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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Completed
Newsfeed > Mapenzi's Profile
Mapenzi's family
Mapenzi
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Other
workCampaign
Kenya Basic Income
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Mapenzi's next check-in.
 
26th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($24 USD)
access_time 25 days ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My major goal is to finish building our house; achieving this will ensure our family's comfort. Additionally, I intend to sell the livestock I currently possess and acquire dairy cows. By supplying milk in the village, I aim to establish a sustainable source of income. Furthermore, I plan to invest in bulls for ploughing, diversifying our sources of income. With these endeavors, I look forward to a brighter future filled with stability and prosperity, all made possible by the generosity of GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
With the GiveDirectly monthly cash transfers, I finally had the means to purchase building materials worth $28. I've been longing to expand our cramped living space barely accommodating our growing family. Without the assistance from GiveDirectly, affording these materials would have remained a dream. Now, with the hope of a larger home, I feel a renewed sense determination. Managing a small charcoal business and my husband's income as a fisherman, our combined earnings of $25 is hardly enough for our family of four, let alone the additional seventeen relatives we support. So, I allocated $20 towards purchasing food and essential household items, ensuring everyone's basic needs were met. I then used $1 to settle a debt for solar lighting, an investment that was previously out of reach. With $10 contributed to a savings group, I now feel more secure in facing unexpected emergencies. Thanks to GiveDirectly, what once seemed impossible has become a reality, and for that, I'm grateful.
 
21st Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 6 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have a plan to expand my current small house, which currently lacks an outdoor kitchen. Cooking inside results in a constant smoky environment, making it uncomfortable for everyone, especially my four-month-old child who is particularly sensitive to the smoke. At times, it gets so unbearable that I have to send the other children to stay with their grandparents. To address this issue, I am determined to acquire the necessary construction materials such as iron sheets and building poles. This expansion will provide a proper outdoor kitchen and alleviate the smoky conditions within the house. Additionally, I plan to set aside a portion of the funds for purchasing more goats. Currently, I own one goat, and my long-term goal is to increase their number, with the ultimate aim of eventually trading them for a cow. This not only enhances the comfort of our living conditions but also serves as an investment in our family's future.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent $40 from my recent transfers to invest in livestock, specifically acquiring a goat and poultry. My motivation for this decision is to secure funds for my children's future education. Given their current age, the prospect of covering their educational expenses when the time comes could pose a financial challenge. Thus, the livestock will serve as a financial resource when that time arrives. Additionally, I purchased new clothing for them as their previous garments were worn out. Furthermore, I also paid $4.5 for lighting, ensuring a stable source of power. In addition to this, I purchased four gallons of water for the household at a cost of $4. Lastly, having previously saved some funds, I decided to purchase a new mattress worth $45 and replaced the old one which was in poor condition. Thanks to GiveDirectly, these investments have enhanced the comfort and our well-being in the household.
 
18th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($25 USD)
access_time 9 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I acquired a solar panel, which has been beneficial in providing lighting to my household. I used to buy kerosene daily to fuel my lamp, which was costly to me. I acquired the solar panel on credit terms, and my goal is to complete the payments on time using the transfer. Once I clear the amount, I am planning to buy more livestock, such as goats, to keep. I currently have five goats, and I want to buy more since they are assets that I can also rely on in case of financial difficulty.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
As a parent, my goal has always been to ensure that my family has enough to eat despite my bad financial situation. My long-standing source of income has been the production and sale of charcoal, which does not pay much. Sometimes, when I could not sell the charcoal, we could stay for some days without eating. Receiving the transfer was a relief to me because it ensured that food is adequate in my household. Also, since charcoal burning is also tedious and has some negative health effects, I no longer engage in it. I also spent around $50 on buying two goats that I am currently rearing. I own five goats and my plan is to let them reproduce and eventually assist me when I am in a financial crisis. At the very least, raising livestock is a better project than burning and selling charcoal, which has been harmful to my health. I also acquired a solar panel on credit, and I have been paying $10 monthly installments to settle the debt. I am happy that I have been paying without delay. The solar panel has been helpful in providing lighting in my home and also charging my devices. I would still be using the kerosene lamps if not for the solar panel, which is costly.
 
