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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 > Zawadi's Profile
Zawadi's family
Zawadi
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
House construction
faceAge:
32
workCampaign
Standard Kenya
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($519 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Before GiveDirectly came to us, I did not own any livestock in my homestead, though to us these are valuable assets that one can own in our region. Currently, I am having 14 goats that I acquired through this support from them. Were it not for GiveDirectly, then I wouldn't be having them. I am rearing them so that as they reproduce and increase in number, I can sell in future and buy cows. Besides, these are assets that I can readily lean on incase of any financial need. It's also through this transfer that I was able to see a medical specialist and I was treated of a complication on my reproductive system. I am now well health wise, courtesy of GiveDirectly.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, I believe that GiveDirectly has done well in ensuring that we are uplifted from the poverty that had surrounded us through their financial support. To some, getting a decent shelter was a problem, our children's education was also another hardship. However, after receiving the support, we were able to change our lives at our households level. We have managed to build decent houses, we own assets in terms of livestock which can be of help in case of a financial hardship as well as paying for our children's school fees, which were the major challenges to us. I don't see anything that GiveDirectly doesn't do well.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent KES 20000 of my second transfer to seek for medical attention after I experienced some complications in my reproductive system. Before then I couldn't cater for the medical costs due to the financial hardships I was facing. I am now grateful to GiveDirectly because I was attended to by a medical specialist and I am now recovering. In addition to this, I also spent KES 24000 to purchase eight goats. My intention is to rear them and exchange them for cows in the near future even as they reproduce and increase in number. I spent the remaining portion of the transfer to provide for my family's basic needs and paying for my household expenses.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($550 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
I had only one goat in my home and increasing the number seemed impossible to me for it required much money. Through the transfer, I increased the number of goats by buying ten goats to keep in my home as my own assets. To me, this is the biggest difference in my daily life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was in the morning and I had already woken up for the day's activities. I received the message at that time and on checking, it was from GiveDirectly that I had received my first transfer. I was overjoyed and merrily rejoiced in my heart on imagining of the possibility of accomplishing the things that seemed impossible to me like changing my beddings.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent my first transfer on buying a mattress and wooden bed. Initially, I was sleeping on an old traditional bed with old and worn-out used sacks and some rags. To me, getting a comfortable sleep was just a dream. Thus I acquired the new bed and the mattress so as to enjoy a healthy comfortable sleep. I also spent part of the transfer to pay a deposit for a solar panel to improve lighting in my home and relieve me the burden of buying kerosene for the lamps I was using. In addition to lighting, I am also charging my phone and those of my neighbours at a fee which I get a small income from. I also purchased ten goats to keep as assets. Previously I had only one goat and through the transfer, I managed to increase the number to eleven goats. I paid for school fees on the remaining amount for my child who is in high school. Thanks to GiveDirectly since I could not pay this fee and my child would have now been at home.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving the transfers will enable me to buy my own oxen plough for my farm. This will reduce the cost that I have been incurring whenever I want to prepare my farm. It usually cost me Kshs. 2000 to plough an acre of my farm and this is expensive to us as a family. The oxen plough will enable me to plough a large portion of my family within the shortest time without worrying about the cost and this will translate to food security for my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My day begins at 7am in the morning when I go to the bush to fetch firewood which I then use to burn charcoal. This makes me happy because I am able to sell the charcoal which is the main source of energy for the villagers around Mariakani hence earning me an income that can be used to pay school fees for my son in secondary school.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I face in my life is lack of food security. This is because over the years we have been ploughing our farm manually and this translates to a small portion of the land being prepared for planting crops. We only manage to get 2 bags of maize which cannot sustain us to the end of the year.