I was previously working at an illegal brewery making an illicit brew. Working in such a place was not the best choice but I did not have an alternative source of income. While working there, I was always drunk because we had to taste what we made and I was always risking being arrested by the police fighting against illegal brews. Receiving transfers from Give Directly enabled me to turn my life around by having a decent business as a motorcycle taxi operator. I purchased the motorcycle through the transfers which I added to the little savings I had before which now provides me with a consistent flow of money that enables me to properly provide for my family. Another difference that I appreciate most is my sobriety since I quit the brewery job because I need to stay sober to operate a motorcycle.

I recently purchased a new motorcycle which I am currently using for a taxi business. I managed to buy the motorcycle by saving the transfers and the little money I earned from my previous job. I have realized that this job is quite profitable, so I am planning to purchase another motorcycle which I will lease out to a friend who may be jobless. I am aware that I am not able to raise the whole amount required for the new motorcycle, so I will save the transfers for a few more months so that I can have anough to pay the deposit before procuring it on credit then use the rest of my transfers and the daily income that will be generated by the leased motorcycle in order to clear the rest of the balance. I want to do this since I endeavour to have a stable source of income and completely change my life so that I do not go back to the kind of life I lived before.

The most recent amount I received came in December when we were preparing to celebrate the Christmas holidays, so I gave part of the money to my mother for her own preparations and spent some on food items for my family. I saved the remaining amount so that I would not feel guilty of spending the whole amount on foodstuff.

Currently, my life is different from how it was in that I have my own business which I get income every day. I was able to buy a second-hand motorcycle. This has supplemented my income and I am able to take care of my needs and my brother's school fees with ease.

I do not have a new goal. I still want to continue educating my siblings. I am the most learned in our family being a school drop out. I left school while I was in form two but I haven't seen the value of education because I did not come out with any certificate. I am determined to see my sibling succeed in life that is why I am helping out.

I gave my mother some part of my transfer which she needed badly to used in paying her rent. By then she hardly had money and this transfer came in handly. The joy of seeing her pay the money made me a proud son. Thanks to GiveDirectly. I finally kept the remaining amount as savings. I am planning to pay school fees for my brother who is in secondary and sister in primary school. January is always a tough month and this is why I want to start early.

I have plans of quitting my current job which is working at an illicit brewery centre so that I can do a more decent job in motorcycle operation. I have managed to pay a bigger percentage on it through GiveDirectly transfers and my own income and will soon be able to own the bike. Receiving GiveDirectly transfers gave me the courage to make such a decision because I knew I would pay for it using the transfers every time I receive it. I have also improved the general status of my house as I have been able to buy a few household items that I never had before such as a television set.

I am currently working at a local brewery where we make an illicit brew, but I want to quit the job because it is very risky as one might be nubbed by the police anytime since it is not licensed. My plan is to start a motorbike taxi business and that is why I have been using my transfers to pay for a motorbike which I will soon finish. It is from this motorbike where I will be earning some daily income and therefore give me an alternative job to illicit brewing.

When I received the money, I spent part of it on household items and foodstuff. I then paid the rest at a nearby motor shop where I have been depositing money on a motorbike which I was planning to buy. Since I am not able to pay the required amount at once, I decided to pay for it in bits through my own earnings and GiveDirectly's transfers because I did not want to take it on credit because it would be too expensive in the long run.

My goals are to be self-employed fully by owning my own motorbike that I can use for transport business, as I also support my mother financially, so she does not have to go to Eastleigh estate anymore to look for laundry jobs.

The biggest difference in my daily life is that I can pay for my younger brother's school fees without much struggle. My brother now stays in school without being sent home for school fees and I also support my household comfortably.

I spent my transfers to pay school fees for my younger brother who is in high school. I am the first born in my home and I was unable to complete my education because my only surviving parent, who is my mother, was unable to raise my school fees. My mother also lives here in Mathare and she washes clothes for people in Eastleigh. It is because of this that I vowed to see my siblings complete school. I have been paying my younger brother's school fees with the casual jobs that I do in Mathare. I was happy when the transfers started coming in as I knew that my brother will not have to be sent home for school fees anymore.

It was slightly before midday when I was outside playing Ludo with my friends. I heard a message come into my phone and when I checked, it was the transfers coming in. I was really happy and I did not mention to anyone. I put my phone back in my pocket as I heard my friends discuss about receiving theirs also. I was very very happy.