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?
I can now pay my rent on time and pay school fees for my child who would previously be constantly sent away from school for delayed fee payments before I started receiving transfers from Give Directly. Life was very tough then because the little money I earned from my small business and casual jobs was not able to cater for all my needs. These transfers have been able to supplement my monthly budget making it easy for me to comfortably pay my bills.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
The business I currently have does not provide enough and sometimes, I am forced to leave behind my two-months-old baby with my neighbour to go hunting for casual jobs for a supplementary income. I have an additional goal of starting a new business on second-hand clothes which I know does not require a lot of money to set up. I will have the clothes on the same stall that I am using for the current business so that I do not have to incur extra costs on renting a stall. I hope the business that I am planning to start will be able to provide enough money for my family needs so that I can completely quit the casual jobs that I still do occasionally.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used most of the money I recently received to pay my rent for the month, clear the school fee arrears that my child had in school for the previous term then spent the rest on foodstuff and other household needs.
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
5000 KES ($48 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?
My life is currently from how it was in that, I have been able to take care of my children's needs easily. I have been able to pay school fees and even stay in my own house. After the death of my husband, I had to go back home. My inlaws took everything. I started over again and I am glad that I have been able to take care of our primary and secondary needs easily.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My new good is to start a second business. I want to start selling sweets and ice cream. It seems to be a lucrative business and the trick that I want to use is to start selling in schools around the neighborhood after asking for permission from the headteachers.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my transfer to pay rent. As a widow, rent is majorly a big problem that I had to battle with since my husband died. I am happy that since I started getting the transfer, I have managed to pay the money without depending on my relatives. I also paid part of the school fees for my child. Apart from that, I managed to keep some in the merry-go-round and restock my business because this is what I depend on apart from the monthly transfers.
4th Payment
Transfer Amount
5000 KES ($49 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I am planning to pay my children's school fees as they resume school. Then I will see to it that I open a kiosk to help me earn more income to better the future of my children. I will ensure they receive the best I never had.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I run a business of making liquid soap. When I received my recent transfers, I added a new product to help expand my market. This way my income has increased and I can pay my children's school fees with much ease. The difference is that even with the soap business, It was never enough to sustain my family's needs. It was a daily struggle.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my recent transfer, I paid my house rent and the remaining amount I bought shopping for my household. Having paid the rent I am certain that my kids will have a place to sleep and stay for the next month as well as what to eat.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
The moment I started receiving my transfers, I felt so happy and reveled. At first I thought it was a scum. Who would come and issue money that one had not worked for but when I received the transfers, I knew it was real and my problems were going to be sorted out.
Enrolled
access_time almost 6 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I will use my transfers to expand my soap business. I usually make and sell soap from my house. I do this on order mostly. I will buy more materials for this business and find a stall in my neighborhood in 3B village, Mathare, where I can sell my soap from. Secondly, I will spend my transfers to open a retail shop just next to my soap business. I will focus on selling sweets, biscuits, bread, milk, sodas etc. Finally, I will save the remaining of my transfers.
Describe your biggest worry.
My top concern is unemployment because I have two children aged eight and three who depend on me entirely. I was widowed in the year 2015, and I was left with two children to support. If I fail to support them, I will feel like I have failed them and like I have failed in life too. My second concern is conflicts with people. This is in terms of conflicts among friends that come as a result of gossip behaviours or physical fights. This is because of the situations of conflicts that I have had to go through. The most hurting was the case where I was accused of killing my husband who died through a road accident. My close friends spread these rumours as they gossiped behind my back, which was hurtful. My final concern is achieving my ambitions because I owe my children a better life than what they have now. If I dont achieve my ambitions, I will have failed as a parent.
What are your greatest ambitions?
My ambitions are to own my own home in an area like Ruai, where I won't have to be paying rent. I hope to buy a piece of land in Ruai and build a home there. I can do this by joining a sacco for savings as I concentrate on growing my soap business and retail shop, to get good income that will enable me achieve my ambitions.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
My usual day begins at 6:00am when I wake up and do some house chores as I prepare breakfast for my children. I then get ready and have breakfast before I head out to Pangani Estate at a certain spot that we sit, to wait for any client who will require our services of cleaning their house or doing laundry. I sit there waiting with other ladies who are looking for work too. If I am lucky to get a job, then atleast I will have some income on that day, and I will usually leave for my house around 7:00pm. On some days, I wait around the whole day and I get no available jobs. On such days, I just head back to the house to prepare supper for my kidz. I then freshen up, have dinner and then we go to bed. In my free time, I enjoy playing football and listening to cultural and gospel music.
