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 ($493 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Currently, my life is different from how it was in that, my finances have increased. I was able to boost my business to another level because I managed to look for a business premise where most of the customers can access me. This has brought a huge difference in my business path in that I have customers unlike before when I use to sew my clothes in the house where I had few customers who knew me. I love this business because I have been doing it for ten years and have the skills. I am glad that I will be able to learn more about the different designs my news clients will bring.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
I have several goals that I would like to achieve. One of them is to see my children finish high school. I also want to renovate my dilapidated house. I have a small house back at home that needs to be repaired and expanded. My children are growing older and we would all want to have our separate rooms. I know with these transfers, I will be able to achieve all these goals.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I kept the whole of my third transfer as savings. I hope to use the amount to pay school fees for my two children who sat for exams and will be joining high school next year. I am a tailor and my husband is a casual worker. During the first few months of the year, we do not make money as such and this is the reason why we took this decision. I am glad that I was among the beneficiaries. Were it not for there help, I would not have done these development moves. I had savings but I could have not done this much.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
37152 KES ($361 USD)
access_time almost 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 was in that, I have been able to run my business smoothly. Clients do not miss whatever they want after restocking my shop. I am also proud of paying my children' s school fees with ease.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My new goal is to build a house back home. I have a grass-thatched one which is is very small. I want a big one which will fit my family well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my transfer to boost my business. I am a tailor. The business was not doing well because I did not have a variety of materials that my clients wanted. I am glad that the business is doing well after adding new stock. I also did shopping in my house and finally decided to keep the remaining amount of money as savings for an emergency.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
20000 KES ($193 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My new goal is to pay the full amount of money that was remaining in order to own a piece of land. I had paid part of it but I had for a long time been unable to offset the remaining balance after the decline of my business. My husband could not help me out either since he entirely depends on casual labor to raise income that can keep us going as a family. For a long time, I had wanted to offset this remaining balance and have a piece of land of my own and at least feel proud of owning a property like some people do. I am now more optimistic that I will be able to offset the balance and even build a house in the new piece of land. When this happens, my family will happily have better accommodation.
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 have managed to boost my business. I get more income unlike before which is so encouraging to me. Previously, I could disappoint my customers because I had not stock materials to display which I could use to mend beautiful designs and ended up losing many customers hence making very little or no profit at all sometimes. I now make more clothes and the income has enabled me to take care of my needs easily. I can actually say that my living standards have improved.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my transfer to boost my tailoring business. I have been a tailor for close to ten years now. I made this decision of improving my tailoring business because it has always been my source of income and has always helped me in meeting most if not all of the households basic needs. Being the only source of livelihood that I had, it was at the verge of collapsing since I had used almost all the money that I had. I had started feeling the effects of not having this small business. I am glad that I was able to revive the business and I am looking forward to better days ahead, thanks to GiveDirectly. I also saved some of the remaining amount to gather for future emergencies and plans for me and my family while the rest was used to buy food and other basic household needs.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
The moment I received the money I was very happy because I was not sure that it was actually going to be sent. I read the message in the morning and the first thing that I did was to call one of the members in the group who was also a beneficiary. She also acknowledged to have received the money and we started talking about how we were going to use the transfers in the best possible way. We were so happy that some of the plans that we have always had were finally going to be accomplished.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
My first priority is to invest in an exsiting business. I have been a tailor for ten years, now with a shop in Mathare 4A. This work has enabled me to clothe and feed my children all this years. I have mastered this skill and I plan to buy one or two sewing machines, some materials and employ some to work with me at the shop. I plan to teach other women this skill and empower them to start their own businesses. I intend to save the profits I will make, which I know will be put to use to cater to other needs that may come up.
Secondly, I have a land in Ugunja, Kisumu and I want to build a house for my family. We do not have a our own house and it is very important for me to have one where I can take my children whenever we visit our parents, this has always been my wish. Money has been the only challenge but now I will put it to action.
Lastly, I will spend it in paying school fees for my children, I have two children who are sitting for their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education this year, I want to prepare in advance by saving as they await to join high school this coming year.
Describe your biggest worry.
My top concern is health, because I would not want to wake up one day and find my children ill, or myself. This will cripple me because health care is very costly and I may not be able to afford it. It is my prayer everday when I wake up, that God may keep my children and I in good health and not to let anything harm us.
What are your greatest ambitions?
My ambition is to be a successful tailor, I plan to open a shop in Busia and create employment for others. It is my desire to empower other people especially women, to teach them that they can fend for themselves and take care of their families no matter the kind of work they do.
I plan to own a plot of land that I can build on rental houses and be a landlady, this will be an extra income which will enable me to plan and take care of my children and I. My wish is to see my children educated and successful.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
On my usual day, I wake at 5:00am, prepare my children for school, later I leave for work. In the afternoon I take my lunch and go back to work till 7:00 pm in the evening. When I close shop, I go back to my house prepare our dinner, and later take a rest.
In my free time, I do my house chores, later in the day my friends can visit me in my house or at times I decide to sleep.
