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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Enrollment
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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Sidi's Profile
Sidi's family
Sidi
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
62
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($407 USD)
access_time 11 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My long-term goal has been to invest in livestock. I'd like to start a dairy farm in addition to the goats I now have. Based on this, I'll make sure to accomplish this goal as soon as I have some money. After seeing how lucrative the milk business is, I came up with this objective. Due to how demanding the breed is, most people dislike owning dairy cows. Because they buy milk from providers who are far away, these individuals will therefore rank as my top potential clientele.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
By giving us the option to decide how to use the funds, GiveDirectly performed admirably in my opinion. I'm grateful for the organization and pleased by the freedom to choose how I want to use the money. My degree of contentment and happiness may not have reached this high if I had not been given the flexibility to decide how to spend the money. Sincerely, there was nothing that GiveDirectly performed poorly that I could find.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My top objective when I got the second financial transfer was to build a bigger house because the one I had was cramped and undersized. Before, it was challenging for me to build a house because I relied primarily on generating charcoal and the little money I made was insufficient to even buy food daily. I was able to construct the exterior of a three-room, mud-walled house thanks to the initial transfer; all that was left to complete it was the roof. After receiving the second transfer, I spent $400 on 40 pieces of iron sheets. The roofing is now finished, which makes me glad, and I am presently repairing some doors and windows. Due to the difficulty and cost of obtaining fresh water. To get any water, I used to have to go a long way. I, therefore, felt it necessary to apply for a water connection at my house. Taking that into consideration, I spent $60 on some plumbing supplies. As of right now, I'm organizing the fitting so that the connection may happen. As a result, this will reduce the burden of traveling and the cost to source the same.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($444 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 3 pm when I was preparing kales for super when my daughter took my phone to make a call. Upon taking the phone, she saw an envelop-like icon on the screen of the phone. She became curious and opened the message to see what kind of a message it was. When she checked, she froze after seeing a huge amount of money that was sent into my account from GiveDirectly. She quickly turned to inform me of the same. I was shocked to learn that I had been moving around with a huge amount of money in my account for the last three days. Illiteracy was doing me bad! I felt extremely happy for receiving the transfer since I knew that I would fulfill my dream of owning a better shelter.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Initially, I solely relied on the charcoal-burning business and my husband's small retail shop shop which would not enable me to put food on the table on daily basis. We used to go without food for at least three days a week. My living status was pathetic. Getting this transfer from GiveDirectly has changed my life. From the collapsing house we had, we are now having a good and secure house through the transfer. Apart from the shelter, my family is now happy since we have not gone without meals since the time I received the transfer.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I withdrew the money, the first thing I thought of settling was buying some food for my family because hunger was rampant. As a mother of seven, taking care of the children depending on charcoal burning and the small shop owned by my husband was stressful and challenging. Thus, I bought two sacks of maize for $70 to ensure there is food security at home. Thereafter, I opted to construct a good mud-walled one room house with an iron sheet roof since the one I had was old and in the verge of collapsing. Therefore, I bought the building materials such as poles, rafters, roofing timbers and some iron sheets. The cost of the materials plus the labor charge of building the house was $400. Having done this, I used $50 to add stock to my husband's shop so as to boost it's operation and be able to meet more customers' demands. For the remaining amount I opted to buy a goat for $25 so that I start goat keeping as a future investment.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 1 year ago
 
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I am currently living with my husband in a two-room house with a mud wall. The walls have holes that allow wind which affects my aged husband. He has been complaining of chest problems, especially during the winter season. The walls are also weak such that the house can collapse anytime thus it's not safe for living in. We lack money to build another house so we always pray that it does not collapse shortly. I will use $ 300 to buy 30 pieces of iron sheets, use $200 to buy 200 poles, and use $150 to pay for labor. I want to build a two-room house that will be strong and last for a longer year. My husband and I will be safe from the effects of rain and winds.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I have seven sons who live in Mombasa. For the past three years, they have never come home and also do not support us with food. Last week, the last-born son came home with huge shopping. By again I had two days without food. I.was filled with joy for receiving foodstuff from my son. The father prayed for the son for remembering us during this famine period.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am living with my husband only. My children left for Mombasa and never come home. I do subsistence family and my husband is old he does not do any work now. We have had a drought in our village for the past three years. This has affected farming and caused famine. I rely on neighbors to feed my aged husband. Lack of food is the challenge I am facing now.