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.
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 no longer incur transport expenses. Because of this, I have been able to save some money on a daily basis which I would otherwise use in paying for my transport. Owning a cow is a big achievement I have experienced in my life so far. With this, I am optimistic that in the next eight months, I will be having an alternative source of income which is the sale of milk I will be getting from my cow. This will help me to start up other business ideas I have in mind such as opening a boutique. I swear my life won't be the same again when all these ideas materialize and become successful.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My new goals in life that I didn't have before receiving the transfer is to start a boutique business. This is because youths of nowadays love lifestyle and fashion. I am planning to bring everything they need to be under the same roof. I know I cannot fail in this one because I know my target and the competition is minimal at all in my place of residence. This will boost my income and help me achieve my goals.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my most recent transfer on buying a cow. I decided to buy a cow because its easy to maintain and its food is locally available. I believe it will reproduce to fill my compound. The cow is my investment as well as a source of income through the sale of milk after it starts reproducing. My mother will then be sending me the money she will be getting from the sale of milk every month and I will be using it to improve my life. I also took part of my money and bought a bicycle. With this, I will no longer be using matatus and it will have saved me the money I usually use as my transport. Lastly, I bought chair and a table since I did not have anything in my house. My house was half empty with noting which was so embarrassing since my visitors always had to sit on bed.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
20000 KES ($200 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
attach_money
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My goal now is to go back home and get myself some grounding. In my culture, when a male child gets to 18 years, then he needs to have some sort of grounding and standing back at home. He needs to establish himself back in his home. I already have a house in my home, I will now purchase a cow as a way to establish myself in my home.
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 developed a great sense of hope and motivation in life. Since I received the transfers, I now see that things in life can change for the better. I feel more brave to face life, and I now know that things can really take a turn for the better in life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my transfers to purchase a bed and a mattress that I lacked in my house, and also to repay a debt of 2000 KES that I had borrowed from my youth group. I used to sleep on the floor as I had never owned a bed or a mattress. I cleared high school last year but one in the year 2017. I have been surviving on construction jobs and selling water for my youth group project. What I make from these jobs is only enough to cater for my meals and my rent. At times I fail to get these jobs. I am grateful to Give Directly that I was able to make my life better. Now I have a comfortable bed and mattress.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
I was very sick on that morning that I received the transfers. It was on 11th January, 2019 at around 8:30 AM when I reached for my phone to call a friend of mine to ask him to bring me painkillers in my house. That was when I saw the Mpesa message. I was very happy that all the pain I was feeling just went away. I was very very excited, I jumped out of bed, took breakfast and then I went to hospital. I later on took time to plan on how I would spend the transfers.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I will use this money first to buy some basic household items like bed,matress,utensils since I still doesn't have them.
I will also use part of this money to settle some of my debts and also use this money to buy some livestock like a cow and a goat at home that may help me later in agri-business.
Describe your biggest worry.
My most troubling worry is always about health issues since at times I do fell sick and whenever I am sick am unable to look for money or go after my hustles.
I also do worry about unemployment since my water vending business depends on availability of water and due to water rationing at times I may be jobless for even three weeks.
I am also usually worried about the insecurity in my local area or Mathare since most youths usually engage in crime and indiscriminate killings by police officers is in the rise.
What are your greatest ambitions?
My ambition is to prosper and start my own family and bring them up in a better lifestyle than the one I had when growing up m because sincerely I really grew up in a tough lifestyle where we had no enough food,consistently being sent away from school for fees.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
In my usual day I do wake up very early in the morning and arrive at the water point where I sell water to the estate dwellers up to around 8 pm at night while in my free time or those times that I doesn't go to job may because there is water rationing in Margaret, I do relax with my friends and at times go to watch movies or go to our football ground to watch ball games.
