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.
Stages:
 
Enrollment
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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Martin's Profile
Martin's family
Martin
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
60
workCampaign
Standard Kenya
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53075 KES ($527 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I believe that my life is now different because I have items I never had before such as a new solar system together with the farm that I leased. I opted to lease the farm because I am so sure that by the time I harvest the sugarcane I will be able to get a return on investment by selling out the sugarcane to the Muhoroni sugar factory.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I believe that the organization does a good thing by giving unconditional cash transfer to the needy that mostly helps them change their lives by getting to own things that they never had before. There are those who use the transfers to build very beautiful houses while others spend the cash to educate their kids, which according to me is a positive impact.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I used the transfers to cultivate my farm in preparation for the new planting season that was just a few months away. I managed to plant sugarcane on a two acre farm which I leased at a cost of around twenty thousand shillings. I opted to go for the sugarcane plantation because that is the crop that does so well in this region. Apart from that, I also bought new steel doors and windows that I already fixed in my house to make the building a bit more secured apart from the beauty that comes with having such materials in the house.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($546 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
 
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I managed to buy a steel door. I am now sure of security because it is stronger than the current one.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment I received my transfer I felt very happy, I had never handled such an amount of money. I knew that I will buy all the things that I needed.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent part of my first transfer on purchasing a steel door and windows which I hope to fix on the main house. I also paid someone who used a tractor to prepare my parcel of land and deposited some amount for a cupboard to be made. Part of the money when on purchasing sugar cane seeds since this is what does well in our area being that the land had been fallow for three years due to lack of money to pay people who could work on my parcel of land.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 6 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means changing my life.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is, in the evening when I get some money after work, I can buy food to feed my family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I face is, how to feed my family.