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 > Christiner's Profile
Christiner's family
Christiner
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Small business
faceAge:
62
workCampaign
Standard Kenya
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53075 KES ($512 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
check
 
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
GiveDirectly is really a champion of development as attributed by the kind of lifestyle we are living now. As they said people rice from grass to grace, so do we. We have made significant changes since we started receiving the transfers which in my opinion; were it not for this money we would not have done anything better. Both subsistence and livestock farming which we have always rely on was failing but after getting the transfers, things turn around and even without good production from our farms, we were still able to buy enough foodstuff for the household.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly, in my opinion, has really done a great job in our village. It has changed the lives of many by enabling them to conquer a lot which was seemingly hard for them in the past. It was a good idea and it's our feeling that GiveDIrectly made a good decision by giving people money and allowing them to decide on their own on how to spend. This brought diversification in the village in that everyone was trying his best to see his money improving their livelihood. Although we are celebrating the great outcome after receiving the money, we are still feeling that GiveDirectly could have done their work better by ensuring that everyone completes the started projects. Some members of the village were at first seeing the money as a big sum of money until they start spending that they realized that it wasn't going to complete what they had started. GiveDirectly would have come back and by so doing they would have found a need to still fund the incomplete projects and leaving everyone smiling of the great accomplishment.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
Before receiving the transfer from GiveDirectly, I was really struggling a lot in sourcing water both for use in the farm and for domestic purposes. I decided to spend the first 10000 KES of my second transfer on buying an irrigation pump which at the moment is a multipurpose pump. I am using it both in irrigating my small piece of land and pumping water to the cattle troughs. I have stopped walking for long distances in search of water for the livestock since the pump has brought a lot of simplicity. I also bought maize worth 6000 KES, clothing, and mattress worth 24000 KES, household goods and decided to save the remaining 21000 KES since we have a plan to construct a new house in our household.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($548 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 these transfers have enabled to replace iron sheets, plough land using a tractor and as transport to and fro the hospital.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
When I received the money I was very excited because I had never handled such an amount even from my business.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent KES 16000 on buying iron-sheets and labor for hire, KES 3000 spent on a bag of maize corn, KES 3900 on three mattresses, KES 3000 on a sheep, KES 3000 on tractor for hire, KES 10,000 on transport to and from a far hospital,and the rest on clothes and clothes.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 6 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been desiring to add the number of dairy cows since I am engaged in a milk business and thus want to increase the number of cattle. Receiving this money means I will increase my profit and thus improve my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the morning since waking up healthy and seeing a new day makes me jovial and rejuvinated.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Since my husband became sick three years ago, I have been left to fend for my family single handedly yet the small business I do cannot sustain the whole family. That has been the biggest hardship I have faced in my life.