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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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Completed
Newsfeed > Regina's Profile
Regina's family
Regina
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
44
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($436 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?
My biggest dream is to expand my business. The main goal of this is to make more money and ensure my kids have a better and more comfortable life as a result. With them having finished their education and me offering them opportunities with the extra income, their futures will be guaranteed.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has allowed us to do so much. They excel at empowering and impacting people's lives positively. The lives of our villagers and mine as well have been blessed by them, and I pray they continue to do so for countless others.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used the funds from GiveDirectly to expand my business right away. In the neighborhood, I own a hotel that specializes in regional cuisine. Items on my menu include maize and beans, rice, and beef. The shop rent is $25 per month, so I went ahead and used the money to plan ahead of time. The hotel is in Sigor Town, and it is doing well there. I make a daily profit of $20 from the business and pay $2 to each of my three employees. We are open at 0800 hours and close at 0730 hours. I then purchased a 5000-liter tank. My husband works as a school bus driver at Sigor Primary School and is barely scraping by. As a result, I decided to pay our children's school fees, stock up on food, and save some. Our eldest child is a criminology student at Rift Valley College in Eldoret, and our other two have graduated from high school. We pay $80 per semester for college, and I made certain that we paid ahead of time. GiveDirectly has been a blessing to us in ways we cannot even begin to explain.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($468 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I felt so happy the moment I received money from GiveDirectly. It was late in the evening around 6:00 pm and I was just about to close my hotel after a hard day's work. Some of my clients normally take food from my restaurant such that they pay later at the end of the day. I was harmonizing all the sales made and checking money sent from MPESA by those very clients within the day. I was met with a pleasant surprise from GiveDirectly confirming that I had received a sum of KES 55000 from Segovia technology. There would not have been a better way to end my day than the way I did. I went home feeling very happy and proud at the same time. I later made various investments including improving my business and clearing school fees for my children.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is in the business that I now run successfully. When I received money from GiveDirectly, I invested KES 20000 in my local restaurant business. This business is doing me very well lately. Profit margins have increased from the then KES 500 per day to now KES 1500 per day. To his has helped me a great deal especially during this time where the cost of living by has really risen. I will forever remain indebted to GiveDirectly for the timely support received.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used KES 10000 to pay school fees for my child who just started his secondary school studies in a local day school. I invested another KES 20000 to improve my restaurant business and used the remaining to buy food and make some improvements in our house. I had managed to buy a water tank but the water tank had stayed without collecting water for almost two months since I did not have enough money to put up some around the house. GiveDirectly transfers helped me to achieve this dream and in the next couple of days I will be able to collect clean drinking water for my family and I. All these investments will help me towards being more independent financially and be in a position to help my husband in running out family affairs with my husband who works as a driver. The ultimate goal is to see our three children have better living standards now and in future.
 
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I opened up a hotel business at Sigor centre in January 2021 to support my husband in raising my family of 7. I am glad that the profits I earned have helped me transfer my daughter to boarding school thus bettering her education. My dream has been to expand this business but unfortunately, the economy has failed me since the food prices have hiked profoundly and I have no finances at hand. When I receive these transfers, I intend to use KES 20000 to purchase stock for this business. I will be grateful that my profits will rise hence be able to educate my children with ease.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Despite the commodity prices hiking, I am glad that I have been able to support my family of 7 with the profits from the hotel business. I have been able to purchase food for the household as well as pay my children's school fees thus they have had uninterrupted school sessions.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Being an electioneering year, the economy is bound to be affected at large. For instance, the commodity prices have hiked putting my business at stake. It pains me that I at times run into losses for lack of customers because they have no money to spend on the hotel food. It is so disastrous that I have to throw away the food, consume it with my family or either give it out to the neighbours.