job is so tiring now that it involves spending my whole time in the scorching sun whenever i am lucky to secure work for the day. Coming back home in the evening to take a rest as i plan for the following day is the happiest part of my day since it is the time to rest and regain my strenght.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food security has been the biggest hardship we have faced in our family since the year 2006. This is mainly caused by unpredictable rainfalls as well as soil borne diseases that has made crop production impossible, thus forcing my spouse and I to engage in casual jobs like cultivating people's lands yet the securing these kinds of jobs is hard now that people no longer venture into farming