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.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving these transfers is that I have a stable source of income from my own business. Before the transfers, I was employed in-salon business and my income was inconsistent since we were many in the same shop and we used to scramble for customers. It was my desire to have my own salon and with GD transfers, I was able to save enough to start a cosmetic shop which I plan to upgrade into salon business. I know I will achieve my goal with GD transfers.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My new goal for the transfers is to boost my cosmetic business by adding more stock to the business. Apart from adding more stock, I also plan to upgrade the business to a salon business where we will be offering hairdressing services. This will increase my profits and make the business more stable.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my transfer on boosting my cosmetic business by adding more stock. My goal is to make the business stable so that It may be able to sustain my needs long after the transfers are over. I started the business with the transfers since I did not have any stable source of income before.
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
5000 KES ($48 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?
Had it not been the financial support from GiveDirectly, then I would not have been able to open my hairdressing and cosmetic shop. I had been employed by a neighbour on a part-time basis and the income was little, but ever since I began receiving these transfers, I saved enough that enabled me to open me this cosmetic shop. I am now getting a good income through it.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My goal is now to improve my business of hairdressing and cosmetic by purchasing more stock and equipment to effectively operate it to serve more customers. By doing this, it will be expanding thus increasing my daily income.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 3000 of my most recent transfer on boosting my business of hairdressing and cosmetics which I started after I began receiving these transfers from GiveDirectly. I also spent KES 2000 to cater for medication for my parent who had been hospitalised for some months. I could not have raised adequate finance on my own had it been for the financial support from GiveDirectly.
4th Payment
Transfer Amount
5000 KES ($50 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My goal is to have a wholesale where I can sell all variety of beauty products and saloon. This will serve the ladies in my community for they will not have to go to town for these services. Good quality at affordable prices at your door step.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I used to have a small shop where I could supply my products but currently, it is bigger thanks to the transfers I received I was able to expand and even added more products. This also has an effect on income. The profit margins have gone up.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received the recent transfer, I quickly restocked my cosmetics shop with new products. Where my shop is situated, I have many potential customers, the challenge I have faced is the lack of enough stock to meet the needs of my customers. This has made my sales to go down previously before I started receiving transfers from GD.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
The moment I received transfers from GD, I felt relieved for I knew I was going to stock my cosmetic shop with products and at the end I would make more sales.
Enrolled
access_time almost 6 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
First priority I will save part of transfers for at least four months, because beauty business needs a capital of forty thousand, which was quiet expensive that I couldn't afford. Second priority I will use my savings and part of the other transfers to buy blow dry, dryer and other beauty products which is usually important for the business. Third priority I will use part of the transfer to rent place for my Business, because now am mobile, meaning that am moving from one place to another just look for customers. Whereby it will be important to me to have a fixed place.
Describe your biggest worry.
My top concern is police violence, I can't deny the fact that, where i live insecurity is high hence you find that people are being mugged even day time which is not right. but its kinda disturbing me when police harasses whole community by shooting upwards just to get criminals.
What are your greatest ambitions?
I have always wanted to be famous business women like vera sidika because she proudly own various businesses, her products is usually expensive but still demand is high, she has Manson and cars hence I would like to be like her.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
I wake up at 5:00am where I will do laundry, then at around 9:00am I will prepare breakfast, then I will take a bath and go out with my husband, to do some shopping, visit fancy place then at around 6:00pm we will come back home watch movies and prepare supper then ready to go to bed.
