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 > Stela's Profile
Stela's family
Stela
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labor
faceAge:
33
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($467 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
At the moment, I do not have any new goals that I did not have before receiving the transfer. I am glad I managed to achieve the most pressing needs which were purchasing a water tank and clearing my children's school fees balance. Walking for more than two hours in search of water was really draining me both physically and emotionally. This will not be the case anymore because I can now harvest rainwater. My children too can concentrate in class because they are no longer sent back for school fees. I have seen immense improvement in their performance.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, visiting people at the homestead during enrollment was the best initiative by Give Directly. It creates the bond of togetherness and people also get to ask all the questions and raise the concerns they have toward the Give Directly program. They also do well by giving people money without any conditions. This allows the beneficiaries to spend the money freely without being worried about how to refund.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
With my second transfer, I opted to purchase a 3000 liters water tank worth KES 28000 for harvesting rainwater water. The nearest source of water is about 2 hours walk from my home. In most cases, I could spend half of my fetching water. This deprived me of the energy and time to do other activities like farm work hence I ended up letting my crops be overgrown by weeds. I am glad I now harvest enough water storage and I have never gone to the river since I bought the water tank. I am more productive especially on the farm since I have ample time tending to my crops. KES 20000 I spent on seats for my household. Previously we only had two seats, and they could not fit my family of 8. The children, therefore, had to sit on the ground in most cases. I feel so proud for owning such seats. My small income from subsistence farming could barely meet a whole day's meal so budgeting for seats was not anywhere in our budget. The rest of the money I spent on foodstuffs for my family.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($489 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was very happy to receive a message from Givedirectly confirming a receipt of Kshs, 55,000.I was tilling someone's land hoping to get my daily pay so that I could feed my family.I had to finish my job and later on in the day, I went to withdraw the transfer since I had much at hand which needed financial attention.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the presence of a heifer in my compound. It gives me hope of getting surplus milk to feed my family and also later sell to earn something extra which will enable me to cater for other household items.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Being a single mother with a family of six, meeting family needs had been a struggle.Upon withdrawal of the transfer, I bought a heifer worth Kshs.30,000 which in a few months it will calf.For the longest time I had been buying milk from my neighbours and it wasn't sufficient and at times I could not get.Am now happy that in three months time,we will be able to get adequate milk.With Kshs.10,000 I paid school fees for my child who is in form two so that she would settle and study in school without disturbances.I had also an issue with my health hence when for check up and spent Kshs.3,000 to cater for expenses.Lastly, with the remaining amount I used to buy maize and clothes for all my six family members .
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money would mean uninturupted studies for my children. I have been struggling to pay school fees for my 2 children who just joined high school this year. I am required to pay KES. 24,000 for the whole year which I cannot raise. The casual jobs I do can earn me KES. 6000 in a month. I have to divide this amount among our needs and it only remains KES.2000 for school fees afterwards. My children have been in and out of school every other month because they are sent home due to the arrears I have. I plan to use all these transfers to pay their school fees and their education will be secured for all the time they'll be in high school. I am so grateful to Give Directly.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am a widow and most of the time since when I lost my husband I do all the work around the house by myself. I wake up very early in the morning so that I can accomplish all the work by midday. The afternoon hours when I get to rest after all the work is usually the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I have faced the biggest hardship in providing for my children especially this year when they started high school and it needs a lot of money to pay for their education.