In the upcoming year and beyond, I have two main priorities that I am determined to achieve. First and foremost, I am focused on replacing the roof of my house. Currently, when it rains, water leaks into the house, making our living conditions very unhealthy. The current roof, was made a long time ago, is deteriorating with rust and holes . It is crucial for me to address this situation. Fortunately, the walls are still stable, and I only need to plaster them to make them stronger, as well as address the leaking floor. I recently observed water coming up from the floor during rainy days, which has prompted me to expedite the roof replacement and subsequently focus on the floor. Once the interior is plastered, I will move on to the exterior. To accomplish this goal, I am setting aside a portion of my monthly earnings in our savings group. When my turn comes, I will use these savings to purchase new iron sheets and cover the labor costs. Aside from this, I have three children attending school, and it is my prayer to ensure that their education is not disrupted by school fee issues. To prevent any interruptions, I am committing to paying their fees every month when I receive my earnings. I am immensely grateful to GiveDirectly for the financial support, which has significantly relieved us from our financial burdens.

I recently joined a merry-go-round group with the goal of saving part of my income to eventually build a better house. When I received my most recent transfer, I allocated $20 to contribute to our merry-go-round savings. I have three children who are currently attending school, so I used $10 to cover their school fees. Additionally, I purchased new uniforms for each of them at a cost of $10 , as their old ones were torn. I'm grateful for the financial assistance, as it allows my children to dress neatly for school, just like their peers from wealthier families. With the remaining funds, I prioritized purchasing $18 worth of food for the family. Lastly, I spent the remaining $20 on medication for myself, as I was unwell. I want to express my gratitude to DiveDirectly for the financial support that has significantly improved my family's life. Additionally, I invested $24 in purchasing a goat. As our transfer period is drawing to a close, this goat-rearing initiative will serve as a reminder of my monthly transfers and contribute to my future financial security.

My husband and I have had an improved experience sleeping since I got us a mattress last year. Ours was worn out and using the cash I was receiving I was able to ensure we got a new place to sleep. This year I have been contemplating making the same improvements for the children. Their mattress is old and worn out and cannot be used. My hope is ensure I save enough in savings group and have enough to buy a mattress for them which could go for $50. I also want a cow to cut down on the expense of buying milk and I hope to also do this from my savings.

Our lives have had tremendous changes as a result of the transfers we have received from Givedirectly. I am a seasonal farmer while my his and is a mechanic who repairs motorcycles. Being a seasonal farmer means I rely on the rain to farm meaning I am not always engaged in income generation consequently not being able to contribute to the family finances. However with the cash I receive I am able to still contribute by taking my children to school, buying their uniform and shoes. I have spent $24 on buying school uniform, $4 on school shoes and $20 on school. I have additionally bought a goat for my home at $30. The cash has also provided a relief in accessing food as I spent $10 paying for milk supply.

In the upcoming year, my main goal is to expand my herd of livestock and poultry using the cash transfers. By doing so, I'll establish a reliable source of income through selling the animals. My strategy involves saving a portion of the earnings for emergencies and accumulating enough to construct a home for my family. Through the support of GiveDirectly transfers, I feel empowered and I'm thankful to God.

For the past two years, I've been enduring uncomfortable nights on a dreadful mattress. So, this time, I treated myself to a new one, worth $56. It may seem like a small luxury to some, but after toiling in the farm every day to ensure there's food on the table, it felt like a well-deserved treat. This days, as I lay down to rest after a hard day's work, I sleep peacefully, knowing I've invested in my own comfort. But it wasn't just about me. With the remaining amount from the GiveDirectly cash transfer, I prioritized my children's education. I bought them all new school uniforms, replacing the worn-out ones they had to wear for so long. Additionally, I paid their school fees, all totaling to $46. Without the assistance from the cash transfer program, it would have been impossible to afford these essentials. Now, with my children properly dressed and attending school regularly, I feel a sense of relief and pride, knowing that their education is secure and their future brighter.

My main goal is to purchase oxen which will assist me in farming and tilling land. I will have them for my own use as well rent them out during planting season thereby becoming a source of income. I intend to achieve this feat by selling the sheep that I own and also top up the amount with subsequent transfers. I am glad that our lives have changed thanks to these transfers.

