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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Newsfeed > Mwenda's Profile
Mwenda's family
Mwenda
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Other
workCampaign
Kenya Basic Income
Upcoming Stage
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Follow to be updated on Mwenda's next check-in.
 
29th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 USD)
access_time 3 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My primary goal in the coming year and beyond is to start and complete the construction of a new house for my family. The new house will provide the much-needed safety for all my family members and offer enough space for everyone. To achieve this goal, I plan to use a portion of my subsequent transfers to purchase the necessary building materials, such as iron sheets and building poles. Once I have gathered all the materials, I will begin the construction process. I am determined to accomplish this goal before my current house collapses, ensuring a secure and comfortable living environment for my family. I am very grateful for the financial support from the transfers, which are helping me take care of my family and achieve some of my life goals.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My house is in a dilapidated condition, with the poles supporting it rotting away and failing to hold it up firmly. This situation has been jeopardizing the safety of my 10 family members who live in the house. Repairing it has been challenging because my husband and I have no well-paying jobs; we heavily depend on casual work like uprooting tree stumps and making charcoal for sale. Thanks to the financial assistance from the cash transfers, I was able to use a portion of the money to purchase building materials to construct a new house for my family. I spent $59 to buy five new pieces of iron sheets and $5 to purchase building poles. I am happy with the progress I have made in ensuring that I can build a safe and secure home for my family. Last month, I had a bad toothache and visited the hospital, where I paid $21 to have my tooth removed. I am relieved that I am well now and can continue my household chores without any struggles. I also spent $13 on food for my family, ensuring that they had enough to eat, and I purchased a hen for $4. I hope the hen will multiply, allowing me to sell some in the future to take care of my family. I am very happy and deeply appreciate the financial support I have received, which has helped me achieve some of my goals.
 
25th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($26 USD)
access_time 7 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I feel deeply grateful and happy for the help GiveDirectly has given me. They've given me the chance to get the support I needed to build a strong and safe house for my family, especially considering that our current house is on the verge of collapsing, especially with the rains going on. I've always wanted this, and the idea of finally having it makes me incredibly happy. It gives me hope for a better future. I can't thank GiveDirectly enough for everything they've done for me!
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My wish of providing my family with better housing was almost becoming futile, but GiveDirectly made it possible. My family lives in a very unconducive house, which makes me sad all the time because the state is very bad. With GiveDirectly, I have been able to purchase some iron sheets bit by bit while storing them until I get the required quantity. My target is to get 24 iron sheets for me to build a bigger house. I therefore used $75 of my transfers to buy 6 additional iron sheets, bringing them to a total of 13. I know I still have a long way to go, but I know I will make it, and this makes my family and I excited. I then used $17 to pay school fees for my children. This way, they will not be sent home to collect school fees. Finally, I used the remaining $12 to buy 4 chickens. With the chickens multiplying faster, it is easy to sell some and address pressing issues whenever need arises.
 
21st Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($22 USD)
access_time 11 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My goal is to provide a college-level education for all of my children. I firmly believe that education is the cornerstone of success, offering the promise of securing good work opportunities in the future. To work towards this goal, I have started saving my transfers, and I plan to continue setting aside subsequent transfers to actualize this dream. The ability to pursue my dreams through this organization brings me great joy, and I am sincerely grateful for the support extended to me.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My husband and I sustain ourselves through the demanding work of extracting tree stumps and selling charcoal. Supporting our family of ten with this income proves challenging, particularly in terms of providing education and adequate nutrition for our children. The recent transfers have been a source of profound gratitude, alleviating the struggles we faced. I successfully enrolled two children who were previously not attending school at the beginning of the project, ensuring that all of them now receive an education. Furthermore, the transfers allowed us to initiate repairs on our dilapidated house, significantly improving our living conditions. Allocating $73, I purchased corrugated sheets for the house, and an additional $8 was spent on treating my ailing son, who has since recovered. The remaining amount was used to buy food for our family as we had. I am happy with the progress I have made with my life and I am indebted to you.
 
