I am seeing myself staying in my own home for the next 1 year starting today which means no more paying rent and hence more savings. This is when I would have built the parcel of land I bought using my transfers which were worth $ 1000. My aim is to be self-dependent by starting and running my own business. I had bought a 1 hectare of land next to the road with an aim of building rentals and a shop to act as my source of income to support my husband with family expenses like food. I currently need like $ 500 to achieve my dream, we have agreed with my husband that we will be saving $ 50 every month from the shop business he is running, so in the next 5 months, we would have started the land construction and then later start running the shop. Furthermore, I am looking forward to having more goats in my stock. I currently own two goats which I bought at $ 60 using part of my transfers and in the next 6 months, they would have multiplied hence more profit for the family, this will enable me to start saving for the 3-year-old child for school fees coming in the next 1 year. I can't wait to see my dreams come true. Thank you GiveDirectly.

What GiveDirectly does well was giving out unconditional transfers, being allowed to spend the transfers based on our own preferences was great. Many have made very good investments using the transfers as far as buying parcels of land, and cattle among others. I was also pleased with how we were visited at home by GiveDirectly officers, who indeed served us with dignity, and at the same same time, they were very friendly. I also liked GiveDirectly's commitment and trustworthiness, they delivered as they promised, and also to make it better that we were never asked for any bribe to be enrolled into the program. So far I haven't seen anything negative from GiveDirectly's side.

Who knew that receiving GiveDirectly's transfers would change my life to this extent! I am currently a proud mother of one knowing that in the future my child will not struggle to go to school, change new clothes, seek medical attention as well as get enough food. I have desired to be self-reliant in vain, I currently depend on my husband who runs a small shop in Mombasa. He earns $100 monthly, which is too little to support entire family's demands hence need to seek additional source of income. I was so excited to receive my transfers as it led to good relationship in the family. I am grateful for the support because I bought a parcel of land, 1 hectare for $ 1000. I have been paying the land in two installments using my transfers and I am glad to report that I am now the rightful owner of the land. I decided to buy the land because I needed a long-term goal, I wanted a place where I can start a business. My aim is to build rentals in the parcel of land being that it is close to the road as well as build a shop. This will serve as my source of income and as a result, I will be able to generate more income to support other family expenses like food, rent, and medical expenses as well as start to save for my child's school fees. The idea of owning land will be more advantageous in that we won't be paying rent anymore hence more savings. Furthermore, I bought 2 goats for $60 I am optimistic that in the next 4-6 months, they would have multiplied hence more profit.

I had been waiting for two days after my transfer was delayed following enrollment. After four months of waiting, I was relieved to receive one this evening via message notification. When I received confirmation that my payment had been received in full, I could not contain my excitement and called my husband, who was away at the time, to share the good news. My husband couldn't believe what I was telling him, so I had to send him $55 to convince him. He was pleased and asked me to begin working on our plans.

The first deposit on a piece of land that we are currently purchasing is the most significant step we have taken since receiving the first transfer, and hopefully it will make the most difference in my family's daily life once we begin farming on it. Because all four of my in-laws needed a piece of land to farm on, the family land was too small for extensive farming.

My first priority after receiving the first transfer was to go grocery shopping because we had been sleeping hungry for several days. I spent the first $20 on dry maize grains and green groceries that we desperately needed in the house. I also sent out $55 to my husband, who was at work at the time. His pay had been delayed, and he needed to catch up on his rent. I deposited the remaining $450 with the land owner and promised to clear the pending $150 in the next two months because we had a set plan to buy a piece of land so that we could move out of the family land. My family of three is confident that we will soon be relocating to the new plot of land where we will build a new shelter and begin new farming projects.