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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3rd Payment
Transfer Amount
50000 KES ($489 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different because I now have a source of income I can confidently rely on unlike the salon business which I used to run in the past but then relying on it was never easy considering the fact that its a once in a while type of a business because people do not make their hair on a daily basis. The cake business has kept me going ever since I launched it and so far I cannot complain about it.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
I have a new goal of starting a cake baking business that can sustain me going into the future post transfers dates. I have started making the cakes and so far I think I am doing quite well because I normally get some cash to feed my family. What I know is that I can never fail to get approximately 2000 KES a week.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used the money to pay school fees for my daughter who is currently doing her form four which is the final year in High School. I paid a total of 30,000 KES to offset the entire school fees arrears that had accumulated up to that time. The remaining amount of 19000 KES went into my savings account and I know that once my daughter is done with her final years in High school, the money will help me a lot in taking care of her future college expenses.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
36800 KES ($367 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently different from how it would have been had I never received the transfer since I have been able to clear my daughters school fees. Thinking of how to get money to cater for her education had always stressed me a lot since she is in her final year in her secondary school education and I always needed her to have ample to for her revision so that she can pass well in her examinations.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
An additional goal in my life that I didn't have before receiving the transfer is to buy a plot and build my own house so that I would not be paying rent always. This will also help me have a place to shelter in in future when I am old as I would not want to depend on my children so much since they will have also married and will be having their own families to take care off.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
school fees 30000, food 3000, restock 3500
I received my most recent transfer at a time when my daughter in form four was on a mid term holiday. Because of this, I spent a good amount from it to pay her school fees since she had been sent with a letter indicating that she should not report back to school without paying the remaining amount of school fees. I knew that failure to comply would result to her being sent back home and I did not wish that to happen because I needed her to concentrate on her studies. I spent the remaining amount to boost my business by buying some more stock since I had been using the little profits I used to get pay her school fees. I knew that it would collapse at any time and I never wished something like that to happen as it was my only source of income.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
20000 KES ($200 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I am into business and I am now planning to expand my cake baking business. Currently, after baking, I have to walk from shop to shop, door to door to look for customers which are very tiring. This is prompting me to start a shop where I will be doing the baking and selling at the same time. I will save on time and I will be able to bake more and sell more as well.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I can say I am a step ahead. I am financially more secure as compared to before when I only ran one business. Now my profits come from two businesses which are both doing well so far. I am able to pay my bills without too much hustle like before when I only relied on the shoe business which was not earning me many profits. The profits I had to balance so that it fit my bills which were too many too.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent the money I received on buying baking equipment.i.e an oven and the baking tins. I was selling shoes but have always wanted something to help me expand the existing one, though when I received this money, I thought of baking cakes for sale given that I am good at it. This has greatly boosted my daily income.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
I could not believe it when I saw the message notification that I had received money from Give Directly. I felt so happy at that time and shocked at the same time.
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I prioritize like that because currently am doing catering course and I have started but in small quantities because I don't have enough equipments for baking so with this transfer I will buy all necessary equipment so that I can bake more and increase my clientele and also have more stable income to sustain myself children. Secondly, I will pay school fees for my children as currently with my hairdressing business sometimes I don't get enough for school fees so this money will help me much and lastly, I will use part of this transfer to buy some household items and also do shopping for the family.
Describe your biggest worry.
My top concern is my children. As a widow my major worry is giving my children a better life and ensuring they have a better education and even past where I reached. I would also love to take them outside mathare so that they have a different life than mine. I want them to prosper and be somebody in life so that I be happy as a parent. Secondly, my worry is health crisis. In my current position if my family members are attacked by any of the major diseases I won't be able to give them food medication and I always pray it doesn't happen ever. Lastly, paying rent is very hectic especially as a single mother and also have other responsibilities. The money that I get is not enough to meet all the household needs and one day I would love to have my own home outside mathare and give my children a better life.
What are your greatest ambitions?
My ambition in life is to have my own house outside mathare so that my kids could also have some change in life and new experience and exposure. Leaving within Margaret is just by God's grace and so far I thank God but I would want sometime my kids to have a different lifestyle and see how it can impact positively on their careers.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
In the morning once I wake up I prepare my kids for school then take breakfast. Later, I do household chores then once and done I now wait for my clients for hairdressing. I will attend to my clients depending on how they come till evening and sometimes I have lunch break sometimes not. I work up-to 6pm in the evening then at my free time I go to church for choir practice until up-to 7:3 pm then come back cook supper eat rest for sometime then later go to bed.
