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 ($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?
Currently, my life is different from how it was in that, I have more income being that I added a second source of income. My living standards have changed. I am glad that I was able to relocate in a safe place in the neighborhood. My life is not at risk and I am no longer worried of losing the household items which I bought using my transfer.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
Considering the trend of how the current motorcycle is operating, I am thinking of buying another motorcycle business. Therefore, my new goal is to buy a second motorcycle. I want to diversify my sources of income so that I am financially stable.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used a larger portion of my transfer to buy a motorcycle. I had saved some money amounting to 20000KES which I decided to top to with the recent transfer in order to accomplish this project. At least I am assured of 500KES every day from the motorcycle business. I used to depend on money from garbage collection and cleaning in our neighborhood which was tiresome and hectic at the same time. Although the new business has not picked up fully I believe it will soon stabilize and generate good profits. Currently, I am still doing my previous jobs. When I combine both sources, I find that I am able to take care of most of my bills easily unlike before.
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 currently different from how it was before because I am certain that I will receive an amount of money from GD for my developments. Initially, I had many ideas but they were all dreams because implementation was next to imp[ossible. But thanks to GD, I can now comfortably execute the plans with the transfers sent.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
I am planning to start a boutique where I can sell clothes and shoes. I have realized that most of the people from Mathare have to travel a long distance to get clothes and shoes at expensive prices. My plan is to bring a shop next to them and sell at affordable prices.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The transfers came in at the right time. My brother was among the students that had been arrested after a strick that had happened at their school. He was arraigned in court and a bail of 40,000 was requested for his release. So I added some amount to the transfer and paid out for his release. I really would have struggled to raise this amount to bail him out if it were not to GD.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
20000 KES ($200 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
Since I have been able to save some money from my previous transfer, I am planning to open a boutique since it has different kinds of goods sold under one roof. I desire to sell pieces of jewellery, clothes and shoes for both men and women, perfumes among other items. I will work hard and expand this business and later start supplying people with some of my goods.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Before receiving my transfers, my landlord had locked my house since I had not paid my rent. I am now happy since I was able to pay this debt and this has always given me the morale to work hard in my daily hustles as I now freely operate from my own house.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have always had a dream of starting a business. When I received my first transfer, the money was not enough for me to rent a business premise, pay for a business license and to start up this business. For this reason, I saved 18000 KES from it so that I will add them to my second transfer and use them to start up this business. I do garbage collection work and during December when I received my transfer, most people had gone to their rural homes. Due to this, there was minimal work to do hence I had not managed to pay my house rent. This prompted me to spend part of my transfer in paying my house rent for that month.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
It was around 8 am as I was going on with my daily activities when I received two consecutive messages. Upon checking its content, my heart was filled with happiness. This marked a new dawn in my life as I knew that I was soon going to actualize my dream of starting a business and that I would be able to pay my house rent for that month.
Enrolled
access_time almost 6 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
My first priority is to use the money to expand on a business that am starting this month. Am part of a program that want to grant me money just like Give Directly. I want to open a business of selling male shoes and the money I get from give directly will help me in expanding it. I will use this money to buy more stokes hence more customers and profit.
My second priority is to use the money I get in buying household goods such as furniture. From this I can live comfortable too.
Lastly I want to use the money to bail out my brother who was caught while demonstrating in town. And we did not have money to help him. So I can use this money to help him out.
Describe your biggest worry.
My top concern is police violence because my younger brother was just caught by the police a month a go for no offence. And being a youth in the ghetto this is something to worry about often. When I visited him I couldn't believe how he has been living in filth in jail.
From poor sanitation to being discriminated against. All these Start with police carelessly harassing innocent youths. And even if some are guilty there is so much killings and wrongful convictions.
What are your greatest ambitions?
My ambition in life is to be successful both as a businessman and also in my personal life. To be self employed with a good business. To have a family by the time am thirty years old and be able to give my family better living.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
On my usual day I go for photography classes at Dream Girls CBO in Mathare. And depending on how my class schedule, if am free half day I get to work at our group toilet till evening.
I spend my free time playing football and spending time with my friends and girlfriend.
