In the coming year and beyond, my primary focus will be on maximizing my farming efforts by ensuring I have all the necessary inputs and conducting timely farming activities to enhance productivity. This is because my son, who is currently in grade seven will be transitioning to high school soon, and that means more money for school fees. So, I need to plan carefully. To secure the funds required for my son's education, I intend to leverage the proceeds from my farming to invest in goat farming. Currently, I already own three goats, which I purchased using the initial transfer. The venture has proven promising, with two of the goats already giving birth. Our warm climatic conditions are good for their multiplication as they reproduce faster, and they have shown resilience even during drought. By expanding my goat farming, I aim to generate sufficient income through their sale to cover my son's school fees.

GiveDirectly has done well providing us with unconditional cash transfers. This has lifted our spirits and renewed our optimism as it transformed our lives, allowing us to invest in what matters most to us. I can not express how happy I am that, because of their help, I have been able to achieve things that once felt out of reach, like owning three goats. And now, I am looking forward to having a better house soon. Thank you, GiveDirectly, for making all of this possible.

I am a single parent and the sole provider of my five children. Our living conditions are congested and poor, with all of us squeezed into a small, single-room house with mud walls and an iron sheet roof. Despite its limited space, act as a kitchen, living room, and sleeping area. I have longed for a better home, but most of my income goes towards providing food and meeting other basic needs for my children. I rely on farming vegetables and maize on the one-acre plot of land given to me by my father. This small farm is our main source of income, but it's constantly threatened by climate fluctuations. Depending on irrigation, the lack of rainfall often leads to the river drying up, resulting in poor harvests. The second transfer provided some hope to us, for building a larger, more comfortable house made of iron sheets. I purchased the necessary materials for $350, intending to begin construction once I receive the third transfer. This new house will not only be more inviting to visitors, as I often feel embarrassed by our current living situation, but it will also provide ample space for my children to study. Additionally, I used $50 to prepare my land for maize farming, ensuring timely planting and increasing our chances of a successful harvest, provided the rain continues. I used the remaining funds to purchase essential food items such as sugar, maize, and beans, easing the burden of constantly seeking casual work and allowing me more time to work on my farm.

Receiving the first transfer left me overwhelmed with happiness, unsure of whom to thank at that moment. The struggles my family of six endured to secure basic household goods were huge for us, and the idea that someone unknown would step forward to offer financial support seemed unimaginable. From the challenges of obtaining water to ensuring my children had enough food, life has been incredibly difficult. However, this moment brought hope to our household. The relief that came with receiving the money meant I could finally provide for all the needs of my five children. Since I was alone when I received the news, I had to wait until my children returned from school in the evening to share the excitement with them. After two days, I collected the money from the nearby shopping center, ready to put it toward the planned needs.

The biggest difference in my daily life since I received the first transfer is the excitement I have after acquiring three goats, something I have never had before. Just like other households, I now have assets to maintain, with the hope of breeding and selling them later when they have multiplied to meet our household obligations. My children are equally happy since I could finally provide them with much-needed support after receiving the cash. My eldest son, who is in grade seven, got a new pair of black leather shoes worth $15, while the others received new stationery to replace their old and tattered ones, which they have been wishing to replace for a while. I am grateful for all these changes and energized to use the next transfer to initiate other new goals.

As a single mother of five, I have been solely reliant on small-scale farming of vegetables and maize, supplemented occasionally by scarce casual labor, to provide for my family's daily needs. The arrival of GiveDirectly brought hope, and their promise was fulfilled with the first transfer I received. To maximize this support, especially knowing there would only be three transfers, I carefully subdivided the funds to meet all we needed. I prioritized investing $142 in purchasing three goats, intending to raise and breed them to create a future financial safety net. With no goats previously, this addition to our farm holds promise for multiplication, with plans to use part of subsequent transfers for more goats. Additionally, I spent $15 on purchasing a pair of black leather shoes for my son in grade 7, who had been depending on the old ones and sometimes walking barefoot to school, and $12 on stationery for all four of my children currently in school, enhancing their learning experience. To improve our household comfort, I used $16 to purchase two chairs to replace makeshift seating arrangements, boosting my confidence in welcoming visitors. I later used the remaining $15 to purchase household essentials, including foodstuffs and toiletries. I eagerly anticipate the subsequent transfer, which I believe will enable us to initiate additional planned projects aimed at further improving our living standards.