I want to start rearing livestock like goats. Rearing livestock is important to me because as they reproduce, they increase the herd. Each of my two wives has goats, and I have always wanted to imitate their course. In the future, I can sell them to raise money for my needs like school fees for my four school-going children and food. Even after the cash transfers have ended, I will not have to revert to making charcoal like I used to because I can sell the goats to raise funds.

I am grateful that last year, I invested some of the transfers in farming. Recently, I harvested enough food that I am sure will last for the next few months. Now, I can use the transfers for other needs besides maize flour. Therefore, I bought other household materials like toiletries—soap, oil, and sugar—using $21. Additionally, I spent another $9 to buy books for one of my children who needed them, as I had not raised money for the books. Furthermore, I purchased clothes for myself for $23. I did not have enough clothes, and the old ones I had were tattered due to repetitive use. Now, when I am in public, I have decent new clothes; people might mistake me for someone who resides in town, and I am immensely proud of that. Also, with the ongoing rains, I allocated $34 for plowing my land to prepare for another planting season and bought bean seeds for $10. I love farming because it alleviates the concern of food, which is the main priority. It is also great because I do not want to go back to making charcoal to put food on the table. I took a break from the practice when I started receiving the transfers, and I have never gone back, nor do I ever want to.

Looking forward to next year, I have plans for the first few months. With the expectation of a harvest in the coming months, I aim to leverage the cash transfers to buy more goats. By the end of the year, I hope to have acquired at least five additional goats, contributing to the creation of wealth that can sustain the needs of my eight children. I express gratitude and pray for continued blessings to GiveDirectly for the impactful work they do.

During the rainy season, as people were planting their crops, I felt grateful for the financial support from GiveDirectly that enabled me to invest in plowing. I paid $32 to hire laborers to plow two acres of my land, allowing me to plant maize crops. The crops have grown well, and I used the remaining $2 to compensate for the weeding part of the farm. Observing the progress of my farm, I am pleased with the flourishing maize crops and I give all credits to the cash transfers. Additionally, I used $16 to settle the balance for my daughter who was completing high school. Clearing this amount ensured she could leave the school premises with her leaving certificate. The remaining $23 was utilized to purchase food, addressing a shortage in the household. Another $29 was spent to acquire a goat to rear it. The goal is for the goat to reproduce in the future, creating wealth that can be used to support my family's needs after the cash transfers cease. Previously, I used to make a living by producing charcoal to provide for my eight children. However, with the support of the cash transfers, I have taken a break from this strenuous activity, allowing for more significant periods of rest.

I missed out on the chance for an education due to financial limitations, and I am determined to spare my children from a similar fate. It's my earnest desire to witness them fulfill their aspirations. Among my six children, two are pursuing high school education, while the remaining four are in primary school. Given my advanced age and the inability to partake in physical labor, the task of funding their education would have posed significant challenges. However, the financial assistance I've received has proven immensely beneficial. At this stage in my life, my primary objective revolves around ensuring that my children's educational aspirations are realized. The timely payment of their school fees has become my utmost focus and purpose.

I spent $24 towards the purchase of essential provisions such as a bale of maize flour, sugar, and beans. This acquisition ensured an ample food supply for my family. My foremost concern revolved around the scarcity of sustenance within my household. My primary income source has been selling charcoal, and while my son contributes through construction jobs, their pay is not much. The abundance of food holds significant importance for both me and my children. This security has been a source of gratitude and relief. Additionally, a portion of the funds was directed towards covering the educational expenses of my six children. Among them, two are enrolled in high school, while the remaining four attend primary school. Seeking bursaries has been a consistent endeavor for the high school students, although the support has been limited. I find contentment in the fact that my children have never faced dismissal from their educational pursuits due to financial constraints, a positive outcome largely attributable to the financial assistance received.

In the coming year, in addition to providing for my family's basic needs and covering my children's school fees, I plan to use some of my monthly transfers to purchase and raise livestock. My current source of income is limited, and I believe that diversifying my income streams through livestock farming will be beneficial. By selling these animals at a good price in the market, I anticipate that I will earn significant profits. Moreover, the current weather conditions are favorable for livestock farming, and this will enable me to establish and expand my livestock selling business.

