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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 > Rubina's Profile
Rubina's family
Rubina
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
24
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($493 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different than how it would have been if I never received the transfers in that I have started a retail shop business. I had always wished to own a business but I didn't had capital to start it. I do small scale farming activities but the amount of money that I get through this is so small and only for consumption. When I received the second transfer I started this amazing business. Currently I get profits daily which I invest back by adding stock. I am also in a position to buy seeds and fertilizer to use on my farm. I am looking forward to expanding this business to a wholesale level. I am so grateful for the support because GiveDirectly has enabled me to own a business.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community to start businesses and to buy dairy cows. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spend part of the money I received from GiveDirectly on starting a retail shop business. This has always been my wished to start but I didn't had the capital. I also bought furniture, utensils and food for the family. I am so grateful for the support because GiveDirectly has changed my living standard to be much better than before. Funiture/utensils Food
 
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 was at home having lunch with my husband when I heard a message notification on my phone. I decided to check what the SMS was all about and to my surprise, it was an M-Pesa SMS indicating that we had received the lump sum transfer of 55000/= from GiveDirectly. I was so happy on seeing this and I immediately showed my husband the message. He could not believe it as well and he became so happy too. We then later on after having lunch prepared ourselves to go and withdraw the money.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer from GiveDirectly has brought a big difference in our lives as a family. We have been able to buy the cow that we have always desired to have. This cow will enable us to have milk for our consumption and hence we will no longer have to incur the cost of buying milk. The business that I have started will enable us to get more income in addition to the little that we have been getting from farming. This will thus help us in investing in other important things. The food that we bought with the transfer will enable us to have something to eat for a while and hence we will not be having worries about where to get money to buy food each time. We have also been able to buy a few items that we have been missing in our household. Thank you GiveDirectly for making this possible for us.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
This transfer from GiveDirectly has helped me a lot. I bought a cow with it and used part of the transfer in starting a business of selling second-hand clothes. I was also able to buy some food for our consumption and I bought a few household items that were missing such as cooking pots, a water container, etc. We decided to buy a cow with part of the transfer because we did not have one before and hence we have been incurring the cost of buying milk. I also started the business because I had that thought before but I was not in a position to start it due to lack of money. My husband and I depend on farming as our source of livelihood and the little money that we have been getting has mostly been going to the purchase of food, milk, and other household necessities. It was hence not possible for us to do the above because they were requiring a large sum of money that we didn’t have.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money mean a lot to me. Over the years I have been planning to start irrigation project but the money that I get from Boda Boda business is only for basic needs. This money will allow me to start my dream project. I will be able to grow crops even during dry season.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is 9pm in the evening. This is the time when I relax and take super with my husband after completing all daily chores which includes; farming, washing clothes and looking after livestocks.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
This biggest hardship I have faced is lack of capital to purchase quality farm inputs and to set up micro irrigation project in my farm. For the last seasons, I haven't harvested any farm products due to adverse weather conditions in our area and also due to poor farm inputs.