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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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Completed
Newsfeed > Mkutano's Profile
Mkutano's family
Mkutano
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Motorcycle or bicycle taxi
faceAge:
31
workCampaign
Kenya Large Transfer
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($440 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
After utilizing the second transfer as per my plans, I developed another goal that I aim to accomplish. If I get some money, I want to fix tap water at my home. Currently, Freshwater is pricey and we have to move a longer distance to get it. Based on that, I developed a goal of fixing the same to reduce the cost of traveling since I have to hire a motorbike to fetch the water. Once I have a freshwater tap at home, it will be an opportunity for me to start a shop business because the ones who will be coming to fetch water will also require some items like personal effects and foodstuff.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I cannot complain about what GiveDirectly did by any means. Mine is thanksgiving and gratitude for how far the organization has brought me. Initially, I had a small "makuti" house. The house was not only congested to accommodate my family but also risky to live in because I poorly built it due to a lack of building materials. Currently, we are happily living in a well-built, spacious house. This could not come to pass anytime soon if it were not for GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I got the second phase of the transfer, the first thing I did was buy three sacks of maize for KES 11400.00 to ensure that there is food security at home. This is because the time we were in was a dry season of food scarcity, and getting money was also a challenge. Secondly, I opted to complete my house, which I had started with the first transfer. Therefore, I bought 10 pieces of iron sheets for KES 11000.00 and the roofer charged KES 3500.00. As of now, I am very happy since my house is complete and operational. Sleeping in an iron-roofed house was just a dream and I did not see it coming to pass anytime soon, but GiveDirectly made the dream valid. Being a father of four primary school-going children, I had some school fee arrears for my children. Including the current school fees by then, it amounted to KES 5500.00. Therefore, I cleared the whole debt despite the children being settled in school after talking to the administration. Thereafter, I bought three goats for KES 9000.00 to symbolize GiveDirectly at my home. I saved the remaining amount for the family's upkeep.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($498 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
attach_money
 
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Being a motorbike taxi driver, I was riding my motorbike coming from fetching water for my family consumption. I heard a message notification on my phone, I stopped riding and checked the message on my phone. I felt very happy after realizing that I had received my transfer from GiveDirectly. This is because my plan of refurbishing my house was finally about to be achieved.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I am living in a decent irony roofed house with the family. My children are enjoying their nights in a proper shelter and I no longer have to worry when it rains at night. This is a great development that I would not have done in a very short time without the transfer. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for the aid that has transformed our lives for the better.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For many years, I have been living in a grass thatched house. I was experiencing a lot of challenges especially during the rainy season because of the leaking roof. Seeing my kids spending sleepless nights due to the poor condition of our house bothered me a lot. My desire was to change it to an Iron roofed one but I lacked the finances to accomplish this wish. After receiving my transfer, I spent KES 38000 to purchase 18 iron sheets, timbers, nails and paying the labor charges for put up the new roof. I also used KES 8000 to clear all the fee arrears for my 2 children and pay all the term one fee. I also bought school uniforms for 2 of my kids that were yet to join the primary school. They had reached the age of joining school but I lack the finances to start them off. Lastly, I bought one goat to start a goat rearing a long-term investment for the family. I am also planning to spent my second transfer to boost my livestock rearing.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
 
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means good housing to my family. I have a family of seven people and we are all living in a one bedroom house which is not spacious for the family. I am planning to build a two bedroom house which will cost me Ksh.45000. I will use the remaining house to build a business house at Ganze town. This will boost my family income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest Part of the day is in the afternoon. As a motorcyclist, my day brightens up interms of income during the afternoon hours. I buy food for my family during lunch hours.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I work as a motorcyclist. When Covid-19 came to our country in 2020 , my work became very had because of the covid protocols. Before covid , I used to earn Ksh.1000 per day . During lockdown ,I used to get approximately Ksh.200 per day . This was very little to feed my family. That is the biggest hardship I faced in life.