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($24 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Upon receiving the unconditional transfers from Give Directly, an overwhelming sense of happiness and optimism engulfed me. Finally, I had the opportunity to fulfill my long-held dream of constructing a sturdy and comfortable house for my family. The current condition of our dwelling is dire, as it stands in a dilapidated state, posing a constant threat of collapse. However, with the iron sheets I have already acquired, I am one step closer to providing a new roof that will enhance the safety and security of our home. In addition to obtaining the iron sheets, I have devised a plan to purchase new poles to replace the decaying ones currently supporting our house. It is imperative to replace these compromised poles as they are already rotten, compromising the overall stability and structure of the building. By taking this necessary step, I can ensure a solid foundation and reinforce the integrity of our new dwelling. The assistance provided by Give Directly has filled me with profound gratitude and contentment. The opportunity to receive support from such a generous organization has granted me the means to address the pressing need for a safe and resilient home for my family. The prospect of building a new house brings immense joy and hope for a brighter future. I cannot express enough how thankful I am for the invaluable help bestowed upon me by Give Directly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Unfortunately, one of my relatives was diagnosed with tuberculosis and had to be admitted to the hospital. Tragically, the disease had a devastating impact on him, and he passed away. To give him a dignified burial, we pooled together some funds that were used for the necessary arrangements. I personally contributed $24 towards these expenses. Additionally, I purchased two pieces of iron sheets for $19. These sheets will be utilized in the construction of a new house, as our current shelter is in a dilapidated state with severe roof leakage issues. Acquiring these materials is a step towards providing a safer and more comfortable home for my family. Moreover, I invested $27 in purchasing a goat. This decision was motivated by the desire to accumulate wealth and have a long-term asset even after the five-year period of receiving financial transfers comes to an end. The goat represents a valuable resource that can provide stability and support for our family. Furthermore, I allocated $8 towards paying the school fees of my six children who attend Mutulu Primary School. This contribution ensured that they would not be turned away from school due to outstanding fees. Additionally, I used $8 to purchase necessary medicinal drugs for my son, who had fallen ill and required treatment. I am extremely grateful for the financial assistance I have received, as it has significantly improved the quality of life for me and my family.
 
14th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($25 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My primary goal is to construct a new house to replace the damaged one. The current state of the house is concerning, with a leaking roof that exposes my family to cold weather and potential health issues. I envision building a two-room house with mud walls and an iron sheet roof. To fund this project, I plan to primarily utilize the cash transfers I receive. The new house will provide a safer and more comfortable living environment for my family, shielding us from the elements and ensuring better health and well-being.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I purchased a single iron sheet for $9.50 to address the deteriorating condition of my house. The current state of my house is concerning, as the corroded iron sheets allow rainwater to enter, causing leaks. My goal is to accumulate enough funds to acquire approximately 18 iron sheets to construct a new house. At present, I do not have a stable job, and I occasionally engage in charcoal-making to provide for my family's needs. My husband also participates in this activity, which yields a very low income to help build the house. Additionally, I used $22.40 to buy maize flour as my household had run out of food three days before receiving the transfer. During that time, my seven children and I faced hunger and had to rely on borrowing food from neighbors. With the remaining funds, I bought a chicken intending to let it breed and then sell the grown chickens. Not only will the generated funds support the needs of my family, but they will also help me buy a goat. Am certain that rearing goats is a valuable opportunity to build wealth for my family.
 
10th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($28 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The transfer I have been getting for the last few months has been beneficial to me. My house had been in a pitiful state though I had to stay in it because I had no way out. It could occasionally leak during rainy seasons, and I regrettably lacked the funds to repair it. With the previous three months' transfers, I had been purchasing iron sheets that I used to mend the critical areas. I am glad that now, the roof is relatively better. I do not feel worried whenever I see signs of rain. However, because it is old and the wall is also weak, I have been saving some cash to buy 20 iron sheets for building a new mud-walled house. Lastly, I invested $10 in my small poultry farm. My goal is to raise more domestic fowl that I can sell later to begin raising goats.
 
