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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 > Maureen's Profile
Maureen's family
Maureen
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Subsistence farming
faceAge:
29
workCampaign
Standard Kenya
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($526 USD)
access_time over 4 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 different in that I already have a piece of land that I bought with the money. This has allowed me and my family to relocate to a different location having bought this piece of land. We already had our first harvest of maize from this farm and we like our new way of life. This has at the same time allowed me to make other valuable family investments like livestock keeping that will change our living standards positively in the long run.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly did so well in giving us money unconditionally. This money has empowered us in one way or another in empowering our lives. The piece of land that I have since bought with the money has enabled me to plan for further income generating activities like farming that will bring about a change in the living standards of my family. On the other hand, I did not find anything with GiveDirectly that I thought they should have done better.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I used part of my second transfer to make a remaining payment on a piece of land that I had bought with my first transfer. The piece of land that we were staying in was so small and we always wanted to buy our own so that we could at least practice subsistence farming that would propel us towards being food sufficient. I also used part of it to buy a dairy cow. I wanted to have a cow of my own that would help me feed my children well with a balanced diet while I sell the surplus to earn the family that extra income.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($533 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have bought a new land. I have
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment I received my money I felt so happy because I have never received such amount of money Before. I knew I would be able to buy land for farming.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spend my first transfer on buying a small piece of land and the rest of the money I used it to buy building materials ready to build a new house. Before we were living in a small piece of land we did not have a place for farming.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 5 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I would like so much to own a piece of land where I will plant crops for subsistence use and sell the surplus to get money.This will be my first priority when I receive the transfers.On this same piece of land I will rear a dairy cow which I do not have for now and start dairy farming.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I spend most of my midmorning and afternoons in the farm.I plant maize and beans and for now it is time for weeding.After farm work I do cleaning around my compound then visit friends and family later in the evening.I enjoy this evenings especially when I visit my sister who lives across the village.We get to share and encourage each other especially on issues pertaining family and marriage.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
We live in a very small piece of land as a family.This is the ancestral land which has been subdivided among five sons among them my husband.Since we mainly depend on agriculture the piece is too small.If we had a bigger land I could do meaningful farming and livestock keeping which will help me feed and educate my children.Farming is my only hope of getting some income since I did not complete my studies which could get me employment.This is the biggest hardship I have faced since family upkeep is very important to me.