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
attach_money
 
Transfers
check
Completed
Newsfeed > Stella's Profile
Stella's family
Stella
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Other
faceAge:
35
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($468 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
check
 
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I delivered my three children through CS and this has made me so weak to a point that the doctors advised that I should not engage in any activity that requires more energy as it will implicate my health. Having fulfilled some of my goals using the transfer, it is my wish to acquire a water tank and to start a poultry project. This will enable me to support my spouse in meeting some of our needs and I will also be using the water tank to harvest rainwater for domestic use. By doing so, my children will not be going to the river to fetch water most of the time.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly is a God-sent organization to people living in abject poverty. With the financial aid that we received, we were able to transform our lives by building more permanent iron-roofed houses, paying school fees for our children, and acquiring livestock. When one visits our village and he had visited six months ago, he will notice the difference at a glance since there's no compound that lacks an iron-roofed house.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We had been living in a small portion of land and it came to a time when I sold all the livestock I had and used the money to buy two points of land so that we would have a place to plant maize for our consumption so that we would not be buying maize flour throughout the year. This made me start buying milk daily and I usually spend KES 60 on a liter. This is usually expensive to me as a way of curbing this in the future, I decided to buy a heifer worth KES 26000 after receiving our second transfer. Also, I spent KES 20000 building an iron-roofed kitchen for the family and used the remaining KES 7000 on food and medication since I was not feeling well. Building a more decent kitchen was a priority to me since the one we were using was grass thatched and the roof had started leaking whenever it rained.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($500 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
attach_money
 
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
At my first instance of opening the notification message on my phone, I was filled with joy and all I wished for was to always receive such great news every month. It was after a long wait as I received mine late in the afternoon when every other person in the village had received, withdrawn, and also celebrated their own. I had to call the office's hotline number more than once trying to find out the reason behind the delay on my side and was glad to finally be assured that I would be receiving it before the end of that day. The joy I had on receiving it was triggered by the bad memories of devastating wallow in poverty, stress, and struggles to support my tireless husband in providing for our children. Life had been so expensive that affording even a liter of milk every day had been a problem. I had to instantly withdraw the amount after informing my husband and children of the receipt and purchase the essential needs that we needed most in the immediate shopping center. I am still grateful for this support and praying hard for the success of the new projects I initiated in our household.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
It has always been a great joy in our household since I received the first transfer. It is unbelievable how that first transfer changed both the mood and brought back the bond we had sometimes back with my family. Sharing a meal on a common table every evening and reflecting on the great steps we have taken within the past few weeks has been amazing. Even though we subdivided the amount to serve various needs that we had, the biggest difference in my daily life is the joy of seeing the heifer and a bullock I bought. This gives not only me but also other members of my household a great hope of soon producing milk both for the household use and also surplus to sell from our own farm and also the ability to address any demanding emergency since we can sell the bull later.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Complete dependence on my husband who had been dependent on the seasonal contracts, and the casual jobs within the nearby town had not been easy. Our four kids have never been any happier since all eyes have been on my struggling husband after I got ill after undergoing repeated cesarean sections and complications while giving birth. I had not been able to handle heavy tasks as the stitched points on my lower abdomen keep sending me back to the hospital whenever I strain. On receiving the first transfer, I spent the first KES 7000 on obtaining two sacks of maize as we had not been planting them due to the poor corn performance in our locality. Having been spending a lot in buying milk from the neighborhood, I also invested KES 37500 on an in-calf heifer and a bullock that we will be rearing with great expectation to soon start milking after calving down. I also managed to replace the old utensils after spending KES4050 to buy new ones, bought a new piece of furniture at KES6100. I am glad that I did a lot with the first transfer and hopeful to accomplish a lot after receiving the second one.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means healthy life for my kid's and plenty nutrients from the milk. I always buy milk since I don't have a cow and it's very expensive hence I can't get enough for my kid's. I will set aside ksh 60,000 to buy two Dairy cows that will give me a total of 15 liter's a day and my kids will have enough milk to drink the remaining amount I will use it to build a house
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of the day is in the evening around 8pm, this is usually the time I am done preparing dinner for my family and I get time to relax and watch my favorite tv program.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial constraints has been a big set back for me and my family, I have underwent operation three times when I deliver my children. The hospital bills was huge and left me without any money for foodstuffs and school fees for the children.