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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Enrollment
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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Viola's Profile
Viola's family
Viola
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Small business
faceAge:
28
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($482 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Had it not been for the transfer from GD, I wouldn't have been able to provide the basic needs of food, shelter and education for my family like I am able to do now. As a single mother of four, I am the sole provider for my family. This has placed a huge financial burden on my shoulders, which is an extremely painful situation to be in. The money I earn from farming is not enough to cater for our living expenses. Oftentimes, I am left penniless, yet there are so many demands. Things changed however, when I received the transfer from GD. The dairy cow I acquired gives us a steady supply of milk for use in the household. We also sell the surplus and are able to earn money. Additionally, I have been able to build a good house for my children and I, which is more spacious and comfortable than before. I paid their school fees and do not have to worry about their learning being interrupted because of lack of school fees. Our lives have transformed for the better, and I'm grateful to GD for that.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has done well in helping the needy in society. With the transfers from GD, many people have been able to build houses and acquire livestock. This has given us means to provide food, shelter and clothing for our families. I'm satisfied with everything that GiveDirectly does and so I do not think there's anything that is not done well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Being a single mother of four is difficult. I am not formally employed and depend on farming to earn a living. This is not a stable source of income, and I can barely afford to provide basic needs for my family. This is why I was overjoyed when I received the cash transfer from GiveDirectly. I spent KES 32,000 on purchasing a dairy cow. The supply of milk from the cow can sustain my family and we can sell the surplus and earn money. Furthermore, I spent KES 17,000 on building a house that is spacious enough to accommodate my children and I. Lastly, I spent KES 4,150 on paying school fees for my children to ensure they stay in school and learn.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($508 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was all happiness marked by celebrations the moment I received my first transfer. I was grateful that living in the old house I initially had was soon coming to an end as it was too old and small to be renovated. I was also lucky that my brother was already willing to give me a piece of land enough to construct a new house and will be living there with my three children after fleeing my husband amidst several threats to kill us.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life after receiving the transfer is the complete construction of my new house. Living in the small one was really hard for us as it was also too old to be renovated. I had been in prayers as I promise my children a better future even though I was never sure of it. I am grateful that all I had been praying for finally came to pass.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
As a single mother to my three kids, it has never been that easy for me to meet their individual needs as well as other crucial household needs. It has been a struggle trying to balance and ensuring that all the basics were always available. Over a long period of time, we had been living in a small flat-roofed structure that would give us such a hard time during rainy seasons. The construction of a new one after receiving the transfer was a priority as I needed a spacious one with at least an extra room for my children. I also managed to purchase a cow with 15000KES, school uniforms, and also foodstuff for the household.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I got separated from my husband one year ago and since then I have been solely fending for my four kids. With little capital to invest in my fruit parlour business, I intend to inject 20,000 shillings from the transfer to introduce more varieties of fruits. I will also use an additional 22,000 shillings to cater for the basic needs of my kids like food and clothing. For the remaining amount, I intend to buy a small piece of land at cost of 50,000 shillings and use the proceeds from my already expanded business to gradually construct a house of my own.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am a business lady and I mostly sell fruits in a nearby market center. My happiest part of the day is in the morning. This is because this is the time I fetch fruits in people's farms and sometimes during market days. The assurance of having a productive day in terms of sales is when I have enough fruit stock for the day. I have regular customers who love fruits and the more I fetch, the more the sales and the more the profits.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I got separated from my husband one year ago due to some domestic violence. I had stayed in this marriage for twelve years while receiving frequent abuse. The violence got extreme almost one year ago that I had to make a hard decision of leaving him for good through the help of the local administration. It pains me to raise my kids all alone and answering the frequent questions from my kids on the whereabouts of their father.