I am the proud parent of three children, with two currently enrolled in secondary school and one in primary education. Ensuring their education is my utmost priority, and I am fully committed to utilizing future transfers to support their academic endeavors. Investing in their schooling is an investment in their future, laying the groundwork for brighter prospects ahead. The assistance provided by GiveDirectly has been invaluable in this pursuit, bringing me immense satisfaction and hope for my children's future, despite the challenges posed by our limited income.

My livelihood largely depends on subsistence farming, as I am the primary provider for my family. While my husband, who is elderly, tends to our small livestock by grazing them in the fields, the income from farming is often insufficient due to the unpredictable weather patterns. Consequently, a significant portion of the funds I receive must be allocated towards financing the education of my three children, two of whom are in secondary school, while the youngest is still in primary education. Recognizing the pivotal role education plays in securing a successful future, I prioritize their schooling, having spent a total of $60 on their fees. Fortunately, they have not faced the threat of expulsion due to outstanding fees, bringing me immense relief. With the remaining $42, I procure food to sustain our family of four. Unfortunately, our farming endeavors were hindered by heavy rains last year, resulting in minimal harvests, particularly with maize crops. Nonetheless, the financial support from GiveDirectly has been instrumental in ensuring our basic needs are met, for which I am deeply grateful.

I currently save $10 monthly through a self-help group, intending to use these savings for the education of my three children and to invest in livestock, such as goats. As my husband faces challenges paying school fees due to the irregular nature of his income, I aim to actively contribute to support our children's education. Owning livestock is another goal, and I currently have two goats from the cash transfers. I am confident that owning a herd of livestock will not only provide additional income but also contribute to the education of my children in the future, as I can sell them to obtain funds.

I received the recent cash transfers during a challenging time, as my son-in-law had just passed away, necessitating financial support for his funeral arrangements. I allocated $10 for transportation to and from the burial and reserved the remaining $14 for daily household expenses. Additionally, I contribute to a self-help group to save for the education of my three children. One of them has completed primary school and is set to join high school next year, and I aim to be financially prepared for this. Over the past three months, I saved $30 towards education. I also invested $13 in plowing the land before planting, and despite excessive rain causing flooding, the maize is growing well. I purchased a hen for $5 and used $24 to clear school fees for my children, as the school required settling any balances before the holiday break. My husband primarily provides for our family's needs, relying on unpredictable and unreliable income from casual jobs such as farm work or house construction. The cash transfers have allowed me to also support the needs of my family and help my husband, which am forever grateful for.

My current objective is to focus on my children's education, and I am eager to allocate a significant portion of my funds to support their schooling. In order to turn this aspiration into a reality, I intend to invest in livestock as well. The idea is that as the livestock multiply, I can sell a portion of them and utilize the proceeds to cover my children's school fees. To ensure the long-term sustainability of this venture, I plan to reinvest in young goats so that the livestock numbers continue to grow consistently.

As a casual laborer, my primary source of income comes from selling charcoal. Unfortunately, this income is not sufficient, leading to significant financial difficulties. Moreover, my husband is currently unemployed and instead focuses on tending to our small livestock. Occasionally, my son, who also sells charcoal as a casual laborer, assists me with expenses like purchasing food and paying school fees for our three children who are still in school. To enhance my income, I decided to invest my July transfer in purchasing a goat, recognizing it as a wise investment for the future. As the goat multiplies, I plan to sell some of them, using the proceeds to address my most urgent financial challenges. Additionally, in case of any unforeseen emergencies, having a goat to sell provides a safety net. With the remaining $4, I bought food, which was a significant relief as I had spent the previous day without having anything to eat. I am immensely grateful for the financial assistance received through these transfers, as it has made a positive impact on my life.

Considering our advanced ages, my spouse and I can barely take on vigorous activities to fend for ourselves. Our two sons do most of the heavy lifting by constantly sending us money for food. However, given the unreliability of their casual tasks, the little they send barely provides enough meals. Not to entirely depend on them, I believe owning livestock is a great investment that will generate cash in the future to support the household essentials like food and school fees for two of my younger children. Currently, I have two goats; my intention is to secure more and grow the number. 

From the past three cash transfers, I have been saving $10 to buy a goat. I believe that when the goat gives birth to its offspring, the herd will increase as well. As their numbers grow, it will be easy for me to sell these animals and make money that could help with my household needs. Right now, most of the provision is done by my two sons, who rely on casual jobs for an income. Am confident that owning the goats will give me an opportunity to contribute to the family's needs and lift the burden off my sons’ shoulders. Apart from saving for a goat, I spent $10 to clear school fees for my two children in primary school, where there had been an overdue deficit since last month. Finally, by the time I received the transfer, the household had no food and my boys were yet to send money for more. So, I spent the remaining $14 to buy maize flour, which served the family to date. 

I am currently responsible for paying the school fees for my two primary-aged children. Although I sell charcoal, I do not make a good living at it, and my spouse farms livestock. Due to his advanced age, he cannot participate in the majority of economic activities, making me  the primary revenue earner. I like the notion of getting monthly help from Give Directly since it has allowed me to make timely tuition payments for my kids. I spent $47 of the transfers from the previous three months for my children's tuition and the remaining $47 on groceries for our home. We appreciate the assistance.

I appreciate that the organization is extending a helping hand to us through giving us unconditional transfers that are uplifting our lives from the jaws of poverty. I recommend that the organization enroll more people who are wallowing in poverty.

I am the sole breadwinner of my family (husband and three children). This forces me to work extra hard to provide for the family’s needs. I work as a casual laborer making and selling charcoal. The process of making the charcoal is long and very tedious, which often overwhelms me. The amount I form selling charcoal is very little (KES 300 per week) which is not enough to cater to all my family’s needs. Therefore, when I received my transfer, I was thrilled because it was a boost to my finances. I paid school fees for my two children who were at home and not going to school because of school fee arrears. Besides paying school fees, I bought food using the remaining KES 2000. Since I earn very little, it was wise for me to buy food in bulk and avoid starving my family.

I was cooking lunch for my two children when I received a text message on my phone. I asked my eldest son to check the contents of the message since I could not read it. He broke the good news that I had received my first transfer. Emotions filled me up to the brim, and I jumped up and down, full of happiness.

The nature of my job earns me very little and, being the sole breadwinner, I feel pressured to provide for the family. I cannot provide for the family and I feel stressed if that happens. I am glad that with the money from the transfer; I could buy food for the family. This doubles up as the biggest difference the transfer has made in my life.

I am the sole breadwinner of the family. My husband is very old and weak and can longer work. I have three school-going children. One is in secondary school while the two are in primary school. I do not have a stable source of income and depend on casual jobs making and selling charcoal. I earn very little from the business, which is only enough to buy food for the family. On average, I make KES 1000 per week and KES 4000 per month. Being the sole breadwinner, I am often overwhelmed by the enormous bills in paying school fees and buying food and medication for the family. When I received my first transfer, I spent KES 650 on food for the family because I had very little left in the house. Besides buying food, I paid school fee arrears for my two children in primary school to avoid being sent home.