6th Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($25 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used $23 to buy iron sheets for building a new house and used another $50 to buy food and other basic household needs for my family. I to then used another $10 to pay school fees for one of my children and the remaining $8 was used to buy poultry for keeping. I am a mother of 8 school going children and my husband and I rely on charcoal selling business to make ends meet in our family. Things have always been tough for us as a family since the business gives us very little amount of money or non at all sometimes. We have 8 children in school who needs our attention in terms of payment of school fees as well. It has been a real struggle for us taking them through school and we feel so much relieved having benefitted from GiveDirectly transfers. We have had our children being sent home for school fees most of the time and this has come as a huge relief to us. The frequency of having them sent home for school fees has greatly reduced since we are able to use some of the money that we get to pay their school fees and keep them in school. We have been living in a small and a very old structure that is roofed with iron sheets but the sheets are already leaking. It is getting dangerous staying there with my family since it may fall down anytime soon. It is for this reason that I am using part of my transfer to buy some building materials. The goal is to eventually build a bigger and better house. I am looking forward to building the new house before the end of next year.
 
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($26 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I want to give a thumb up to the staff in the customer care department at Give Directly. They are always ready to help in case of any challenges. However, I urge the organization to increase the monthly stipend so that we can counter the rise of essential commodities.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For the past year, I have had to persevere under the conditions of my leaking roof on rainy days. The roof is seriously leaking and as a result; I have to stay awake during the night and cover my property to avoid destruction. Therefore, when I received my transfer, I spent KES 1050 on buying 1 piece of iron sheet. I plan on buying more iron sheets to replace the worn-out ones currently in my house. Besides buying the iron sheet, I bought food for my family. I do not have a stable job and neither does my husband. We have six children who have school fees balances in school. I spend the little I earn from selling charcoal on buying food and partly on clearing the huge school fee balances. On some days, we sacrifice our meals and save the money to pay school fees to avoid the children being sent home.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($10 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was in the mosque with some of my family at the time transfer was sent since we had gone to worship. Even though I am not very old, I am unable to read my phone messages. I gave my phone to one of my children to check when I received the message. I was overjoyed when he confirmed that I had received my transfer. My happiness grew to the point where I could not restrain myself. We had gone hungry the night before and were unable to purchase food for the next day. Nothing I could do but to thank God for such a timely help.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
From the time I began receiving my transfer, the biggest difference in my life is having bought a chicken. The ones I previously had died and I had been wondering how I would begin raising some since I have not been able to get sufficient money to cater for my family needs as well as family development. Now I have the chicken, I look forward to raising more. In addition, I never had food, but now I have what can last my family for 5 consecutive days.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I immediately spent KES 250 on a chicken after receiving my transfer. I plan to raise domestic fowl to sell thethe intention of selling them later to supplement my family's income. I also used the remainder of the transfer to buy food because I did not have enough to eat at home. Because I do not have a source of income, my family of 12 was hungry and could not afford food. To survive, I only make charcoal. This is something we do as a family. In two weeks, this yields a maximum of KES 700 for us.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Life was enjoyable when my husband was working in town. He never failed to send home money every week (about 1000 KES). Approximately one year ago, he was stopped from working due to medical reasons. Back in the village, the only option was to burn charcoal which we have been doing to date. The yields (about 500 KES per week) is so little that we have failed to pay school fees for our three children. In the previous academic year, the two boys and one girl spent a whole term at home due to fee balances. Receiving the transfers will secure the education of my children. I will be saving 1500 KES a month for school fees as the rest is geared towards food and other basic needs.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Ramadhan is a month which is always welcomed with happiness as we take our prayers to Allah. This was not our case. As a family, we could not figure out how we could fast without food on the table for breaking. It was the first week of the month when we were called to the Mosque and to our surprise, we received food donations.The 10kgs of rice,10kgs of beans and 5kgs of wheat obtained has kept us enjoy the fasting season.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Besides being tiresome, charcoal burning gives us low income to sustain all the family needs. My husband, who was fired a year ago after working in town for more than two years has been helping me in doing the job. He developed chest problems attributed to it. Despite the fact that he is supposed to go for medication, he has not seized going to the field looking for logs for failure to do that equals to sleeping hungry. It has been our wish to start a small business of running a cafe but we have been disabled by lack of initial capital.