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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.
Stages:
 
Enrollment
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Transfers
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Completed
Newsfeed > Edwin's Profile
Edwin's family
Edwin
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Construction (works for others)
faceAge:
23
workCampaign
FSD / Urban Youth
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
3rd Payment
Transfer Amount
50000 KES ($472 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Before the transfers, I did not have a reliable source of income. i used to rely on a day to day income from construction work which was not even reliable. At times we would go for a whole week without any pay. At such times, I was forced to seek for help and even take loans which I could not even pay. But ever since I started the cloth business with my transfers, I have been able to pay back all the debts I had and even provide the basic needs for my family well. I no longer borrow as I used to because of the transfers and I now have a reliable source of income.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My new goal would be to continue boosting my business. My goal is to make the business stable to a point where it can sustain itself as well as help me meet my family needs well and in time. I do not have any source of income and the business have been very important in my life. This is why I would want to invest more in it.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my transfer on staring a cloth business as my main source of income. The business has really helped me in reducing my borrowing and even meeting my needs. I also used the money to buy a cow as an investment which I can layer sell to get money for other needs. When the cow reproduces, then I will have a number of them which is a very good investment. The remain amount, I used on buying Iron sheet which I have now used in building my own house. I have been spending at my friend's house anytime I go home and I felt it is time I have my own house.
 
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
36800 KES ($368 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?
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I feel I am now happy. I was always stressed up in the past since I used to depend on casual jobs. At times I could stay for two weeks without money to meet my basic needs such as food and pay rent since the casual jobs was irregular. I am now happy since I used my transfer to start a new business where I sell second hand clothes and shoes. This is a regular source of income to meet all my basic needs.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My new goal is to buy a plot and build rental houses. I will save part of the income from the business and add to my other savings and use the money to buy the plot and build the rental houses . This will be additional source of income to meet my basic needs.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used my most recent transfer to build a new house in my rural home. I was living in a small old house. During the rainy season the house was leaking and this forced me to build another house. The room was also dusty and was full of pot holes. I also used part of the transfer to boost my business where I sell second hand clothes and shoes. I expanded this business so as to get more income since the income I got previously was little and could not meet all my basic needs. I used the remaining amount to pay rent and buy food since the money I got from the business could not cater all my needs.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
20000 KES ($196 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 plans are to expand my business by adding some clothes to sell so that I can increase my profits. The location where I am planning to open a shop for my business when I expand it has more people and only one shop selling clothes hence I will get more customers. I also plan to build myself a house at my rural home since whenever I go home I usually sleep at my friend's house.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is happiness since I no longer go around looking for some casual work to do as I have started my own business which I am now running it and I am not always tired at the end of the day like before.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my most recent transfer to start a business of selling shoes so that I can also have a source of income. I have been doing some casual work which is tiring and at the end of the day, I get a small amount of money and having my own business will really help me a lot. I also paid my two months rent in advance so that I can use the profits i will get within this fisrt three months to expand my business.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
i was so happy the moment I received my money since I knew that my plan of starting a business was coming into reality.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
 
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I will start by investing in a cloth and shoes selling business since there is good prospect for it. Secondly I will use the money to buy some house hold items since at the moment I still doesn't have enough in my house. I just started my own life recently and have not bought enough items. I will also use this money to pay for my rent arrears and advance so that to avoid being in trouble with the landlord.
Describe your biggest worry.
I usually worry mostly about unemployment because it do make me unable to meet my daily needs like food,paying for rent among others. Getting job here in Mathare is tricky and the kind of job I does are casual since today you may have but tomorrow there is none.
What are your greatest ambitions?
To be a successful business man by investing in large business.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
I usually go hunting for job each morning especially the casual ones like in construction sites, cleaning the drainage system and any that may bring me at least some money.While in my free time, I do just rests in the house. At times go watching movies with friends or relax as I listen to songs.