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 ($495 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?
I had a passion for catering which was inspired by my aunt who owns a hotel where she offers great meals. To follow in her footsteps, I enrolled to take a course on the same but had to drop out due to lack of college fees. When I started receiving these transfers, I got the opportunity to go back to college and continue with the course. If I had not been enrolled in this program, I am certain that I would not have gotten the opportunity to continue with this course. After this, I know I will not lack a job and will be able to support my family as I have always wished.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
I do not have any new plans at the moment other than concentrating on my studies on the catering course that I am currently undertaking. I have cleared the required fees for the course and all that is left of me is to perform well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am currently in college taking a catering course which I had not completely paid for. With part of the most recent transfer I received, I cleared the fee balance then paid my brother's secondary school fees for the term so that he would not be sent away for delaying with the payments and therefore not having an ample time to study. I then saved the rest of the money as I plan on the best way to spend it and for any emergencies that may arise.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
37152 KES ($364 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?
I had already given up on ever completing my course on catering after I dropped out due to lack of fees which I had initially thought would be easy to raise through casual domestic jobs. Receiving these transfers gave me another chance to realise my dream by enabling me to pay the fees and continue with the course. I am so pleased because, with this training, I will be able to secure a better job just like my aunt and support my struggling mother financially.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
I still have some months to complete the course I am currently taking in catering and my plan is to ensure that I clear the entire fees required which I will do once I receive the next transfer. I also have plans of supporting my mother financially by paying part of my younger brother's secondary school fees so that he will not be sent away from school next year for delayed fee payments.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Last year, I joined college to take a course in catering after I was inspired by my aunt who took that course and is currently having a flourishing career. I had planned to pay for the course on my own through casual domestic jobs that I depended financially as my mum was unable to raise the money due to the huge financial responsibility she has providing for my huge family. I later had to drop the course because I was unable to pay for it as things did not work out as I had planned financially. When I started receiving the transfers, I went back to college to complete the course because I knew the money would be enough to pay for the required fees. I used most of the money I received last month to pay for the college fees then saved the rest in my bank account for later use.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
20000 KES ($193 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 new goal is to support my brother in his studies. He depends on bursaries which can at times delay and when this happens, my mother has to part with the little money that she gets from casual jobs or take loans on and off to see that he is not sent home due to fee arrears. I would be happy seeing him going to school with a clear mind like other children not thinking of his school fee. I know this will help him a lot in improving in his studies and having a bright future in the long run.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life is that I was able to go back to go to college. I feel happy because I had already lost hope of ever going back to college to complete my education because I could not be able to pay the huge amount of money that was required. I have also been busy pursuing my studies and the idea of idling around is now a thing of the past. I just feel so happy having been one of the recipients.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent the whole of my transfer on paying college fees. I had dropped out of college due to lack of school fees. My mother does casual jobs and the little amount that she gets was hardly enough to meet the basic household needs. I had a great desire to complete my education since I believe that by doing so I stand a better chance of securing a job with the skills and experiences that I will have obtain from my course. I feel very good chasing my dream just hoping to finish school soon.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
The moment I received the transfer I was very happy. I read the message in the morning and quickly showed my mother. She was so happy as well and the first thing that we talked about was about my education. I knew that my dream of finishing college was now going to become a reality. I felt so much indebted to GiveDirectly for keeping their promise.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
My first priority is to go back to school and and finish a course in Catering.Late last year I had an opportunity to attend a course in Catering at an Institute in Thika, but could only attend classes for one month because my mother lacked capital for my school fees. I have a passion for cooking and I need the skills to accompany my passion. I will use the skills I get frontal the Catering course to either start my own catering business or use the skills to get employment opportunities. In return my I will have an income and be able to support myself and my family.
Secondly I will use the transfer to assist my parents in paying school fees for my younger brother who is in high school. Often a times my mother struggles to pay school fees for all my siblings and my brother is sent home for fees. Sometimes he stays home for a week and I see him missing a lot of school activities and that time can not be recovered.
Lastly I will open a business for my mother here in Mathare. I am yet to discuss with her the type of business but I believe the right type of business will bring in more profit and she will not have to depend on casual jobs to provide for our basic needs.
Describe your biggest worry.
My top concern is my family because I depend on all of them for financial and emotional support.I want my family to have financial stability so that all our needs are provided for. I worry that my siblings will not be able to finish their education just like me, this will affect their future and I don't want to see them struggling to get casual jobs like me.I want them to finish school and in future support my mother.
What are your greatest ambitions?
My ambition in life is to own and manage my own catering businesses in future, provide remarkable services to my clients and to be recognized in the Kenyan food industry. My finances will increase and I will be able to support my family financially and relocate to a better environment where my brothers can study and grow up with good morals.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
On my usual day I wake up at around 7:00am in the morning, prepare and take breakfast,help my mother in doing some house chores then freshen up and leave for work.I am a casual labourer who mostly washes people's clothes to earn a living. I work mostly in either Eastleigh or Kibera slums. Depending on the location I wash for two or three clients daily until 4:00pm then I return home take supper then retire bed until the next day.
During my free time I wake up, do some house chores then relax by listening to music and browsing my phone, I also visit my friends.
