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 > Dama's Profile
Dama's family
Dama
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labor
faceAge:
52
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($427 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Currently, I have a goal of starting a shop business where I will be selling fast-moving commodities like a foodstuff. I chose this kind of business because it has less competition since it is a handful of people who are doing it in our area. The aim of this business is income generation because making and selling charcoals has become unreliable due to the scarcity of trees in our area. Before the first quarter of this year elapses, I would like to have flagged off the business.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Initially, our community people did not have any investments due to poverty. They could not start any kind of business because whatever they got was from hand to mouth. GiveDirectly enables us and uplifted us to a higher level of investment. Currently, people have invested in livestock farming and other businesses which give them their daily needs. On my side, I feel the shop business will work out well for me.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
On the withdrawal day, I bought a sack of maize for $60. This was the first thing I did because hunger had struck us and drought had no mercy on us. I am happy because my family got some food which took them some time and rested from the tiring job of making charcoals. Thereafter, I opted to buy three goats for $90 as an investment. Due to the lack of a defined source of income which made my family wear outdated and shaggy clothes, I opted to buy them some clothes. After that, I decided to keep the remaining amount for the family's upkeep because both food and water were scarce. Before then, we used to go up to two days a week without taking some meals. As of now, we are grateful that we get food through the help we received from GiveDirectly.
 
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 around 7pm while I was in process of preparing supper when I received the text message confirming that I have received the money from GiveDirectly. I was so grateful when I got the money because I knew that I was going to do the things I had always desired and wanted for a long time, especially getting livestock.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving money from GiveDirectly is that I am so grateful for the livestock I was able to get, and my own stall for my business to resume and operate independently. I am so grateful.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent most of my transfer which was KES 23000 on building my own stall for my local kiosk business which I wanted it to resume operations as it had closed down due to my health problems that had rendered it inoperative for almost three months. I wanted reinstate it because it has always been my sole source of income and getting my own stall is the independence that I've always desired so that I don't have to share the little that my business will raise with anyone, especially the owner of the stall where I used to have my kiosk. I also spent KES 17000 on buying livestock which was a cow and two sheep because I had always desired to have them both for short and long term benefits, in which the short term benefits include getting milk on regular basis for my family and even get to sell the surplus to our neighbors for a little cost, which will help me with meeting my family's immediate needs. For the long term benefits, I know that they will multiply and increase in numbers which inturn I'll be able to sell one or two and address the financial challenges I will be facing in the future, all thanks to GiveDirectly.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means food security for my family. I have been struggling to put a meal on the table for my family of five. This is because I have been relying on subsistence farming and with the recent drought experienced in my village, I have been unable to harvest anything. I am planning to use 30,000KES from the GiveDirectly transfers to buy food for my family. This will assure that my family has enough supply of food for an entire year. I will use a further 40,000KES to buy two indigenous dairy cows for milk production. The milk produced will be for domestic consumption and for sale. I will use the proceeds from the sale of milk to buy more food for my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Being alive has been the greatest source of my happiness. I am going through a lot of struggles to raise my family. However, being alive has been the best gift from God.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food insecurity is the biggest challenge I am currently facing. I have failed to harvest anything in my 3 acre farm for the second season now. This has rendered my family food insecure. I have resorted to the energy draining charcoal burning occupation which has had negative implications on my health. My health has also deteriorated because I don't eat healthy foods and I am no longer productive in the forest.