14th Payment
Transfer Amount
3470 KES ($27 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?
I have a strong passion for education and am determined to make sure my son has a bright future by making sure he attends school without mishaps. My strategy is to use the transfer proceeds to purchase goats, which will ultimately multiply and increase my initial investment. I'm free to sell some of the goats if my son needs to pay for school in the future and use the proceeds to pay for his education up to the highest level he will be able to reach.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
While I am a casual worker making a living selling charcoal in the village, my husband is a fisherman. The severe weather that has dried up most of the rivers where my husband goes fishing has put his job in danger. Due to this, I am now the family's sole provider as my husband no longer goes for fishing. I don't make nearly enough money from selling charcoal to support the family's needs, which include paying for food, school expenses, and prescription drugs. We have been forced to skip meals due to the current economic situation because we cannot afford to buy food. Upon receiving my transfers, I spent $15 on buying food for my family. The family's supply of food ran out, and because we had to buy food on credit, we also ran up enormous debts. Finally, I used the $20 to purchase three hens. The hens are an investment for the future because they will quickly multiply in number and double my initial investment.
 
10th Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($25 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My husband is a fisherman, and I am a charcoal vendor in the village. Together, we have a child. Purchasing a goat was our major plan of the month, with harsh climatic conditions at the moment. People are selling them at a throwaway price to raise money for other foodstuffs. Therefore, I used $350 an acquiring one and then spent $250 on the foodstuffs and lastly used the remaining amount of $200 and $100 on my child's clothes and household items, respectively. Knowing that I was able to achieve a lot makes me the happiest person thus I am grateful.
 
6th Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($26 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I make a living selling fried fish at the market. On a good day, I make roughly KES 500 in gross income, all of which goes back into the business in the form of stock, leaving me with barely enough to meet my necessities. Sometimes, I make nothing to procure food with. In fact, the household had run out of food two days before the transfers.  As a result, I spent KES 2,000 on meals for my family, starving for having had nothing to eat from the previous night.  To avoid service disconnection, I repaid my solar energy bill with KES 1,000.
 
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($27 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The aid GiveDirectly gives to people is one of the things it does well. It is helping people living in poverty. Now one has the money buy what they want, for example. to buy bedding like mattresses and blankets. I do not have any suggestions on things GiveDirectly can improve on.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received the first transfer, I was needed to pay the mason who was working on our house. I was building our house at that time and needed to pay the worker; hence, I used KES 1200 to pay him. The second transfer went towards acquiring a goat that I intend to rare for domestic use. Since goats are costly at this time, I used the whole KES 3000 in the purchase.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was on a Thursday around 9am and I had taken my phone to be charged. As I was coming back to continue with my daily chores I had some exciting news from my neighbour that the funds have already been sent.I ran back anxiously to the shop which was charging my phone and I was very happy to have received my first share of the funds.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving the transfers from GiveDirectly is I have moved in my new home.I was not sure that I will be able to move in my new home which is more spacious and conducive for my 3month old baby.Givedirectly has also given me hope that I can achieve all my other goals with the promise of the 5 year support program.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I had started construction of my home and I was on the final stage which is the roofing. I bought all the materials in hope I will be able to complete the structure but due to financial constraints I was not able to pay the roofing contractor.Once I received my first transfer I paid KES 1000 to my roofing contractor who finalised and on the same day I was excited to move in my new home.The remaining KES 100 I bought coconut oil and baby powder for my 3 month old baby ,and used KES 70 to buy 1/2kg of beans.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means completion of my house. I have been struggling to build a new two-bedroom semi-permanent house for my family to add on the one-bedroom house I currently own. I am planning to spend 30,000KES to complete my house and cover the roof with iron sheets for durability. I will use a further 20,000KES to buy a 5 feet by 6 feet bed and a mattress for our son, my husband and I. I will later use 24,000KES to enroll for a tailoring course in a nearby institution. I will later use my tailoring skills to work in the village given that the nearest tailor is 1 kilometre away.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I gave birth to my first born baby three weeks ago. We named him Victor. This brought happiness in my life and everyone in the family was happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest challenge I am facing is lack of money to attend to my family's basic needs such as food and clothing. This is because both my husband and I are jobless and we only rely on my father-in-law's fishing occupation to survive. Sometimes we go without food for several days because we lack money to buy food.