With schools set to reopen next week, I am gearing up to address the pending school fee arrears for my children, which amount to a total of $50. Using my upcoming transfers, I intend to clear this debt and ensure that my children's education remains uninterrupted. Creating a conducive learning environment for them is paramount, and settling these fees will contribute to that goal. I cannot overstate my gratitude for the transfers that have facilitated this positive transformation in my life. The support I have received has been instrumental in alleviating financial burdens and providing opportunities for my family's education and well-being.

Life was a constant struggle for my family of six, with no steady job or reliable source of income. My husband, the main breadwinner, relied on sporadic casual jobs that barely covered our basic needs. However, our circumstances took a turn for the better when I joined the cash program. Starting a small business selling small fish proved to be a turning point. The business steadily grew, providing a much-needed additional income stream. With the profits from the business, we were able to alleviate some of the financial burdens we faced. Allocating a portion of the transfers, I prioritized education by paying $25 in school fees for my four children, ensuring they could continue their studies without interruption. Additionally, I invested in their school attire, purchasing a new pair of uniforms for $16 and three pairs of shoes for $12. With the remaining $49, I secured a significant supply of food, ensuring that our family never went hungry. The stability provided by the transfers has truly transformed our lives for the better, and I am deeply grateful for the financial assistance we have received.

As the schools are set to reopen in the upcoming week, my aim is to utilize my next transfers to settle my children's school fees, allowing them to remain in school without the risk of being sent home. By ensuring their fees are paid, I enable them to concentrate on their studies, strive for academic excellence, and pave the way for a brighter future. I am grateful for the assistance provided through the transfers, as it has led to a positive transformation in both my life and that of my family.

I allocated a significant portion of my transfers, totaling $72, to procure food for my family of six. Both my husband and I operate small businesses that sustain our family. I specialize in selling silver cyprinid, while my husband manages a fast food restaurant in Mombasa town. The proceeds from these endeavors are dedicated to covering the school fees of our four children, two of whom attend boarding secondary schools with substantial tuition fees. I am grateful for the support, as it has greatly assisted me in securing food for our family during the festive period without any shortages. I have managed to save $10, which I intend to utilize for upcoming school fees once the schools reopen. I am content with the financial aid, as it has enabled me to establish a business, invest in livestock, and ensure the well-being of my family through food provision.

I would want to build my family a more spacious home and secure a steady income for my children's school fees. I'm to ventured into goat farming. This is because of their availability and consistent demand that wound ensure successful resale. I'm planning to purchase 5 to 9 goats each between $35 to $40. With this I will be able to achieve my financial goals. To boost this income I will also keep more poultry. I will have fulfilled my dream of securing education for my children and give them a better life.

I'm so glad that the transfers helped me cover the school expenses for both of my high school children. One of them, who is currently a candidate, required a fee payment of $20. While, the second one who is just starting his high school required $12 to cover his fees, and other school needs. I have always struggled to ensure they get a chance for a better future, which I didn't get due to my parents financial situation. I'm even willing to make personal sacrifices, like going without meals, to guarantee their presence in school. A times, I would sell fish and raise livestock to acquire the necessary funds to support their education. My husband runs a hotel business that supports our other two children who are currently in primary school. This commitment to education ensures we provide our children with opportunities we never had.

My main goal for the next one year and beyond is to see my children go to school without any challenges. And therefore, I would want to start a livestock-rearing project (goats) that would help me in the future in case I am faced with financial challenges. I would also want to expand my current greengrocery business so that I would have increased profits that would be enough to pay for my children’s school fees as well as catering for other necessities for my family. I, therefore, plan to buy a goat worth $20 every month with the transfers that I would be receiving and also set some amount for the business expansion.

The transfer was such a blessing to me. I have school-going children and two of my sons who are currently in secondary school had been sent home for school fees, I didn’t have money to take them back to school due to the fact that my husband and I do not have reliable sources of income. But luckily, I received the transfers that finally brought a smile to my face. I did not think twice about how to spend the transfers considering the stress I had, therefore I decided to take a large percentage of it to school so that my sons would b allowed back to continue with their studies. I paid $30 at school and managed to buy food with the little amount that remained of $4. Words could not express how happy and grateful I was for the support at a time of need.

Supporting the education of my four children is my priority right now. Two of them are in primary school, where they pay at least $17 per term, while the others in high school need at least $160 in school fees per academic term. This would have been an unbearable burden for my husband and me to handle had it not been for the cash transfers. The little my spouse and I make from casual jobs and sardine(‘omena’)-selling business respectively cannot cover all these fees. That is why I intend to continue supplementing my earnings with cash transfers to finance the education of my children.

I was beyond excited to receive the transfers especially because it was during the time before Christmas which meant that I finally had enough money for the festivities. Therefore I proceeded to spend KES 2,750 on purposes concerned with nutrition.I ended up buying eight packets of maize flour, four packets of wheat flour, a two kilograms of sugar, half a litre of cooking oil and baking powder. Lastly I ended up spending the remaining balance of KES 650 by buying medication for my goats.

As soon as I realized that I had received the money I decided to settle tuition for my children. Therefore I went ahead and paid for the ones in primary school so I paid KES 1,000 for the three of them and then I also decided to pay for one of my sons who was in high school so I ended up paying KES 1,000 as well since he was on the verge of being kicked out. I also went ahead to buy him a sweater with cost me KES 500 and used the remaining KES 500 to ensure that I cater for nutrition by buying two and a half kilograms of maize flour since we had no food in the house.

I strongly believe that GiveDirectly does well in giving us money. As a result, all the recipients have wisely used their money to meet their immediate needs. They are therefore feeling good and happy with the program. The aspect of sending money through Mpesa enhances our safety because no one knows when the transfers are sent. On contrary, there is nothing that GiveDirectly does not do well.

Immediately after I received my most recent transfer, I was able to start a business dealing with the selling of "omena" (silver cyprinid). This required a start-up capital of KES 1000 which at first, I could not raise. Previously I did not have any source of income. I was always in the house waiting for my husband to take care of us although he has never been having a steady source of income. I am glad that from my business, I can always make a profit of at least KES 100 a day. Moreover, I spent the rest of the transfer on paying school fees in advance for my son who is currently in secondary. I am hopeful that when schools open, he will have ample time to concentrate on his studies.

I was so glad and very jovial to find out that the organization had finally dished out the transfers as they claimed they would. Initially I had my doubts concerning GiveDirectly because I had never come across such an organization but I was happy I took a leap of faith and decide to trust them and their intentions which were to elevate us from poverty.

I cannot begin to explain how excited I am for this opportunity because I see a lot of great opportunities that will help me ensure my kids stay in school especially since funds for tuition were one of my biggest problems. The biggest transition for me would be that this funds helped me restart my business of poultry farming when I was almost losing hope of ever managing to restore it.

Before even getting introduced to GiveDirectly I had a project where I did poultry farming at large scale but unfortunately a sickness came in and swept away almost over twenty hens that I owned. I suffered huge loses and planned on beginning the process again when I got the transfers. As soon as my turn came to receiving the money from GiveDirectly, I immediately went ahead and bought four more hens which cost me KES 800. I wanted my business to grow back to where it was earlier especially since I relied on selling the chicken to provide for the needs of my family which included mostly nutrition and tuition fee. After that I used KES 125 and bought a kilogram of sugar and saved the KES 200 that I was left with because my kids were soon going to back to school and I needed to be prepared to cater for school fees.