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 > Richard's Profile
Richard's family
Richard
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labor
faceAge:
52
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($466 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
After my daughter picked her first year in college all my consecrations have been focused on raising her school fees. At the moment, I am still working on the same and don't have any other new goal but to keep her in school without being disturbed due to the lack of school fees.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Our village transformed a lot since GiveDirectly came in. Both livestock and subsistence farming changed a lot, and the construction of new houses that were facilitated by GiveDirectly can be seen. We are happy and thankful that the support came right when we needed it the most and allowed us to spend on all we had been wishing to accomplish. Nothing was done contrary to our expectations by GiveDirectly a reason behind everyone's happiness.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Farming has been very helpful and the easiest source of income in my household. I have always invested heavily in it, and the outcome hardly disappoints since we have always enjoyed sufficient foodstuff except when we have been affected by severe droughts. With the second transfer, I managed to spend a chunk of it on improving my subsistence farming. I spent KES 8650 to till my piece of land, purchasing farm inputs that included fertilizers and seeds, and also payment of labor during planting. I also spent KES 10000 on school fees for my daughter, obtained a dairy cow that came with a calf at KES 25000 to cut the huge expenses that I had been spending on buying milk for my family of 10. We are now enjoying enough supply of milk from the cow and hopefully, I will be able to acquire another one in the future. After a poor harvest in the previous season, I had to add s two sacks of maize to my food store at KES 6000 and also dressed my two children with a pair of new clothing each worth KES 2500. I used the remaining in equipping my elder daughter who was starting her first year in college.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($499 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Receiving the transfer came with great excitement to me despite being in a mourning mood when I received it. My sister-in-law had passed away and we were preparing for her send-off ceremony which was almost starting when I received the Mpesa message. I informed my wife and despite all that we were passing through, we could still manage to smile as this money gave us hope that we could still achieve our plans as a family.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I am now a proud owner of a dairy cow as I was able to purchase one using my transfer. Due to this, I will be able to save the KES 2000 this month that I would have used to pay our milk supplier. In addition to this, I will soon start earning an income through supplying milk to our nearest cooler plant as it is almost calving.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my transfer, I used KES 7000 to pay school fees for my daughter who had been sent back home and bought a dairy cow worth KES 33000 as a way of investing this money. When it reproduces, my family will have enough milk for consumption and for sale to earn an income. Also, I will be able to save the money I would otherwise use in buying milk as I have been spending KES 2000 monthly on them. In addition, I used KES 8000 to buy two sacks of maize and other foodstuffs and managed to use the remaining KES 6000 on utensils and clothes for my family.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am a peasant farmer, I also do casual work to fend for my family. The biggest challenge I have been facing is paying school fees for my children,I struggle alot .I have sold three of my cows to cater for their school fees. I intend to use this money to pay for college fee and high school fees. This will cost me approximately USD 700. The rest of the money I will use to purchase a dairy cow since I sold the ones I had .
What is the happiest part of your day?
Normally I do casual work. A times coming by these jobs is hard ,when Iam lucky to get one it lightens my day and makes me happy because I know I will get something for my family. It's usually in the morning hours when I set for these jobs ,so my happiest part of the day is in the morning.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Honestly, the biggest challenge I have been facing is raising school fees. I have no means at all ,casual labour does not pay much ,it's just little to buy household goods but for the fee it is really a tall order.