To support my large family of seven children and two wives, I purchased ten packets of 2kg maize flour. However, as a charcoal seller, my earnings are meager, and it is challenging to meet all the financial needs of my family, such as paying for my children's education and buying food and clothing. It is heartbreaking to explain to my children that we cannot afford to buy food, so receiving my monthly transfer is always a relief. This funding helps me avoid difficult questions and enables me to provide for my family. In addition to buying maize flour, I also purchased three kilograms of beans, three kilograms of rice, and two kilograms of sugar. With the remaining $5, I bought water and personal items that I often need. I am grateful for the monthly transfers that have helped me support my family during challenging financial times.

I was very optimistic that we would start harvesting food from the farm this year. My main objective with farm food in plenty for consumption was to purchase livestock with the transfer earnings this year. However, due to the severe effects of the drought that have weathered all the farm's crops, this won't be the case. My current plan is to use the cash to buy food, water, and just enough to cover my children' school expenses. The situation is getting worse every day due to the sun's harsh rays. We hope for better times so that we can put the money to work for us, but if things continue as they are, there is no choice but to spend it on buying food.

At the time the funds were being sent out my biggest predicament was the fact that I barely had any food and at times I would have to go hungry for a couple of days. That is why I was over the moon when I realized that GiveDirectly had sent out the money and I immediately went out to spend KES 2,400 on purchasing a bag of maize flough which contained a dozen packets. I also spent the remaining balance of KES 1,000 by purchasing one and a half kilograms of sugar, groceries on a daily basis, tea leaves and also clean drinking water since it was scarce due to drought.

To feed my family, I rely solely on charcoal burning. The physical demands of the practice cause me to strain so much, and my body is always sore and tired due to my advanced age. Even after the struggle, the most I can earn in a week is KES 800, which scarcely secures food for the four children who rely on me. In fact, we had slept hungry for three days in a row prior to the transfer. As a result, I used the entire transfer amount to buy food and sanitary necessities for my family, such as soap. At least, we had a week of consistent meals without going hungry.

I would like to thank GiveDirectly for helping us through the unconditional transfers. The transfers have helped me buy food for the family during this hard time when the farms are no longer productive. I would like the organization to put more emphasis on the timings of the transfers. I suffered when I missed my transfer last month since I heavily depend on it.

It has been over 6 years since I retired from my job because of old age. I worked in the same job for over 30 years. I exhausted all my savings in clearing school debts for my 8 children who are still in school. My wife’s investment in the farm went down the drain, with nothing to harvest after all the crops dried up because of the drought. I have struggled to buy food and clothes and pay school fees for my children. With no means of income, it forced me into burning and sell charcoal to earn a living. The earnings from the sale of the charcoal are too little as I make KES 300 per bag. Making the charcoal takes a while (2 weeks) before it is ready to sell, making it a very tedious job. My low strength because of my age is an enormous challenge for me in making and selling as many bags of charcoal. Since I do not earn money daily, I have often failed to buy food for my family, forcing them to skip meals (one meal per day) and sleep hungry (minimum of two days a week). Therefore, upon receiving my transfer of KES 3000, I spent it all on buying food for the family. I opted to spend it all on food because that was the most pressing need my family had.

I was on my way going to find a seller to buy the charcoal so that I could use the money to buy food. While on my way, I received a text message on my phone. I checked it out and found out that I had received my transfer. Upon realizing that, I instantly became thrilled. I spun around and headed to the Mpesa shop to withdraw the money. While headed there, I met some of my friends who were jovial. We hurriedly walked there to the Mpesa shop as we talked and laughed loudly.

Yes, the transfer has made a big difference in my life and that of my children. With the current economic conditions, it is very hard to find a job. This has made me to struggle to a point where I cannot provide for my family and they have to sleep on empty stomachs. I am grateful the money helped me buy food for my family and the children were thrilled.

I retired from my job two years ago because of my old age. I have seven children who are still studying in school and two wives. Since I retired from my job, I have been struggling to provide for my family in terms of giving them food and also paying school fees. When I came back home from town where I worked as a butcher, I burned woods to make charcoal so that I would earn a living and look after for my family. The charcoal making business is not productive and lucrative. It takes a long time to make the charcoal, very tiresome and the earning are very little. The little I earn is spent all in feeding the family and little is left to save or pay school fees for my children. When I received the transfer, I spent the entire amount of KSH 1200 to buy food for my family. Because of the colossal size of my family, I had earned no money from selling the charcoal and my children were not going to school due to hunger and that forced me to spend in buying the food so that I could ease their suffering. I am happy that after buying the food in bulk, they could go back to school and continued with their studies.