For a long time, I've grappled with the challenge of making ends meet, as relying on farming and selling sardines failed to yield sufficient profits to sustain my family of seven. GiveDirectly has been a transformative force in our lives, especially in terms of education. Previously, educating my children was a daunting task, as some of them were not enrolled in school. I'm delighted to report that all of them now attend school, thanks to the financial support provided by these transfers. Additionally, we've invested in livestock, which I plan to rear and utilize as an investment for the future. Out of the transfers, $60 was allocated to pay monthly school fees for my children, alleviating the financial burden. Another $14 was spent on purchasing mattresses, replacing the uncomfortable sisal mats they used to sleep on. Another $18 was dedicated to strengthening my fish business by acquiring additional stock. The remaining amount was prudently saved to address any potential emergencies in the future.

Once I receive my savings from the merry go round, which amounts to $95.00, an exciting opportunity awaits. With enthusiasm, I intend to expand my livestock by adding more goats to accompany my two sheep. By growing my flock, I aim to create a thriving and prosperous animal husbandry venture. This endeavor promises not only financial benefits but also a sense of fulfillment as I nurture and care for my animals.

In the realm of the merry go round, where dreams intertwine and support flows freely, I found myself eagerly awaiting the moment of receiving my transfers. As I saved $10 within our tight-knit circle of twelve members, a sense of anticipation and camaraderie filled the air. This merry go round, a beacon of both financial stability and community, became the catalyst for a transformation that would touch the lives of my loved ones. With excitement and love, I directed $10, a portion of my transfer towards my children's education, ensuring their bright future. The remaining $14 became a symbol of nourishment and togetherness, as I purchased maize to sustain our family's well-being.Thanks to GiveDirectly.

My husband has no stable job as he currently works in a garage and what he gets can barely meet all our basic needs. I want to save enough so I can buy more goats and take care of them. They will multiply and I will get that chance of selling them and make huge profit that will be able to pay my children's fees and keep our family running. I will be happy to see all my family's needs being met and living a good life. Thank you GiveDirectly for giving us hope and visions in life.

I am a married woman who has no stable job at the moment. I have five children and two of them are in school and the rest are not of age yet. The only thing that gives me joy is seeing my children being in school working hard towards all their goals in life. The moment I received my transfers, the first thing that really came to my mind was paying fees for my primary school children. I took $10 and paid their fees and since I had no chicken I used $20 to buy 5 chicken and each chicken cost $5.The remaining amount of $4 I used to buy food for my family and it made them happy to have a balanced diet for that day.

Givedirectly has enabled all of us to stay in harmony. We no longer have commotions in the village as compared to the old days.

I am a stay-at-home mother, I fully depend on my husband. My husband owns a repair shop for bicycles. We are blessed with five children, two are in school, two are toddlers, and one is an adult. I used the recent transfer to buy school uniforms for my children since all their uniforms were old and rugged.

It was on a Friday at around 2.00 p.m. when I was on my way to fetch water when I received the message. I called my husband to come and check if the money was from GiveDirectly. He was at the center and immediately came home to help me ascertain if the money was from GiveDirectly. The good news of receiving my first transfer made me feel excited and happy because I did not expect it to be that soon.

Paying part of school fees for my children is the biggest difference in my life. The huge fee arrears accumulated was already a burden that we did know how we would go about because our income could not cater to our essential needs like food and also pay school fees. The arrears did rob us of peace of mind that repaying part of it using the GiveDirectly transfer relieved us from the stress.

I am a subsistence farmer with a family of seven. My husband is the sole breadwinner of the family through casual jobs. Three of my kids go to school while two have not started because they are still very young. My husband pays for their school fees, and I sometimes help him do so. My kids had accrued huge fee arrears that we could not settle due to a lack of money. I had nothing to give them, but by good luck, GiveDirectly came through when I least expected it. I am grateful to GiveDirectly because the transfer helped fill a big financial hole. I used it to pay KES 2000 school fees to reduce the financial burden. In addition, I spent the remaining KES 1000 to buy corn flour which we did not have then.