I have seen livestock farming doing well in our area specifically for goats, so I opted to borrow ideas from a neighbor who was balancing her priorities well. Instead of receiving money and concentrating on food, I opted to start an investment which by the end of this year I would like to account for it. Therefore, I plan to start goat raring. I chose goats because they are affordable in terms of the cash I receive from GiveDirectly and also they do not require much attention. Their ability to survive in a drought-prone area also encouraged me to invest in them knowing that I will not have a tough time looking after them. I now have 2 goats with hopes that when they multiply they will act as my financial security.

As a small-scale farmer, I faced some challenges, but the quarterly transfers from GiveDirectly helped me address them. I used $9 to buy medicine for my goats, who were suffering from lung infections; although some didn't make it, I managed to save three, hoping they'd multiply and become a financial asset. With $12, I invested in chickens, anticipating their growth to support me in the future. Then, I was assigned $20 to construct a toilet for myself, as my old one had collapsed due to heavy rains, leaving me with no place for relief. Additionally, I set aside another $20 to add to my savings, with the goal of exchanging it for a cow. My chest problems limit my ability to work, so I rely on my son for daily meals, making these transfers a crucial support in my life.

Although I encountered a setback with the loss of the two goats, I remain optimistic and am eager to reinvest my funds in acquiring more goats. My aim is to develop a large herd of goats, enabling me to generate income through the sale of offspring once they multiply. I am deeply grateful for the financial assistance I have received from Give Directly.

Since joining the program, I had acquired four goats, but unfortunately, they all succumbed to a deadly illness, resulting in the loss of two. In an attempt to aid their recovery, I had purchased medicine before the two goats passed away. Despite this setback, I am thankful that two goats survived. Additionally, I allocated $15 to purchase food for our festive celebrations, creating cherished memories with my family. Moreover, with $68, I procured two goats in November and October. Regrettably, both fell victim to the disease. Nevertheless, I am resolute in continuing to raise goats, as I aim to generate substantial income from their offspring in the future.

My goal is to continue buying goats in the future, provided I don't face other financial constraints and my health remains stable. I often suffer from chest complications, and a significant portion of the transfer funds go toward medication for this condition. I hope that in the coming years, things will be less complicated than they have been in the past. I currently have four goats that I acquired through previous transfers, and I aim to buy six more and let the herd grow.

I had set aside $6 from the previous month's transfers, waiting for the recent funds to arrive so that I could use them together to buy a goat. I'm delighted that I was able to purchase the goat at last as I topped my savings with the $34. With the recent harvest of food, I saw this as an excellent opportunity to invest in goat farming as a means to build wealth for my family's future needs. Typically, we rely on my son's income from casual jobs in Mombasa, but it's quite unreliable and insufficient to cover his children's needs and mine. Owning livestock will not only allow me to contribute to our needs but also ease the burden on his shoulders. Overall, I'm very grateful for the transfers because they provide me with funds every month without having to engage in physical labor.

My goal is to continue controlling my chest complications by obtaining appropriate medication. I never want my health to relapse to where it was before I started receiving the cash transfers. In my old age, I cannot work for an income, which makes cash transfers my main source of income. I trust that I will be able to use the money for my treatment as well as obtain goats for rearing. I trust that owning goats will grow my wealth and allow me to cover my needs in the future. 

The greatest impact I have realized through the cash aid is owning livestock and receiving better medication for my chest complications. Previously, I solely relied on my three sons to support my daily needs as I am too advanced in age to fend for myself. Besides, the chest pains could never allow me to work. As my children relied on (and still rely on) casual jobs for sustenance, they raised very low earnings that hardly provided the basics like food, let alone secure proper medication for me. The lack of medication made my condition to deteriorate. Thankfully, I have been able to obtain appropriate treatment throughout the period I have received cash transfers. It was until recently that my health stabilized and I began spending the money on securing goats; I own three goats currently. I am certain that if I continue increasing the number of these goats, they will reproduce and grow the herd, eventually expanding my wealth. This will help me fend for myself in the future, especially after the transfers stop. For this reason, I plan to spend the entire transfer I recently received on buying a goat or two. 

Since I have seen livestock farming doing well in our area specifically for goats, I opted to borrow ideas from a neighbor who was balancing her priorities well. Instead of receiving money and concentrating on food, I opted to start an investment which by the end of this year I would like to account for it. Therefore, I plan to start goat raring. I chose goats because they are affordable in terms of the cash I receive from GiveDirectly and also they do not require much attention. Their ability to survive in a drought-prone area also encouraged me to invest in them knowing that I will not have a tough time looking after them.

I have had plans to buy a new beddings especially since the mattress I sleep on is quite old and worn out which makes it quite uncomfortable to sleep on. That is why I ended up saving KES 2,000 out of the money I had received because it was not sufficient to acquire the mattress this time around. Afterwards I went on to spend KES 1,100 on ensuring that my family had nice meals in preparation for the holiday season. Therefore with that money I acquired two packets of wheat flour, two kilograms of rice, a kilogram of sugar and a litre of cooking oil. Lastly I spent the balance of KES 300 on seeking medical assistance because I was unwell.

I completely rely on my son, a casual laborer who works in Mombasa, to provide all of my requirements. Their salary from the Hawking work, which does not provide for themselves or take care of my necessities, is quite meager (500 per day). My everyday struggle to put food on the table is made more difficult by the rising costs of necessities like maize flour. Along with my financial difficulties, my health has become worse, making it impossible for me to take care of myself. So, when I got my transfer, I bought food with the whole KES 3,000. I purchased five kilos of beans, fruits, and vegetables, ten packets of maize flour, two kilograms of sugar, and one hundred grams of salt. Since my health was deteriorating, the fruits and vegetables were interventions to strengthen my immunity.

I commend Give Directly for educating us on how best we can use the transfers. The teachings we got from Give Directly staff impacted useful knowledge that I will employ in real life and uplift my life from the jaws of poverty.

I left my job selling palm wine in the village after I developed health complications with my chest. Since then I depend on my eldest son who works as a casual laborer who works in Mombasa, hawking fruits by the roadside. Depending on my son is tough since he earns very little from his job in hawking, and thus cannot take care of all my needs (food, clothing, and medication). Therefore, when I received my transfer of KES 3000, I spent it all on buying a doe. I boat the doe as a future investment where I can sell some goats and use the money to cater to my needs. This will ensure I become independent and stop over-relying on my son for everything.

I received my transfer in the morning hours. I was in my room immersed in deep thoughts about where my next meal was coming from. The beeping sound of my phone brought me back to the real world. I called my son who read out the contents of the message for me because I am illiterate. He informed me I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. My heart melted with joy as tears run down my cheeks. I knelt down and thanked God for the miracle he had done for me.

Buying the chicken is the biggest difference in my life since I received the transfer. Having been jobless for over three years, it gives me joy that, through poultry farming, I will be self-employed and dependent once again. This will reduce the burden on my son, who has taken care of me for the last three years.  

The transfer cost me KES 1200 to buy 4 chickens. I always had a dream of owning livestock of my own, but that has not been possible because of a lack of enough funds. I currently do not have a job and buying the chicken will give me a chance to practice poultry farming. My son whom I depend on earns a living from raising livestock for other people. The little he earns does not take care of both of us. Starting the poultry project will provide an alternative source of income and therefore I will stop depending on my son. Because of the tough economic conditions, I have mostly survived by buying food on credit or even borrowing food from close relatives and neighbors. Therefore, I spent the remaining amount of KES 1800 to buy food in bulk that will last me for over two weeks.