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 ($492 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?
Currently, my life is different from how it was in that, I have a reliable source of income. I ferry people using a motorcycle to earn a living. This is much better than the casual jobs which were unreliable.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My new goal is to enroll in a driving school. I want to have the knowledge since I will be in a position to get driving jobs that pay well. I will then employ someone to operate the motorcycle so that I can get income from both sources. When this happens, I will then use the money to uplift my living standards.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For a long time, I wanted to own a motorcycle but I was not in a position to buy one due to financial constraints. I can remember envying people on the road that had a motorcycle. When I was enrolled in the program I was very happy since I knew that I was going to own a motorcycle. When I got the first transfer, I used the money to take a motorcycle. The third and the last transfer was not any different. I decided to pay for KES 45000. With this, I am only remaining with KES 40000 and I will be done repaying the loan. I cannot complain because I have been using the motorcycle to ferry people around and get money for my daily use. This is better that have been doing menial jobs that were unreliable. Besides that, I decided to save the remaining amount for the Christmas season.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
37152 KES ($360 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?
The fact that I have this motorcycle is a very big change in my life. Before the transfers, I did not have any source of income because I was not well educated. As a result, I could not get good or well-paying jobs. This is why I chose to buy a motorcycle to help me earn an income to raise my family in decent way and provide for their needs effectively.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
The only goal I have now is to continue paying for the motorcycle until I finish the balance. I would not want a scenario where it will be taken away from me because I was not able to pay for it in time.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my transfer on paying back for a motorcycle I bought on hire purchases basis. I am currently on with the payments and receiving these transfers has helped a lot in reducing the balance I had with the dealer. I know will my little daily income, I will be able to clear the arrears before the end of the year. The rest of the transfers I used on buying household items such as clothes and food. I felt its time we had changed in appearance courtesy of GD transfers. I also paid rent with the remaining part of the transfer.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
20000 KES ($194 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?
The transfer has enabled me to pay back part of a loan that I had borrowed to buy a motorcycle. For a long time, I have had this desire to be self-employed and when I started receiving these transfers, I got so encouraged that I was finally going to be able to buy one and be self-employed. The motorcycle has enabled me to make enough income to sustain my family and also get the extra money made to pay back part of the pending loan that was accrued from buying this motorcycle.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I had been employed as a plumber for a year but I lost this job. Having no job, I faced financial hardships that made it impossible for me to fulfil my basic needs and paying for my household needs. I am grateful to GiveDirectly since the first transfer has enabled me to acquire a motorcycle on loan, which keeps me engaged and earning some income. Through this income, I can pay for my household expenditure, rent as well as pay back the loan to reduce the pending balance.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent the whole of my most recent transfer to pay back a loan that I had borrowed to buy a motorcycle. Initially, I was paying back the loan in bits until I lost my plumbing job shortly before I received these transfers. The thought of where I would get the money to pay back the loan after losing my job had really given me sleepless nights until I received these transfers. The motorcycle that I bought has really assisted me and my family in meeting some of the most basic needs of the family through the earnings made from the taxi services that I offer within town.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
When I received a message notification early that morning, I was not sure who it came from and I could not speculate since I have never received such messages as early as 4:00 am. I checked to confirm who it was from and I was so happy to learn that I had just received a sum of KES 20000 on my mpesa account. I felt so happy that I could not have a wink any further. It just dawned to me that my long term dream of owning a motorcycle was finally going to be achieved. I had been so jobless for quite a while and I just felt like I should find some form of employment that would enable me to sustain my family. I feel so happy that the dream has finally been a reality.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
My first priority is to invest in transportation business. I will buy a motorcycle and use it for transportation of people and goods around Mathare. From the research I have done, motorcycle business is one of the source of income to many youths. I will be able to employ myself and improve my standard of living from the profits I get from my business.
Secondly, I will open a boutique shop in Mlango Kubwa, Mathare. I will be buying second hand clothes from Gikomba market. The population is high thus providing a ready market for my business and I therefore expect to have more profit in return. Thirdly, I will use the remaining transfer to buy food, so as to have something on my table on a daily basis.
Describe your biggest worry.
My top concern is my family because of the life we experience in slums. In slums there are fire disasters, poor hygiene and sanitation because of raw sewage passing outside her house. I have been raised by my mother who is a single parent, she expects much from me because I am the sole breadwinner. I have been unable to provide food or pay rent for her which sometimes makes me become angry with myself and cause me to want to work extra hard to at least provide for her.
What are your greatest ambitions?
My ambition is to become a successful businessman in future. I would want to open a wholesale shop in town. I will be selling electrical appliances around Nairobi in wholesale price. I will be able to get alot of profit in return and this will improve my standard of living. I will be able to move my mother out of slums because of the challenges that are there like fire disasters brought by people who want to grab land or political violence that comes whenever there is a general election. I will be able to take her in upcountry where I will be able to support for her upkeep. I will be able to provide food for my family with much ease.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
On my usual day, I wake up at 6:30am, I take a shower, have breakfast and then I leave for work at construction sites. I arrive at my workplace at 8:00am until 5:00pm in the evening when I return back home. I take a shower, relax with friends and eat in a nearby hotel. I then head back home at 9:00pm and retire to sleep.
In my free time I like to relax with my friends where our group is located, as we chat and talk about life.
