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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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Completed
Newsfeed > Fiath's Profile
Fiath's family
Fiath
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
31
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
3rd Payment
Transfer Amount
45000 KES ($319 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent $280 on purchasing a 2000-liter water storage tank. We frequently have water scarcity during the dry season, therefore the tank will collect and store water during the rainy season which will later be used during dry season. By having the tank, we can avoid the high costs of purchasing water during times of scarcity. Additionally, I used $27 to expand the road to my home, as it was too narrow and posed difficulties for vehicles to pass through. Improving the accessibility and convenience of our road was important for our daily transportation needs. Given the unreliable nature of my income, which is heavily dependent on farming activities as it is susceptible to weather changes, I used the remaining funds from the transfer to buy food for my family of five. I am optimistic that the food will last us for a month.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I love GD mode of entry to the community. They first holds community engagement meetings as their point of contact with the community. From the meetings, we have the chance to learn more about the organization, its goals, and its underlying motives to people. I have not realized anything that the organization should do better.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
For the coming year and beyond, I am planning to prioritize and expand my tomato farming activities by leasing an extra piece of land and ensuring timely agricultural practices. By doing this, I aspire to get good income from it to enable me cater for my child's secondary education fee. This will ensure my child receives a quality education and experiences uninterrupted schooling.
 
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
45000 KES ($338 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The assistance provided by GiveDirectly is the most valuable gift I have ever received. Their officers were exceptional in explaining the program, guiding us on what was required, and creating a space where we could express our thoughts. We were treated with the highest regard and without any discrimination during the sensitization meetings. Furthermore, they provided us with the security information that helped us protect our funds. Overall, I believe that the program's operations are flawless and there are no issues that need addressing.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After receiving my second transfer, I immediately thought of paying my son's boarding school fees, as it was the most pressing financial obligation at that time. I utilized $120 for this purpose, even though our income was low and we had other financial responsibilities. My husband and I are both farmers, and we have five children. Furthermore, I used part of the transfer to acquire additional goats to supplement the one I already had. This was a prudent investment that I could not afford before due to financial constraints. We are grateful for the support from GiveDirectly, which went a long way in enhancing our livelihoods.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My ambition in the coming year and beyond is to construct a decent house for my family, as our current dwelling is not up to standard. To realize this aspiration, I intend to allocate more resources towards farming, so that I can leverage the profits earned towards the house project. Although it may take some time, I remain hopeful that I will eventually achieve this goal.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
18010 KES ($146 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Two days after receiving my first transfer, I went to a nearby shopping center, where I collected the entire amount and spent $10 on drugs for my goats. I spent $170 on iron sheets, 7 timber, 6 frames, and $10 on transportation because I needed to build a new house, which is still in progress. I started the construction the next day after paying the $40 labor charge. I have always lived in a small house with my family of seven, and because I am the second wife in a polygamous family, my husband has not helped much with the construction work because he has responsibilities in the other household. I am yet to finish the construction and will move in once I have obtained all of the necessary construction materials.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the building of a new home for my five children. I have been sleeping with them in the same house, where no one has privacy, and I have never felt at ease because we share a common space. I am relieved that they will soon have their own room in which to store their belongings and sleep every night.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received a message notification around 3:40 p.m. confirming the receipt of my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I was at the farm with my spouse, who confirmed after reading through the message's content that it was the transfer we had anticipated from GiveDirectly. We were unable to collect the funds on the same day since it was late, but on the following day, I went to a nearby shopping center and spent a portion of the transfer on livestock drugs after withdrawing.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 2 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
As a family, farming is our support system. However, we have not had the capital to extend largely to farming fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, watermelons, and butternuts whose profits are 3 fold. We have concentrated on maize because the Kenya Seed Company provides the inputs that they deduct from the harvest after the grading. Sadly, this pay takes long as it comes at the end of each year. We do not have an additional source of income and we have to wait for the next cycle of the harvest to earn. This pains me because the expenses incurred by a family of 7 in the 6 months between cycles are way too much and I have to sometimes sell the goats for support.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Words have it that happiness begins at home and home is not buildings but people. I am always happy when I find rest with my family of 7 after a long day on the farms. Over the weekends we toil together on the farms as we reminisce about the days that passed.
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
Ever since I got married here in 2018, I have concentrated on maize farming alone for a lack of capital to extend largely to horticulture. However, I have been yearning to farm tomatoes and watermelons because the profits earned are thrice the expenses incurred. Unfortunately, I have not had the capital to venture into it as the income earned from maize farming all caters for household food. When I receive the transfers, I intend to use KES 50000 to sow butternuts and maize on my 1-acre piece of land and I will be grateful that my family of 7 will be food secure as well as financially stable. In addition, I will pay school fees for my daughter who will be joining grade 9 in January 2023.