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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 > Chepkemoi's Profile
Chepkemoi's family
Chepkemoi
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
28
workCampaign
Standard Kenya
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($523 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 currently different from how it was in that, I managed to expand my saloon business. I currently, run my saloon with confidence since most of my clients get there preferred service be it blow dry or pedicure. The income is way better than the low wages I used to get before because the business was under stocked due to financial constraints . It was difficult to make future plans with the profits and the ones I got could only afford to meet most of my family's basic needs. Unlike before, today I am a happy and lucky business woman who supports her family with less struggles .
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well through uplifting the living standards of the poor households who were willing and eligible for the project. Every eligible household received 110,000 KES to acquire what they lacked the most . I do not see what GiveDirectly did wrong at its work .
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I used 30,000 KES of my second transfer to complete building the new house that I had started constructing with the first transfer. I am glad that I can enjoy the comfort of my house since the house fits so well . I have saved the remaining amount since I intend to use it in restocking my saloon business .
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($537 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I now have a booming hair dressing business. This was occasioned by the blow drying machine that I bought with the transfers. This machine has seen me have more customers in my business and has shifted my profits from the KES 400 that I used to make each day to a whooping KES 600 to KES 1000 a day. I feel so indebted for the support I received from GiveDirectly.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I felt so happy the moment I received the money from GiveDirectly. I woke up early in the morning that day to the good news that I had just received a sum of KES 55000. I couldnt believe in my eyes. I was expecting to receive this money but the thought of receiving KES 55000 from someone who did not expect me to pay them back made me so happy. I knew that I would be able to accomplish a lot with the money and make a difference in my life now and in the days to come.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I used KES 30000 to buy a dairy cow. I had one dairy cow already and I saw the need of adding another one so that I could get more empowered to meet the cost of my needs and make a difference in the living standards of my family. This shall be actualized more especially when they reproduce and I get milk to sell and earn income. I also bought a blow drying machine worth KES 5000 to improve my hair dressing business. Initially, I used to only do hair dressing and I did not have the capacity to do blow dry something that saw me lose a lot of customers and consequently reduced my profits. I am now doing very well in my hair dressing business and I get much more income than I used to get before. I am looking forward to having more customers and generating a lot of profits that will change my living standards and that of my entire family in the long run.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 4 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My husband and I are dairy farmers. For a long time, preparing food for our cows has been a challenge. But when we heard about GiveDirectly cash transfer program and now that we are potential beneficiaries, our ambition is to buy a chaff cutter machine for more efficiency. This is going to promote our dairy farming as far as hay preparation and saving time is concerned. I am so glad to be part of the program and this is what receiving the money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Whereas I am a farmer, I am also a part time hairdresser. My beauty parlor is located in a shopping center about two and a half kilometers away. Most of the time I attend to my clients in the evening which is my peak hours. I enjoy it when I spend quality time for a job I like. This is the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My mother in law was diagnosed with diabetes and has been I'll for a long time. While it is hard to get money for our own household needs, my husband and I have had to shoulder the responsibility of meeting the cost of some of her medication. We do not have a sustainable source of income and my biggest worry is that we may soon fail to raise money to foot her bills and increasing trips to the hospital. This is the biggest hardship I've faced in my life.