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 > Willis's Profile
Willis's family
Willis
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Small business
faceAge:
42
workCampaign
Standard Kenya
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($525 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Due to lack of finances, I have never been able to cultivate my entire farm and had to lease out a piece of it instead of letting it lie fallow. This affected my produce and my general household expenditure. Being able to cultivate the entire farm was made possible by these transfers because it was too costly for me. I was also able to renovate and improve my house which now looks brand new all thanks to GD transfers.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I appreciate the amount of money that GD gives to the recipients, it is a decent amount that can positively change someone's life if properly and wised used. What GD does not do well is giving too much freedom on the expenditure of the money which allows people to misuse the funds. There should be a strict follow up on the first transfer so that those who are found to have squandered it do not qualify to get the second transfer because it is likely that the second one will also be misused.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent the entire second transfer to cultivate my sugarcane farm by hiring labour and purchasing seeds. The farm is so huge that the expenses went beyond the amount that I received.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($537 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that l have manage to do a large scale sugarcane farming that l have never done and so l am very sure of getting enough profit. My spouse business also is doing well this has boost our source of income.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment l received the transfer l was very happy because l knew that l will achieve all my dreams of investment and that will be the turning point of my life.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent most of the transfer to invest on sugarcane farming since l am very sure of getting enough profit for my future use. I also spent the money to start for my spouse a business of selling second hand clothes which has really done well. The remaining balance l spent to buy for my children very decent clothes.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means that I will be able to expand my makuti broom business, initially I was selling them to locals in the nearby market but with this money I will be able to register my business and engage even supermarket orders, with improved income I shall be able to expand our farming to ensure we are food secure and take my children to better schools.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of the day is usually in the morning since waking up to see my young family is such a joy and a new day offers me opportunity to fend for them.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced is unemployment that has seen me decide to start the noble makuti business because anytime I got employed it was a casual job that could not allow me to save or offer my family a descent life.