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
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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Sharon's Profile
Sharon's family
Sharon
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labour
faceAge:
31
workCampaign
Standard Kenya
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($517 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
We lived in a small pieces of land we inherited from our parents. A piece that couldn't allow much of farming due to it size. As a farmer, I felt demoralized of this resource and always worked towards getting a better piece. I had bought a cow using part of my transfer as away of investing and saving the transfer. I later on sold the cow to buy a piece of land in the neighborhood. I see this piece as a product of GiveDirectly and I thank them a lot. I can currently expand my farming to the new piece thus have better yields that I can sell to meet other family needs.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, we have been supported by GiveDirectly to stand for our families. As a community, we have different needs and being a chance to spend the transfer on our choices made GiveDirectly a unique organization. I thank them and urged them to continue helping the needy.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I had a small old grass thatched house before we GiveDirectly came to our village. My kitchen was slowly wearing out, grass had started peeling off as well as walls cracking but I could not change the situation due to lack of enough resources. When I received my second transfer, I used KES30000 to build an iron roofed kitchen and another one for my sons. I bought an heifer worth KES10000 as a way of investing part of the transfer. I spent the remaining on my household daily basic needs.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($537 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
Since I was able to buy a dairy cow using the money I received from GiveDirectly, I no longer buy milk unlike before as I have mine now. This makes me happy as my children get enough milk to drink. The fact that I now have a cow makes me happy and proud since its an asset that increases in number over time and this is so far the biggest difference I have ever experienced in my daily life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 5.00 am in the morning when I received a message indicating that I had received the money I had been waiting for from GiveDirectly. At that instant, I was filled with happiness since I have never handled such a huge amount of money before. Instead of going back to sleep, I decided to glorify God by singing and praying silently so that I could not disturb my children who were still sleeping.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I have a been buying milk and maize flour on a daily basis and this is quite expensive owing to the fact that I do not have a source income. Sometimes when I do not have money, my family goes for a day with only one meal and this usually saddens me. When I received my first transfers, I decided to use part of it in buying a daily cow and two sacks of maize so that it would last us for some time without having to buy them. I also used the remaining amount in the purchase of fertilizers, maize seeds and in tilling my farm so that I could also plant on time like other people.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money is a very great opportunity.For me it is like a dream come true,I have always yearned to own a dairy cow which is now possible with these transfers.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening.It is then that we have re-united at home as a family and everyone is sharing the day's encounters which is usually fun.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My brother in law's state of health is the biggest hardship I have faced in my life.His spinal cord got injured after he got involved in a motorcycle accident 2 years ago.He spent almost 3 months in an internsive care unit which really drained us financially as a family.It saddens me whenever i think of the fact that he will remain bedridden for the rest of his life and his dreams were cut short.