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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 > Mercy's Profile
Mercy's family
Mercy
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
22
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($494 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
As subsistence farmers without any reliable source of income, receiving this transfer has made it easier for me to make substantial savings. A junk amount of the income from the taxi services that we offer with our motorcycle goes to our savings account. This suggests that our future is brighter than before because we will probably manage to raise funds for meeting our usual and emergency needs and demands.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well by being honest and fulfilling its promises on time. Some NGOs could promise but fail to deliver. Also, GiveDirectly does well by allowing recipients the freedom to choose how to spend their transfer. This allows an individual to utilize their funds as per their priorities and preferences. Finally, GiveDirectly does well by following up with the recipients to understand their wellbeing and the impacts of their transfers. Overall, I find nothing that GiveDirectly does not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent 15, 000 shillings of my second transfer on purchasing and installing furniture in our new house since we had not afforded to acquire it before. Also, we used 16, 000 shillings on paying off the amount that was pending on the newly purchased motorcycle that we have been paying in installments. We have been straining to raise the pending amount. We utilized 20, 000 shillings on reclaiming the piece of land we had sold earlier on for educating my siblings. As subsistence farmers, we would not like to lose any part of our relatively small farm. Finally, we bought some foodstuffs with the remaining amount because our stock was almost depleted.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($500 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I had been eager to receive the money ever since we were enrolled into the program. When the day came I was overwhelmed to read a Mpesa message that I had received money from GiveDirectly. I felt so happy knowing that I will soon complete my houses and make them look beautiful a dream that I had always wished for.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
As a young family we are ambitious to see that we better our living standards and for us to realize this we work hard to earn extra income to enable us realize our dream. The biggest difference in my daily life is the motorcycle that we currently own courtesy of GiveDirectly. We use it for taxi business and the little we earn makes me feel good since it can repay our loan we got from our table banking at the same time remain with something to save for our future. I am confident that with this motorcycle our lives is going to improve.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am still new in my marriage and I have been struggling together with my husband to complete our home construction and fully furnished to allow us a smooth marriage life. I am still a student thus we couldn't afford to do the full construction and raise the school fee needed hence we were forced to use our houses while incomplete. When I received my transfer, I took KES31000 to complete the construction and on their painting to make them look decent. I am greatful that GD made this possible. As a way of investing the money, I took the remaining amount added to some I had saved through a table banking to buy a motorcycle. This an investment that earn me an extra income thus ease access to the basic needs in our family.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I means that I Will to buy a cow because currently I buy milk for my family at ksh 30 per per day which my family needs most and I can't afford to raise that amount everyday since I don't have a constant source of income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
During the evening when all my family members have had something to eat for their meals
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Taking Care of my family with the little resources available which can't gather all the need's they require