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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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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Vickoty's Profile
Vickoty's family
Vickoty
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labour
faceAge:
41
workCampaign
Standard Kenya
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($501 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?
My life is different from how it was in that, I now have assets that I can lean on in case of financial challenges. Among these assets is a dairy cow that currently gives us enough milk for consumption daily. Due to this, I have been able to save the money I would otherwise use in buying milk. Also, my children have never been sent back home like they used to before. This has given them enough time to concentrate on their studies without missing classes.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did well by giving us unconditional transfers. With this money, most of us now own assets, have been able to build decent houses among other things that we were not able to achieve on our own. I do not see anything that they did not do well.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent part of my transfer to purchase some sheep worth KES 20,000. Before then, I did not have any assets that I can lean on in case of financial challenges. I will also be selling the offsprings and use the money to pay school fees for my children. Also, I bought some building materials that I am using to build a house for my children. They are sleeping at my neighbor's house and due to this, they normally do not have enough time to study in the evening. I still have some amount that I will use to pay the mason and his hand's men once they are through with the construction work.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($546 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
attach_money
 
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
My life has greatly changed since I received my first transfer. It is always my happiness to see my family happy and healthy thus I always struggle to put a meal on the table and bring in more assets that we can lean on as a family during hard times. When I received my first transfer from GiveDirectly, I bought a cow using part of it. I look at it as an added asset and I believe soon it will calve thus give us milk for both household consumption and sales. I am happy that this has given me a peaceful mind in that It has reduced my thinking of what to lean on in case of a financial crisis. I feel empowered as a single mother to bring up my family and I thank GiveDirectly.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
My children had risen up early that morning preparing to go to school and I was also awake when I surprised by an incoming message. I went ahead to check and to my surprise, it was a Mpesa message confirming that I had received money from GiveDirectly. As a hopeless single mother relying on casual jobs, receiving the money was a much blessing to support my family from debts ranging from my children's school fees balances and daily household needs. I felt so happy and thankful for the money.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
Like a single mother without a formal job, low-paying casual jobs and poor farming has been my sources of income to see my family through. I have the ambition to educate my children for a better future of their lives as well as provide for them each day. This had always been challenging for me sending me to deep depression each day. When I received my first transfer, I spent the entire on my family wellness. I took KES30000 to buy a cow that has greatly changed our lives. We are so happy to have an asset to take pride in that has been a source of milk that has changed our daily diet. I took another KES20000 to pay for my children's school fees. It has been my happiness seeing them in school study without interruption like before. In addition, I spent the remaining amount on my household's daily basic needs.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 5 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Buying a dairy cow for milking @ $350 which will boost my income as a casual worker is what receiving this money means to me. This also means saving ksh 30 daily which i usually spend buying milk for family consumption. I will then use $480 of my transfer to pay school fees my four children in secondary school.
What is the happiest part of your day?
my usual day entails looking for casual jobs to engage in so as to earn some income at the end of the day. Coming back home after a successful day having earned some money to support the needs of my children, more so school fees and food makes this the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Unreliable source of income has been the biggest hardship i face in life. I do casual jobs in people's farm and these kinds of jobs are never a guarantee to get especially during prolonged dry seasons, which is a great challenge for me as a single mother with four children currently studying in secondary school