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 depended on casual jobs for income before I was enrolled in the program. These jobs were not easy to come by and I had a tough time providing for myself through the little income I earned. When I started receiving the transfers, I got the courage to purchase a motorcycle on credit for business because I know that the transfers would enable me to pay for the required instalments. Through the motorcycle business, I am now comfortably able to take care of needs without much struggle.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
In my area, there is no egg supplier which forces many business people to get them from suppliers outside the area, therefore, costing them extra money on transport. I would wish to take advantage of this gap by starting a poultry farming project within the estate as I know that there will be a ready market for the eggs.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used part of my most recent transfer to pay my rent of 2000KES then topped up some savings I had accumulated to the remaining amount and paid a loan which I am required to pay for weekly. This is a loan that came as a result of me purchasing a motorcycle on credit for business purposes.
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
3997 KES ($39 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
attach_money
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life has definitely changed a lot since I got enrolled in this program. I say so because, back then, I had no stable source of income as I mostly depended on casual jobs which paid very little and were not always available. I lived for the moment focusing on what I would eat for the day and not bothering about the future because there was not much I could do to make it better depending on my environment. With these transfers, I have become a completely different person with goals and dreams, I also live a better life because I am certain that I have a daily income from my motorcycle taxi job using the motorcycle that I was able to purchase on credit after I started receiving transfers from Give Directly.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
I purchased a motorcycle last year on credit for business which I was confident that I would be able to completely pay for using my monthly transfers in case the business did not work out well. So far, all has been going smoothly and the business can provide enough money to pay for the monthly instalments, which has given me the opportunity to invest my transfers on another business for extra income. My new goal is to start a new business on second-hand clothes which I will be running on my own while I lease out the motorcycle at a daily fee.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used part of my most recent transfer to pay my rent for the month then added the rest of it to some of my own savings to pay the monthly instalments that I usually pay for a motorcycle that I purchased last year on credit for business purposes.
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
5000 KES ($48 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
attach_money
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 because my house is fully furnished. I was able to buy items especially utensils which I did not have totally. I used to eat in hotels because I did not have utensils. I am glad that I also live in a better house which I moved into recently. I can only thank GiveDirectly for financial support.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
My new goal is to start selling clothes. I have noticed men and women clothes are marketable in our area, therefore, venturing on this business will earn me more.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I topped up 20000 from the previous transfers to the recent one and used the money to pay deposit for a motorcycle. This is the available job for many youths in our area and being that it is not crowded and people have to move up and down using motorcycle, it was the best idea which I thought of. I can never regret because the income that I get is more. Before then, I used to carry people's luggage and firewood to earn a living which could pay me little money. I could also overwork myself and ended up getting very tired by the end of the day. I am glad that these jobs pays me more and I do not get very tired unlike before.
4th Payment
Transfer Amount
5000 KES ($50 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
I am planning to start a second hand clothes business to help me sustain my needs. This will see my earn a daily income that will help me meet my daily households needs.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference is that I am able to sleep on a bed and cook two different meals without having to rinse a cooking pot to be used again. This has made my life more comfortable than it was before.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon receiving my recent transfers, I bought cooking pots and a second hand bed. This will help me during cooking and also I will stop sleeping on the floor which was very uncomfortable and unbearable. I used to wake up so tired than the way I retired to bed the previous night.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
Upon receiving these transfers, I was very happy for I knew this transfers were going to bridge a gap in my life. I have suffered for a very long time. I have lived a life of hand to mouth for so long.
Enrolled
access_time almost 6 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
My first priority is to rent a stall in my area and start a business of selling clothes. I have been employed to sell firewood and I would want to quit and become self employed. I am well known in my area and the population is high, providing a ready market for my business. I will be buying second hand clothes from Gikomba market and sell in Mathare and mostly I will target youths because they are trendy. Secondly, I will start poultry keeping. I have had this passion for long since I saw my grandmother venturing into this business. I will look for a place to rear the poultry, and I will be able to sell meat and eggs in Mathare and therefore hope to get a lot of profit in return. Lastly, I will use the transfer to buy slum houses for renting where I stay. They are cheap and I will be expecting rent monthly which will supplement my income.
Describe your biggest worry.
My top concern is extra judicial killings in Mathare which makes me live in a state of fear. We have been denied freedom of assembly as youths because whenever we are in groups we are always seen as suspects and which leads to police harrassments, arrests or even killings. At times there are no investigations done, and no one is able to raise his or her voice for fear of being victimized. Another thing that I fear is political violence especially when we have a presidential election in our country. There is negative ethnicity in slums because of political affiliation and friends turn to each other where they fight, maim, kill or burn houses. I find myself in fear of ever realizing my ambition of becoming a lawyer.
What are your greatest ambitions?
My ambition is to become a lawyer. Since I was young I have always dreamt of being a lawyer. I was inspired by my cousin who has been practicing law and I grew up looking up to him as my mentor. I will be able to help vulnerable people in our society by providing legal aid. There have been many challenges facing people in Mathare like land grabbing and illegal arrest from police officers which I will be able to assist and defend them as a way of giving back to the society.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
My usual day starts at 7:00am when I wake up in the morning. I normally go for exercise to play football with my friends at Depot grounds in Hospital ward Mathare constituency until 8:30am. Later on, I go back to my house, take a bath, prepare breakfast and arrange my house. I then leave to my place of work where I sell firewood until 4:00pm in the evening. After work I normally go to a place where our group is located, I relax with friends and talk about how the day was until 8:00pm in the night. I then go back to my house, prepare for supper, watch movies or listen to music and then I retire to bed. In my free time I like to relax, watch movies or visit friends.
