GDLive Newsfeed
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 > Solomon's Profile
Solomon's family
Solomon
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Street trading - non-food (self-employed)
faceAge:
27
workCampaign
FSD / Urban Youth
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
3rd Payment
Transfer Amount
50000 KES ($485 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 from how it was before GiveDirectly came into my life in that, I can now take care of my needs easily without taking loans unlike before. I could also stay without paying rent at times because of lack of money but this is now a forgotten story. Once I boosted my business using my third transfers,I have been able to handle all my expenses with ease. Thanks to GiveDirectly for giving me the means to improve my living standards.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My new goal is to start another business. I was once employed to sell shoes for someone and from that, I learned a few skills on how to handle the logistics. I know that it will definitely do well once I start my own. I live in is strategic and a good market place hence I believe that my target audience will be able to reach me easily. I want to work hard towards meeting this goal so that I can leave my wife to run the other one. With the diversified sources of income, I know that we will be stable financially which means our living standards will improve.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my transfer on boosting my business. I refurbished and added a few upholstery in the business premise in order to attract customers. I also added a new stock since the business cannot stand on its own at the moment. In addition to that, I also managed to buy food for my family and kept the remaining amount as savings. Previously, I could sell clothes to supplement my income since the business could not sustain me. Once in a while, I could look for casual jobs to supplement my income too. I feel good after boosting my business since there are signs of it becoming stable. We are already getting good profits and I thank GiveDirectly because it is because of them that the business regained its momentum.
 
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
36800 KES ($364 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 very different since I started receiving my transfers. This is because initially I used to survive from hand to mouth. I had no savings and a times I was forced to go without food. But ever since I started receiving these transfers and managed to start my own business this has changed. I can now save and even settle my primary needs comfortably without having to struggle.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My goal is to expand my recently started second-hand clothes business and be able to reach a bigger number of clientele within my area of residence. This will see my profits increase and I will be able to settle my daily needs with much ease.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon receiving my second transfer, I started a second-hand clothes business to help me generate income. This way I will not have to engage myself with janitor jobs which were so hard to do and tiresome as well. I will be my own boss and I will dictate how much to earn depending on the effort I place in my business.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
20000 KES ($200 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
 
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I am planning to start a second-hand clothing business to help me boost my daily income.
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 clear of debts. before I received my payments from GiveDirectly, my income was so poor that I ended up accumulating debts in shops Ias I took daily supplies on credit. Most of the shops around where I live had already incurred losses as I could not pay what I owed them. I ended up borrowing more in order to pay them. This further aggravated my situation to almost hopelessness. But when the transfers came, I paid all those that I owed to people and now live freely unlike when it used to worry me because whenever I met them they would demand their money.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My wife was expectant when I received the transfer. She was a few weeks away to delivery. I spent half the amount to pay her hospital bills after the successful safe delivery and bought a few needs for the young baby boy. The remaining amount I spend on paying debts that I had accumulated trying to feed my family. I used to take foodstuffs from shops on credit and fail to repay them because I did not have a good source of income. I then saved another amount to use in starting second hands lcothing buiness.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
I felt relieved. I read the message several times just to confirm my fortunes. It was a moment of joy as this meant that I would easily take my wife to a hospital. I did not know how I was going to foot the hospital bills and buy the newborn's clothes. I got an assurance that my wife would deliver well because she was going to be under the good care of a hospital as it was easy to pay the bills.
 
Enrolled
access_time almost 6 years ago
 
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I used to sell clothes and due to lack of enough money when my mom got sick I had to use all my savings for her health,and now since have got this cash I will restart my business. Right now my wife is expectant so am planning to use this money for her medical bills. Finally I Will buy house equipment since my house is not well furnished.
Describe your biggest worry.
My top concern is lack of finances to provide for my family especially my child being unable to study. We all know education is power though in my context I feel like giving my child education is a long term investment and enhancement to his/her life since some of us didn't really have that opportunity. At the end of the day this is the only thing I can give my child.
What are your greatest ambitions?
I would want to expand my clothes selling business so that am able to supply to as many people as possible within and outside my community.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
We have a toilet and water point as a group,so usually I wake up as early as I can to go and start attending our customers since it's my only way for now of getting resources. On my Free time I relax with my friends at the base to share stories and sometimes I go to watch movies at home.