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 > Michael's Profile
Michael's family
Michael
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Street trading - non-food (self-employed)
faceAge:
29
workCampaign
FSD / Urban Youth
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
3rd Payment
Transfer Amount
50000 KES ($486 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 managed to start a business using the first transfer. I sell electronics. My living standards have changed because I am sure of getting money by the end of the day. Previously, I used to do casual jobs like picking garbage to get an income after a month. This was challenging because not all clients could let me pick the garbage and others were not friendly making my work difficult. I thank GiveDirectly for uplifting my living standards.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My new goal is to buy land. Currently, we occupy land but it is not legally ours. Although I have already developed rental houses on the land, I plan to have my own just in case someone claims the land someday.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
There are some houses that I have been renting out for some time now. They are two in number which my parent's hand left for me. From the time that I have managed them, I realized that having rental houses is better because someone is sure of getting money at the end of the money and for that reason, I decided to add three rental houses using my second and third transfer. This is a long term investment. I am a happy landlord because the houses are already occupied and now I am even sure of more money.
 
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
36800 KES ($369 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?
Sincerely, I was in a very bad position before GD supported me. I used to be a driver though not contracted. I worked on days that I was called to work this meant that I had no steady income. Paying rent and buying food for my family was a struggle. But when I received my transfers, I have been able to start a business and to my surprise, it is doing quite well. I can now sort all my bills with the revenue earned from the electronic shop.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My goal is to own a home in the future. This has been my dream ever since I was a child, this is because my parents never gave me a decent home so I used that experience to give my family a better life. I never want my children to go through the same experience in the ghetto. This motivates me to work hard.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my very first transfer, I opened an electronic shop. I had checked around my estate and realized that there was a gap in electronic business. So when I received my most recent transfer, I bought more stock for my shop and this has seen me generate more income.
 
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
20000 KES ($199 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 goals are now to work hard on my business and purchase a piece of land where I can build my own house and stop paying rent.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that now am less idle unlike before when I would sit around waiting for turn-boy jobs or garbage collection jobs. My days are now busy with more meaningful activity after I opened up my electronic shop. I now spend my days in my shop attending to customers as I sell different electronic items in my shop.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my transfers to open up an electronic shop in Mathare village two, near our youth group hall, Beavers group hall. I have always wanted to have my own business that sells electronic materials such as bulbs, bulb holders, extension cables, wires, switches and heaters; among others. I have never had the funds to start this business. I have been involved in garbage collection and assisting Public Service Vehicle conductors to fill their vehicles with passengers. I would make very little money out of this that would only be enough to cater for my most basic needs such as meals and rent. I never made anything extra. I was really excited with these transfers as I finally managed to open up an electronic shop that is my own. I stock these electronic materials and so far my business is doing quite well.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
It was in the morning at around 6:00 AM when I heard a message come into my phone. On checking the message, it was an Mpesa message. When I saw the 20000 KES received in my phone, I first panicked thinking that someone had sent money wrongly to my number. Immediately after, I received another message from Give Directly and that is when it finally occurred to me that I had received my first transfers. I was really happy and for a moment I was just confused and filled with excitement. It was at that moment that I finally realized that now my plans would come to fruition and that I would finally achieve my goals.
 
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
 
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
Reason why I prioritize my plans the way I did, is because I have new business which I would like to expand it, I see the transfers to be great opportunity, where I will take an advantage of expanding my business, second priority will be paying school fees for my child for him get knowledge third priority am interested in poultry keeping, this will boost my lifestyle due to high demand of eggs and chickens.
Describe your biggest worry.
My top concern is unemployment because once one is idle he or she will start doing this that are bad such as stealing, prostitution and this leads to high death rate within the community.
What are your greatest ambitions?
My ambition has always been being independent man in terms of richness such as having a my own mansion, having business that is stable that would to meet my daily needs and wants.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
During my free time I usually woke up at 6:00am, I will take bath, then take breakfast at around 7:30am, then I will go for team building with my friends based on if they are free, if they are not I will just go alone and look around appreciating nature and country that will took at least half a day, then I will back to our area and mingle with my friends at our meeting point, have some stories until evening where I will go back home for supper and bedtime.