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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Newsfeed > Mercy's Profile
Mercy's family
Mercy
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
22
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Mercy's next check-in.
 
19th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Currently, my life is different because I have a regular job. I managed to get this job after doing a driving course with the help I got from Give Directly. Right now I would still be cultivating others people's land and earning meager wages. To me working in this local factory is a miracle. I never saw this coming. I remember during the interview t driving license gave me an upper hand compared to the other applicants. The most amazing thing about this job is that it is permanent. Indeed God works in mysterious ways and I will always pray for this organization to never lack. Their pockets will never run dry.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I intend to build a new house for my parents back at home. Since I have a job I can save a good amount of money. I now have two sources of income which will enable me to comfortably build a new house for my parents. I feel proud of my self but most importantly I must thank Give Directly. Were it not for them I wouldn't have achieved these milestones
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my life ever since Give Directly came into my life is that I am now able to save. I managed to join a merry go round group which helped me accumulate enough money to pay for a driving course. As a result, I got a job with a factory as a logistics assistant. I earn a decent income which can settle most of basic needs. I live a better life compared to when I used to depend on casual jobs.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months of my life, I will have changed the living conditions of my parents. I will have to build a more decent semi-permanent house. Right now they are living in a shanty house that can fall any time. I don't feel good when I see them being rained on because of the many cracks on the roof and walls. This is why my goal of building a house for them comes first before anything else
 
16th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
 
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is currently different from how it was four months ago in that before I used to depend on my parent to provide for me but nowadays I have my own salary that I earn as a factory driver and I'm in a position to help them in paying school fees and to buy other basic needs for our family.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four moths, I shall have completed building a house for my parents and they will have a clean and serene place to sleep.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer is that I had saved some money in a merry go round group that we started in our village immediately after the first transfer from Givedirectly. The savings from this group enabled me to join a driving school at Kericho AA for a period of one and a half months and after completing my driving school and obtaining my driving license, I was in a good position to apply for a job in a nearby factory as a lorry driver. Being a woman and applying as a lorry driver and also competing with men during the interviews was not an easy task but I was so lucky that I got a job immediately after college as a factory driver. This has made me earn a good salary and I am no longer depending on my parents to provide for me. Before I used to depend on my parent to provide all my basic needs and because I had siblings in school it was not easy for them. Currently, I have bought building materials and I am planning on building a good house for my parents and also help them to pay school fees for my siblings in school. I am so grateful for the support from Givedirectly because it has completely changed my living standard and those of people around me.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in the next six months in that I would have saved some money to buy my own land and build rental houses and be my own boss.
 
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
 
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is currently different. I can now afford to meet my family's basic needs unlike before when we could sometimes sleep hungry. The job that I got after paying school fees with the transfers has made this possible.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, my plan is to buy a plot worth KES 400,000. I have been saving most of my salary towards the same. GD's transfers made this very possible by catering for my basic needs tII I do not spend much of my income on the same. The savings from table banking that I am in contribute towards the same.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference is that I got to pay school fees for my driving school using the transfers. Immediately I finished the three-month course, I got a job in a nearby tea factory. The money I earn from the factory is KES 40,000 monthly. Before getting this job I used to do casual jobs around tea picking and out of it I only got KES 200 daily. Life was really tough then. We hardly got enough to eat and clothe ourselves with. At the moment I can comfortably provide my siblings and parents with the basic needs and we are all happy as a family. Personally, I will be forever grateful to GD.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, my life and that of my family is really going to be different. I am planning to build a permanent house for my parents. The house that we live in at the moment with my parents is really bad. It is almost collapsing. In the next six months, I would like to build a great permanent house. This will really reduce the embarrassment we have been going through. We are currently a laughing stock in our village because of the condition that we live in.
 
5th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
attach_money
 
How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is currently different from how it was four months ago in that I am empowered by the monthly transfer to do my own work. I am currently engaged in tea leave buying business which I started and maintaining it with the GD transfers. I am currently independent and happy.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
The new goal that I have developed for my life for the next four months is to join college.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
My daily life is currently different from the last four months in that I am currently stress free of way of get capital to start and run my own goals.I have completed driving course and am now engaged in tea leave buying business. These has be made possible by the monthly transfer. I am currently happy and hopeful of good changes coming in to my life.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months I expect to have earned tea leaves bonus and I will have joined college.I expect to use the bonus to improve my business and on my school fee.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 6 years ago
attach_money
 
The recipient was not asked any questions as part of this follow up.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 7 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in my life is when I was in high school and my parents had not paid my school fees and i was sent home when other students was going on with their learning.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is morning when I am taking breakfast with my family members.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
I am planning to spend my transfer to start a new business for example buying tea from tea farmers and taking to a nearby tea factory.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement I am proudest of is after sitting for my KCSE exams and performed well