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 > Mercy's Profile
Mercy's family
Mercy
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
27
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($492 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is better now in that I have livestock which I managed to buy with the transfers which I received. I couldn't afford to buy any since I was struggling to provide food for my family. Again, I bought furniture which we put on our house which had none. Now we have comfortable seats which when we have guests they can seat on comfortably
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well by supporting us in our village. I didn't noticed anything which was not good about this amazing organization
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My second transfers which I received from GiveDirectly, I spent KES 26000 to buy a dairy cow for milk production. The remaining portion, I spent KES 14000 on buying furniture for our new house. I also spent KES 4000 on buying a sheep for rearing. The rest I spent on buying clothes for my children.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($501 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was at 12pm when I had just finished work in someone's farm and was heading back home when I saw the transfer message. I was very excited and told my husband about it and he was very excited as well.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My son had been looking for a place to sleep from his friends and now he has his own house and his own beddings and this is a big difference in our lives since he feels ownership of his own house.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I built a house for my son and bought him beddings. I also bought school uniforms for my children. I bought a bag of maize to be used as food bought clothes for my family members.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have one son who is a teenager yet we still sleep under the same roof. According to our culture, grown up children are not supposed to sleep in the same house with their parents but circumstances have forced us to. Receiving this money will enable me to build a two-roomed house for him. I will buy 24 pieces of iron sheets at the cost of 500 shillings and 20 pieces of roofing frames at the cost of shillings 300 each and buy household furniture.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when I am resting after my daily duties.This is the time I also sit with my family as we take supper. Their presence is very important and helps me to relax.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced is lack of food. For the past 7 years, my 1-acre farm only yields not more than 2 bags of maize seasonally and this can hardly take us through 4 months. In this case, therefore, I constantly engage in casual jobs on people's farms to provide for my family. Casual jobs are so hard and earns little that cannot sustain a family like mine. We are struggling to survive and we are often forced to skip meals because we cannot afford 3meals a day.