This year, I have decided to focus on just two main goals to ensure that I achieve them both successfully. By narrowing my objectives, I can make real progress and improve our family’s situation significantly. Firstly, I am dedicated to finishing the payments for the piece of land we have recently secured. This land is on higher ground, which will protect my family from the dangers of floods and diseases that we faced before. Being in a safer location will provide us peace of mind and better health. Secondly, I will concentrate on farming on our current land. The produce from this farm is essential for supporting my children’s education. By growing and selling crops, such as butternuts and vegetables, I will generate income to cover the school fees for my four children in secondary school and one in university. This focus on farming will also help me build a stable future for my family. The thought of relocating to our new, safer land fills me with hope. It offers the opportunity to not only escape the risks of floods but also to consider opening a small shop business in the new location. Living in a place where I can enjoy the beautiful view of Lake Baringo without the constant fear of flooding will bring a significant improvement in our quality of life.

One of the most memorable aspects of my experience with GiveDirectly has been the remarkable kindness and dedication of their officers. Despite our Maa culture, which traditionally involves welcoming guests with food, the GiveDirectly team chose to work quietly and efficiently, avoiding any burden on our community. Given the positive impact of their work, I would like to suggest that GiveDirectly consider expanding its enrollment criteria. Currently, their support is limited to individual households, but there are many more people in need who could benefit from their assistance. By broadening their enrollment to include a larger segment of the community, they could reach and help even more individuals and families facing similar challenges.

Recently, my community faced a severe flood, which resulted in stagnant water creating a dangerous swamp. This situation put my entire family at risk of various diseases, particularly malaria, due to the breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Unfortunately, several of my family members fell ill. Amid this challenging time, I received a life-changing $450 from GiveDirectly. With this support, I was able to take significant steps to protect my family and improve our situation. Firstly, I used $300 of the funds to secure a new, safer place for my family on higher ground. I paid this amount as a deposit for the property, with the agreement to settle the remaining balance through installments. This new location will keep us safe from future floods and the health risks associated with stagnant water. The remaining $150 was invested in my farming activities. As a farmer, I purchased essential seeds and fertilizers, allowing me to plant butternuts and vegetables on 1.5 acres of land. This support has been crucial for my farm, which I run for commercial purposes. The income generated from my farm will help me pay school fees for my four children in secondary school and one in university. Additionally, any extra earnings from the farm will be used to continue paying off the installments for our new piece of land. I am deeply grateful to GiveDirectly for their timely and generous support. Their assistance has provided us with safety, a renewed hope for our farm, and the means to continue educating our children. I hope their help reaches many others in similar need, making a positive impact in their lives as it has in ours.

Happy me! The GiveDirectly message popped up on my phone while I was at work in Tiaty sub-county. I was overjoyed, and the first words out of my mouth were, "Wow! God is with me." The excitement bubbled up inside me, and I immediately called my wife, forwarding her the message. She was at home, and when I told her the news, she was very happy too. "Finally, the money from GiveDirectly has arrived," I said. We shared a moment of pure joy over the phone.Even though I received the money on Wednesday, I decided not to touch it until I got home on Friday. After hanging up, my thoughts turned to how we could use this blessing. The first thing that came to mind was investing the money in our farming. Specifically, I thought about paying for water for irrigation. We often have to pay $40 to the irrigation board in Kenya to ensure we have enough water for our crops.With this money, I knew we could secure the water we needed and improve our farming efforts. My family and I are very grateful and thank God for using GiveDirectly to bless us with this unconditional cash.

Through the help of GiveDirectly, I can now confidently say that I can afford things that were previously out of reach. My salary often used to be delayed, making it difficult to plan for my job. But this time, I received support from GiveDirectly, and the money arrived earlier than my salary. This timely support allowed me to plan for farming immediately, something that would have been delayed due to a lack of funds.With the income I will earn from farming, I plan to buy my own generator to pump water to my crops. Access to water has become a critical issue in our area, making farming very challenging. This generator will be a game-changer for us.My family is very happy and healthy now. They have joy in their hearts because we can finally afford the things we couldn't before. Thanks to GiveDirectly, our lives have taken a positive turn, and we are filled with gratitude.

After sitting down with my wife to discuss how best to use the money, we decided to invest the entire $200 in agriculture. Our plan was comprehensive: we would plough the farm using tractors, purchase seeds, pay for irrigation water, and hire laborers to help prepare and plant the crops. We decided to plant one hectare of maize and half a hectare of black nightshade vegetables, known locally as Managu.My main focus was on Managu because it's highly marketable, bringing in around $140 per harvest, with the potential for multiple harvests. This income would be crucial for paying our children's school fees. Meanwhile, the maize would ensure we had enough food for our homestead. With 12 kids and four grandchildren to provide for, and my wife not being employed but working as a farmer at home, this investment meant a lot to us. I work as a driver for the Ministry of Health, transporting supplies between hospitals and dispensaries, but my salary alone isn't enough to cover all our needs. This agricultural investment gave us hope and a clear path towards financial stability and a better future for our family.