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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.
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Enrollment
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Completed
Newsfeed > Nickson's Profile
Nickson's family
Nickson
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Motorcycle or bicycle taxi
faceAge:
28
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($452 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I am a father of one child, currently working as a motorcycle taxi driver in a small village of Baraka, Kilifi. I was overwhelmed with happiness when I received my second transfer of KES 53,150. What I earned from the 'bodaboda' was never enough to support the entire family's basic needs such as food, and medical expenses. I am so grateful for the support in that the transfer would help me accomplish my goal of taking my wife back to college. She has always dreamt of pursuing a diploma course in beauty, something that made her happy when I shared it with her. I am also planning to go back to college to pursue a mechanical engineering course. I am grateful for the support because this dream is going to come true. I have been saving towards this from the little I earned from my casual job and I am planning to add it to the GiveDirectly transfer that I have received this month of May. Furthermore, I have a new goal of starting a business (shop) using KES 25,000. This will act as an additional source of income to help support my family's basic needs such as food and completing my studies as well as my wife's. In addition, I have also desired to complete my three bedrooms house construction in vain due to lack of enough money, I am assured of completing the construction process to provide enough rooms to the family hence improving privacy.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly is the only organization I have known to be giving unconditional cash transfers to its recipients without demanding anything in return like a bribe. I believe GiveDirectly is an anti-corruption free Non-governmental organization and that is why we received the transfer in equal shares without any compromise. The unconditional transfers into the village have brought a lot of development when it comes to buying plots, building houses, educating our families and rearing livestock as we were allowed to spend the transfers according to our priorities and needs.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I was overjoyed having confirmed the receipt of KES 53,150 into my mpesa account I was assured of meeting the family's demands. I have always desired to take my wife back to college to pursue a diploma course in beauty of her choice. Thanks to GiveDirectly this is a dream come true as she joined one of the colleges in Ganze, something that not only brought a smile onto her face but also increased harmony and peace in the family. I paid KES 15,000 towards her fees. Furthermore, I started a business (shop), something that I dreamt of having in vain due to financial constraints. I am grateful for the support provided by GiveDirectly in that I was able to spend KES 25,000 on starting the business. This acted as a second source of income to support the family's basic needs such as food, rent, education and medical expenses. I make a profit of KES 1,000 per day from the business which is enough to save for other needs such as schooling myself and my wife. Moreover, I recently got into an accident with my motorcycle which cost me KES 7,800 for medical expenses. I also bought food for the family worth KES 5,200 hence we have been eating a decent and well-balanced diet which has improved our health.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($474 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was very elated when I received these funds, it meant the realization of the wish I had to progress both my wife and I. At the time, I had just dropped off a client and I was heading to my station to wait for another. I continued with my work and when evening came, I went back home to share the great news with my wife. My first thought was to empower her so I gave her money for her college fee.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I work as a motorcyclist, a few weeks ago, while I was on the road, a dog came out of nowhere and I crashed into it. I broke my arm and badly injured my head. Luckily, there were good Samaritans around who rushed me to the hospital. Since my case was severe and they couldn't treat me, they did some first aid and transfered me to another hospital that could handle my case. I was attended to and I accrued a medical bill of KES 18000, Friends and family helped me raise the amount and I was discharged. Since then, I have been at home as the doctor recommended that I should not go back to the road until he has cleared me. So, were it not for the funds I received from give directly, I would have been financially stuck. But because of it, I have the funds for my wife's college fees, I also started building a spacious house that will accommodate us, the one I live in is only a single room that forces us to share a bed with my son who is now 2 years old. In addition to this, I also started a business (a shop) that has been keeping me busy since I'm yet to resume my work as a motorcyclist.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The receipt of the transfer meant fulfilling the desires are had to progress my wife academically. I used it to pay her college fee as she is taking a hairdressing course. I then started building a new spacious house that will accommodate us (my wife, my child, and I). Unlike my current home, in the new structure, my son will have his room. This has been the limitation we have had where we not only share a room with him but also a bed. Finally, I opened a shop which I currently operate to generate more income for us.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I was not privileged to continue with my education after high school, this was because of financial constraints that my mother had. After my fathers' demise, she had to do odd jobs to take us to school unfortunately she was not earning enough to take all of us to college. My dream has always been to continue with my education and get good-paying employment so I can be able to take good care of my young family.These transfers will help my dream come true and this is why I plan to use 35,000 KES for my college fees, start a retail business for my wife with 45,000 KES and save the rest of the money for food and emergencies that might arise in the family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am happy that for the past six months my family has not gone without food nor have they been taken ill.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am a motorcycle rider where I make 600 KES daily which is not bad considering that I live in the village. However, there has been tight competition because many young people are currently venturing into the business and this hurts my daily income. The current situation of too much competition and a bad economy has made it challenging to earn a living.