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?
Before I started receiving these transfers, I had no stable source of income and had to collect garbage from compounds which I then delivered to the nearest dumpsite. There were several occasions when I had accidentally been cut by sharp pieces of broken glass or pricked by needles at the dumpsite which were a health hazard to me. Every day I did that job, I was risking my life in so many different ways especially because I was also not able to afford proper medical care due to low income. With the transfers I have received, I have improved my living standard by starting my own business and venturing into livestock farming, moving into a better living environment because I can afford the rent through my business and comfortably providing for my daily needs without risking my life while at it.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life?
I do not have any new additional goals at the moment but to improve the projects I had previously started using the first and second transfers. Having tried the pigs business for a while now, I have seen that it is quite a lucrative business and I would wish to expand it when I receive the next transfer by buying more pigs. I would also like to restock my T-shirt business, especially because the next transfer I will be receiving will be the last one, so I would like to make the business better than it was for I know I will depend on it for a long time.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My group has a pig- rearing project which I have seen is a very profitable one because the pigs breed very fast and require very low maintenance. When I received the second transfer, I decided to invest most of it on the pigs business by buying three pigs to start me off.
I used the rest of the money I had left to restock my second-hand T-shirt business to increase the profits during the festive season when most people shop for clothes.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
20000 KES ($193 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
attach_money
Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
My new goal is to expand my two businesses. I do not want then to collapse because when that happens, it simply means that I will go back to casual jobs which earns me very little income, something that I do not want to happen in the near future.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have managed to start my own business. I sell caps and T-shirts. Being self-employed has seen me live a stress-free life that has obviously translated into more income. I can proudly say that the income from the business has been able to sustain my family well and I have also started making other meaningful investments.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent a larger portion of my transfer on starting up a business. I sell caps and T-shirts. I can never regret starting this business because it is doing well and I get money daily as compared to the monthly salary from the garbage collection jobs which gave me very little income. Apart from that, I also started rearing pigs. I had gotten the experience from my group and I decided to also start my own because of the benefits that it has. When they give birth one can even get like fifteen piglets at once. When they are taken good care of, the pigs are sold to the nearby slaughterhouse and this translates to a lot of money. This is simply what I want to concentrate on so as to enjoy the benefits too. So far I feel good about this project because I am very busy as well. Before then, I used to collect garbage and sell water. It was also competitive because most of the youths were looking for such kinds of jobs. I could also get injured while in the process. I can only thank GiveDirectly for changing my life.
Describe the moment when you started receiving transfers. How did you feel?
The moment I received the transfer I felt very happy. I checked my phone and got a message from GiveDirectly. I could not believe my eyes for a while. I kept checking until I confirmed that it was true that I had received the sum of money that I had been promised. Out of joy, I could not hold my smile. I decided to keep calm and started thinking of how to use the money.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
My first priority is to invest in a new business of selling fries. I decided to venture into this business because not so many people have invested in it here in Kiamutisya, Mathare. I expect to get profit from this work because of less competition. I will buy chips frier which uses electricity unlike my competitor who are using firewood to cook. I will be buying potato sacks in Marikiti a retail market in town or Gikomba market because it is cheaper and I will be able to maximize my profit. Secondly, I will engage in urban farming. As a group we have a huge space where our office is located. I will be able to buy a sprinkler machine and use it to plant, kales, spinach, cabbage and other traditional vegetables to sell in my neighborhood. Thirdly, I would want to open a stall of selling caps in my area. I would be targeting youths because they are trendy. The income I get from selling of caps will help supplement my total income and I therefore, expect my standard of living improve.
Describe your biggest worry.
My top concern is my family because of the challenges we face in the slum. My mother is a single parent and she normally comes home late at night while drunk. This led me to drop out of school in primary and started to fend for myself at a younger age. I started to sleep outside while at the same time joined a gang of criminals in Kiamutisya Mathare. I involved myself in crime by snatching phones in Kiamutisya village Mathare along Juja road. I lost many of my friends along the way due to crime through mob justice and extrajudicial killings by trigger happy policemen. I spent most of the money that I had received from crime towards contribution of my friends burial, so I realized it was of no benefit to me and I quit crime because it does not pay. I therefore fear for my two younger brothers who may drop out of school because they still live with my mother who is a drunkard and they may end up in crime just like me.
What are your greatest ambitions?
My ambition is to become a successful businessman and be able to operate a fleet of vehicle for carrying passengers. I would want to have the passenger vehicles operating along Juja road in Mathare.This is the dream I have been yearning for. It pains me to see my mother drunk every day. My agemates do not respect me anymore because when my mother is drunk she normally uses abusive language which is not pleasing to me. I wish I could change this. I dropped out of school at an early age all because of my mother who neglected me. Fire outbreak are very common in Mathare, I therefore fear for my three younger siblings because when my mother is drunk she will not be in a position to rescue them and they may lose their life. Hopefully, when I receive this transfers, I plan to move my mother out of Mathare slum and take her to upcountry where she does not have friends to influence her to get drunk and which means that I will have saved the lives of my family . Apart from that I am hopeful that with my new transportation business I will be able to provide for my daily upkeep and that of my family.
Describe your usual day. How do you spend your time?
On my usual day I wake up at 6:00am I walk straight to where my group office is located in Kiamutisya, Mathare. I normally work on Saturdays collecting garbage in the neighborhood. When I am not at work, I do clean up and water trees around our office so that they don't dry because of the scorching sun that we expect during the day. I then go to have breakfast in a nearby hotel at 7:30am. I return back to where my group is located and hang out with friends as I wait for any opportunity that may come my way like carrying of luggages. I will then leave where our group is located at 8:00am, have supper in a nearby hotel and then head to my house to retire to sleep. In my free time I like to play football with my friends in a space that we have as a group.
