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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 > Dama's Profile
Dama's family
Dama
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
64
workCampaign
Standard Kenya
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($507 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Before receiving the transfer from GiveDirectly, my house was in a very bad state. For many years, I have not been able to renovate it despite it being in a dilapidated condition. I lacked the money to do the renovation. After receiving the financial help, I bought enough iron sheets and building poles and renovated it. I am now living in a better house. I am also happy that as a farmer, I bought a cow which is an asset. It will reproduce and sell the offsprings to help me when faced with a financial challenge like paying fees for my children.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well in helping the poor. Some of us could not afford to take three meals a day and also build good houses. It would have been worse in this period of Covid-19 because it was really difficult to get even a casual job. However, food was not a problem to most of us after getting the money. I do not see anything that GiveDirectly does not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I had began renovating my living house but I couldn't finish it. I did not have sufficient money to accomplish this. When I received my second transfer, I purchased roofing materials that enabled me to finish the renovation. I also paid for the labour involved. In addition, I spent KES 15000 also to buy a cow, which is an asset to me. I am expecting to benefit from the sell of milk that it will be producing.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($514 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I can still recall vividly that early morning when I saw the notification message on my mobile phone. On checking its content I confirmed it was an Mpesa message from GiveDirectly. I had finally received the money that I was anxiously ben waiting for. I felt so happy and I just want to thank them for coming with such an idea.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Owning the goats that I acquired through the first transfer makes the biggest difference in my daily life. I am positive that very soon they will multiply at a high rate and healthy. Currently, two have already started reproducing. I am planning to sell some in our local markets and buy a dairy cow so that I can get milk. I will also sell the milk hence increasing my source of income. My family will also have enough milk for consumption. The diversified source of income will help me to easily meet my family's needs with ease.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying some livestock such as goats as the living assets. I decided to buy them because of the many benefits they have. In addition to that, I bought some beddings like a wooden bed and a mattress to replace the won out mats that I have been using. Finally, I bought enough foodstuffs for my family that could sustain us up to the next harvesting season.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 4 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
A decent house is generally what receiving this money means to me. As of now, my house is leaking and most of the time I am forced to change bed positions during rainy seasons. I have desired to repair it but due to lack of finances, this has remained a dead dream. My plan once I receive the cash grant from GiveDirectly is to use utmost $300 to construct a new house in order to have a respectable place to sleep. On the other hand, I plan to have a long term investment project and I intend to buy 6 goats at $30 each which will translate to $180. The remaining amount will help me to sort out other household needs like food, beddings, clothing and also to pay school fees for my children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Seeing my children taking their meal especially during dinner time gives me the feeling of happiness because it's a clear indication to me that I have fulfilled my responsibly as a breadwinner in the family. Unlike in the morning and afternoon hours when I am bush working tirelessly to get my pay. Therefore evening is the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My current work that I can consider as my source of income is working on my neighbor's farm in order to get a pay, usually $2 per day when luck is on my side. This situation has rendered me inactive on my farm and consequently, low or no harvest for me. Therefore, food insecurity has been my biggest hardship that I have ever faced in my life.