I am no longer the the desperate person, who was mistaken to be insane as I lived in an old tattered house that could fall on me anytime. Nowadays, I live in a modern spacious house with plastered floor which I built with GiveDirectly transfers, a standard of living that was meant for the rich in my community. I walk in new clean clothes and not rags as before when children would ran away from me thinking that I was not a real human being. I have ploughed my farms where I intend to plant maize, beans and sorghum. This will be of food security and also source of income as I hope to sell surplus and use the money to pay fees for Vocational training in motor vehicle mechanics. I cleared school fees balance and had my certificate that has been detained for four years since I did my final exams at secondary school released. I feel so happy since I can present it to further my education in other training institutions. I can socialize with others freely without fear of gossip. GiveDirectly has written a new story in my life, a story of hope, peace of mind, self-worth and human dignity.

GiveDirectly has given people power and authority to decide and realize their worth in the society. The direct transfers are very effective, efficient and secure with minimal risks. However, they would have given a second chance to those who refused but later changed their minds.

Am an an orphan that lived in a ragged house with leaking roof and tilted walls that could fall anytime even during the night while I was a sleep. For a long time, people thought that I was insane to live in such kind of house but due to extreme poverty and no one to turn to, I had no alternative but to bear the situation. GiveDirectly transfers came on time of real need, I have built a decent house that is modern, spacious with plastered floor. People used to call me names of disgrace and a good example of a cursed generation, all these have changed and everyone now refers to me as a good example that other young people need to emulate.

The biggest difference in my daily life is the pride I have acquired after successfully enrolling for a course in a college. This was a dream that I had but due to poverty, it could not be accomplished. This is the biggest step I have made which I am so optimistic will land me in a well-paying job to help support my orphaned siblings.

One of the fine days at around 3:00 am while I was sleeping, I was woken up by a friend's call who happened to be a recipient of GiveDirectly like me. Upon receiving the call, a sweet voice echoed from the other end, "My friend I have already received money from GiveDirectly, how about you?" Having been distracted from a deep sleep, I felt a bit confused and before I could respond he disconnected the phone. It was then that I checked my phone and to my surprise, I had received money from GiveDirectly. I felt so happy and very thankful to God! I then went back to bed but couldn't afford any more sleep. Thoughts on how to spend my transfers crisscrossed in my mind the whole dawn

I completed secondary school three years ago but since then I haven't been able to get my certificate from school because of the huge school fee arrears I owed the school at the time of completion. Being an orphan, it was challenging raising school fee on my own, the situation became more challenging after the death of my aunt who took over my schooling after my parents' demise. In as much as I had completed my secondary school education, I couldn't be enrolled in any institution of higher learning neither could I secure any job without the certificate. The moment I received the first transfer I used part of it to clear the school fee arrears in order to get hold of my certificate. As we speak, I have already enrolled for a course in college which I believe is a good start for a better future life. Besides that, I spent a portion of the transfer on building materials that I'm planning to use to construct a house so that I can get a place to call a home. It was so unfortunate that at the time my parents passed on, we had no house. It, therefore, forced me to put up with a relative.