I recently graduated from the Technical University of Mombasa. To ensure I could sit for my exams without difficulty, I allocated $68 towards exam tuition fees. I successfully completed my electronic and engineering studies that really brought me great joy upon finishing my exams. During my studies, I spent $20 on rent to ensure I had a conducive environment for studying and to prevent eviction. Additionally, I used the remaining $14 to purchase food for my family for the week. Managing these expenses was crucial in allowing me to focus on my studies and achieve my academic goals at university.

After completing my studies, I am currently sell vegetables as I prepare for my next step. My goal is to save enough money to open an electronic shop right after I graduate in December. I am passionate about electronic engineering, and I believe opening this shop will be a perfect fit for me. With the electronic shop, I aim to offer a convenient option for my neighbors who currently have to travel far for electronics and repairs. I plan to sell electronics and provide repair services at reasonable prices, making it easier for everyone in my community. The income from the shop will not only support me but also help me provide for my family's needs and improve our living standards. I am excited about combining my love for electronic engineering with entrepreneurship and making a positive impact in my community.

I'm currently in college, studying electrical engineering, away from home where I have to rent a house. So with the GiveDirectly transfers, I paid my rent of $60. My father passed on 4 years ago, leaving my mother to fend for the family. She was unemployed and had to resort to farming to provide for our basic needs. My six younger siblings are still in school and fully dependent on my mother. I then bought a goat for $30 to increase my income generation so as to sustain my needs now and in the future. With the reamaining $12 I bought food to sustain me when I'm in school. Before the GiveDirectly transfers, I struggled so much to afford my college fees; I would rear livestock to fully fund my education and help my mother provide for our family. But now, our lives have changed positively, and I have been able to use the monthly transfers wisely to secure our basic needs.

My focus is fully on completing my studies and starting a business in the village. Since we do not have an electronic shop within the village, I plan to use the GiveDirectly cash transfers to open one. I will be completing my course in the next two months and with the financial burden of school fees lifted, I'll be able to concentrate on my livestock rearing establishing a stable source of income for my family. I'm sure all this will enable me to build a better life for myself and our family.

My journey through college hasn't been easy, especially after my father's passing immediately after I completed high school. My mother became the sole provider, despite her ailing health, and I realized the importance of self-reliance. With the monthly cash transfers from GiveDirectly, I used $79 to pay for my school fees and other requirements. This allowed me to continue with my education, which is essential for my future.While in college, I also face the challenge of being away from home, and I spent $15 on food to sustain myself. The cash transfers have been a lifeline, enabling me to cover these necessary expenses. Additionally, I invested $8 in poultry, which I view as a financial safety net for my family. It gives me peace of mind, knowing that I have a resource to rely on in case of any financial emergencies. These transfers have made a significant impact on my life, allowing me to pursue my education and support my family during challenging times

My primary goal is to complete my studies in electrical and electronic engineering, and I believe that with dedication and hard work, my dreams will come true. After my education, I plan to open an electronics shop within the village, which would be the first of its kind. During my school breaks when I'm not paying school fees, I intend to invest in livestock and rear them for future sales. This will enable me to accumulate the funds needed to open the electronics shop. I'm determined to achieve this goal and create a source of income for myself and my family.

As a dedicated student at the Technical University of Mombasa, my primary focus is on excelling in my studies. Whenever I receive my transfer, I make a point to express gratitude for my parents' support by sending them $15 to contribute to their well-being. Alongside my commitment to academic success, I have ambitious plans for the future. To lay the groundwork for these aspirations, I invest part of my funds in purchasing goats, which not only serve as a valuable asset but also provide sustenance through milk and meat. Simultaneously, I demonstrate financial prudence by setting aside $4 as savings. By maintaining this diligent approach, balancing my studies, caring for my goats, and managing my finances, I am fostering a path towards accomplishment and securing a prosperous future.

Upon completing my education, my aspirations extend beyond academia, as I harbor a strong desire to establish my own electronic shop. As a dedicated second-year student, I have devised a strategic plan to achieve this goal. By purchasing goats during my college years, I can nurture them until the opportune moment arises to sell them. This prudent investment allows me to accumulate funds, laying the foundation for my entrepreneurial venture. With the proceeds from the goat sales, I will have the necessary capital to kickstart my electronic shop and bring my business dreams to fruition. Through hard work, dedication, and a well-thought-out plan, I am confident that I will achieve success in both my educational journey and my future entrepreneurial endeavors.

Ever since my parents passed away, I really struggled to make ends meet. Life was so unbearable and I felt so miserable and alone. With all the thoughts in my head, I could not concentrate well in my studies that is why I failed my KCSE exams. I sat for my exams in 2018 and did not get the required university entry grade so I was forced to remain at home after the results were announced and I wondered what to do with my life.Thanks to the numerous mentoring and coaching programs that I had undergone, I decided to go back to school. I am currently a student pursuing Technology and Electrical Engineering and I am in my second year. I joined school in 2021 and decided that until I succeed and become great in life, I will never give up.The moment I received my transfers, I decided to spend $20 to pay for my school fees so that I will ensure I remain in school and study well and the remaining amount of $14 I spent on stocking for food at home so that I would not run out of food while studying.

I will hopefully be graduating from college next year and with all my hard work and perseverance, I am confident that I will do so with a respectable grade. By 2025, I intend to open an electronic store in my village where I will sell electronics to the locals. They had been struggling hard merely to go to Mombasa to buy electronic devices. I want to make it simpler by starting it in my village, where most of the residents are already familiar with my electric skills and most of the time they call me to replace their sockets and all of their electronic equipment when it burns.

Because I am still a student, I always face difficulty with raising school fees. I occasionally look for casual jobs to help me to raise a portion of the fee and some stationery. I do this because I have a single parent whose income is insufficient to meet recurring family needs like food. I spent $10 on school fees, which helped me have ample time to continue with my studies. Because we never had enough food in the house, I decided to supplement by spending $20 on food.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well in embracing equality among its potential respondents. It does not practice any form of nepotism or favor during the enrolment. The unconditional cash transfer plays a key role in giving room for us to decide how to spend it without coercion. As a result, some of us have been able to buy pay off some of our school fees. In addition, some families that could not obtain food, have been able to get good nutrition since their enrolment in the program. There is nothing that GiveDirectly does not do well.

As soon as I realized that GiveDirectly had sent out the funds,I decided to focus more on nutrition especially since it was a recurring challenge for me and my family. I therefore went ahead to buy five packets of maize flour for KES 1,000 and I decided to leave the remaining KES 200 in my savings account in case we needed the money later on.

In this particular occasion it was most definitely nutrition because we had already gone hungry for a couple of nights prior to receiving the money and would have a repeat of the same situation were it not for the organization sending the money when it did.

I only realized that I had received the money after I had left the mosquee for prayer that Friday evening, and it definitely made me feel so relieved especially since we barely had any food in the house and we were probably looking at sleeping hungry that evening, and as the breadwinner of my family ever since my father died it was very devastating seeing my siblings have to suffer because I couldn't provide and seeing my mom stgalgle to provide as well.