The value of currencies differs between countries , it may be low in one country and high in another. I'm a Nigerian, the current value of $1 is equivalent to 600 naira which is enough to buy at least 3 mudu of cassava flour or a half mudu of rice, and this is enough to feed an individual for at least 3 days. If a dollar can be that valuable here, it means a thousand dollar will do much more. The minimum wage for civil servants in my country is $50, i.e 30,000 naira. Most families depend solely on this minimum wage for feeding and other expenses for a month. Imagine how wealthy such a family will feel if $1000 is paid as their wages.
The truth is , $1000 is a huge amount here in Nigeria. It's equivalent to #600,000(naira) and with the nature of our poor economy, it can settle a lot for an individual living averagely. Excluding living a luxurious lifestyle, $1000 can feed an individual for 6-7 months comfortably on a three square meal. Personally, I have never held $1000 at once in a time, the highest I have owned is $120 and it settled a lot of things then.
The amount should be able to start up a good business here in Nigeria. Most start-up capital for small to medium enterprises do require around 100,000-20,000 Naira which is around $180-360. So, for a young man who's starting life on a low to average budget, a thousand dollars is a lot of money to save him from the falling economy and help him live well.
Finally, even though $1000 has high value here in Nigeria, it's not enough to either purchase a house nor buy a house but is enough to buy a portion of land in some parts of the country. Give me $1000 here in Nigeria, and I'll live like Bill Gate for the next 6 months.