In the upcoming year, my main objective is to launch a new business venture: a grocery and cereal store. I am motivated to establish a steady source of income by focusing on the sale of essential food items. This initiative is fueled by the aim of creating a sustainable and dependable income stream. By opening a store that meets the community's grocery needs, I aspire to contribute to the local market while securing a livelihood for myself. This business endeavor represents a significant step towards achieving financial stability and providing valuable goods to the community, in line with my vision for the coming year.

I am deeply appreciative of GiveDirectly for their substantial financial support, which has played a vital role in meeting my daily needs. Upon receiving my transfers, I carefully allocated the funds: $18 was directed towards a phone loan, $2000 was earmarked for food expenses, and $3000 was set aside for school fees. Additionally, I used a portion of the support to acquire personal clothing and purchase items for my daughter. This assistance has been crucial in ensuring that my family's essential needs, are adequately met. The impact of this support has been profound, providing much-needed relief and stability in our daily lives. By addressing critical expenses like school fees and food, Give Directly has significantly alleviated financial burdens and allowed us to focus on other aspects of our well-being.

Over the next year, my primary focus is to launch a new business venture; a grocery and cereal store. I aim to establish a source of daily income by delving into the sales of essential food items. This endeavor is driven by the goal of creating a sustainable and reliable income stream. By opening a store that caters to the community's grocery needs, I aspire to contribute to the local market while securing a livelihood for myself. This business venture represents a step towards financial stability and a means to provide valuable goods to the community, aligning with my vision for the coming year.

Being part of a savings group, I consistently set aside $10 each month, aiming to amass capital for launching a new business. Currently, my savings stand at $100, and I am working towards reaching $200 to kickstart the business. As a family of three without a steady income, I allocate the remaining funds from transfers to cover our essential needs, primarily food and household expenses. This disciplined savings approach is my strategy to secure the necessary startup funds, providing financial stability and paving the way for a potential business venture that could positively impact our family's livelihood.

Before my pregnancy, I was in my first year of college pursuing a teaching course. As I reflect on the year, my primary goal and accomplishment is to return to school and continue my college education. The funds I have received will play a crucial role in supporting me with the payment of school fees. Additionally, it is essential for me to provide for my son's needs and save enough money to secure his education in the upcoming years. I am filled with joy knowing that these funds will enable me to achieve my aspirations and work towards a brighter future for both my son and myself.

In order to ensure uninterrupted usage, I make daily payments for my phone. To cover the entire month of usage, I allocated $60 from my August transfer. Additionally, I invested $3 in purchasing two hens. This investment holds great potential as the hens are expected to multiply in the coming months, effectively doubling my initial investment. I used a portion of the transfer to repay a $3 loan, while $8 was allocated towards increasing the stock in my business. As a seller of silver cyprinid, the income generated from my business has proven instrumental in meeting the needs of my family. To further enhance my business and attract more customers, I saved $10 in a savings group. This amount will be utilized to purchase additional stock. Moreover, I allocated $4 to purchase food for my young son, ensuring his well-being. I am grateful that the funds from the transfer have empowered me to start a business, providing me with a newfound sense of financial independence. Previously, when I was unemployed, such opportunities were nonexistent.

I am putting all of my effort into starting a large kiosk where I will sell a variety of products. I was unable to complete my college because I got pregnant when I was in my second year and was forced to drop out and start motherhood. I have always wanted to be a teacher, but I was unable to fulfill that dream. I truly felt as though my life had come to an end, and it had become so painful that I could scarcely get a good job due to my lack of documentation proving that I had gone to school for studies. Fortunately, GiveDirectly showed up just when I needed them the most. I have enough money saved to organize my home and make my dream a reality.

We sat down with six of my neighbours, three months after we began receiving our monthly transfers, and we agreed to start a merry-go-round that one of us will be receiving $60 after contributing $10 a month.This idea was a brilliant one because I managed to start my current business with the money I received from the merry-go-round.When it was my turn to receive, I was given $60, of which I put $50 into the start of my vegetable-selling enterprise and the remaining $10 I bought my family food. Life used to be so miserable that I wanted to give up, but GiveDirectly has helped me get to where I am today. With the current transfer, I was able to spend $10 to add stock items to my existing business, take $10 to the merry-go-round as it should be done, and spent $4 to buy food for my family. With all of my future ambitions and objectives, I promised myself that I would create a personal savings account where I would set aside $10 each month to ensure that I would have enough money when the time comes to start my project.

By the end of this year, I want to have saved $500 so I may expand my business. The gains from selling cyprinid alongside cashew nuts are modest. Due to the limited demand for cashew nuts, I occasionally have to throw a sizeable amount that has gone bad, resulting in a loss. At the end of the year, I want to open a retail store where I'll sell different foods, detergents, and other personal care items. Since the majority of these products are regularly consumed, I think it will work well. To accomplish this, I will set aside a portion of my monthly payments and revenues.

During the start of last month I was really excited to begin a new venture by growing my business where I sold the fish at the comfort of my own home. This was all aimed at providing me more sustainability and also to help me cater for the needs of my family. At the time since the money I had was not enough, a friend decided to help me chip in a bit with a capital which I was grateful for. Therefore this time around when I received the transfers I decided to pay back the debt so I gave her KES 1,000. Afterwards I proceeded to deposit KES 1,000 into my savings account because I was hoping that I could put aside some money so that I could eventually expand my business by selling groceries as well. Later on I went ahead to sort a medical bill for me and my son which cost me KES 500 because we were both not feeling quite well. Lastly I ended up spending the remaining balance of KES 500 on buying laundry detergent, toothpaste and body oil as well.

I mostly depend on my father who works several casual jobs in Mombasa to provide for my needs. Being a mother of one child, I have always wished to be independent and take care of my baby's needs single-handedly. The cash transfer from Give Directly presented an opportunity for me to reduce over-reliance on my dad. I plan to use KES 2,000 from the received transfer to buy new clothes for my year and three months old son. At his age, he is outgrowing his previous clothes and needs a new set. Also, I plan to save the remaining KES 1,000 through a self-help group. The goal is to raise approximately KES 20,000 to start a kiosk business, have my source of income and help my father provide for our family of eleven.

This funds have enabled me to depend on myself and also to save up to start my own business. GiveDirectly is surely changing lives with the transfers the give without discrimination.

On receiving the KES 3000, I was quite happy and able to plan myself accordingly. Being a mother to my one year old child and separated from my husband, life has taken a toll on me that I had to move back to my parent's house for their support. I have not withdrawn the funds as I am planning to start my own business of selling vegetables and household stuff so as to be able to provide and take care of my family.

Being without a job, I was just at home and relaxed outside getting some fresh air when I received the MPESA message from GiveDirectly. I could not contain my joy and knew the plans I had would be fulfilled. I withdrew the amount four days later.

GiveDirectly came through in a mighty way as I have been able to buy food and take care of my baby. I am also planning to add more chicken to enhance my poultry farming skills and more to that, I have saved up to start my own business.

On receiving the KES 3000, I was quite happy and able to plan myself accordingly. Being separated and the sole breadwinner for my eleven month old baby, I spent KES 800 to buy food supplements for the house ensuring we do not sleep hungry. A total of KES 1200, I spent to purchase chicken for poultry farming in the hope that they lay eggs and hatch to get more. Since I have been with no stable job, I saved the remaining KES 1000 in order to start my own business of opening up a small commercial kiosk for selling vegetables.