As I look ahead to the coming year and beyond, I have a clear goal of starting my own livestock business. I plan to use the transfers I am yet to receive, along with the little savings from my charcoal business, to kickstart this venture. My dream is to buy and sell goats and turkeys, inspired by seeing others thrive in this business. I'm hopeful that it will succeed, as these animals are always in demand. Additionally, with my age, this job is not as tiring and will be more convenient for me compared to the strenuous work involved in selling charcoal. Once this business picks up, I will no longer have to strain to meet my family's essential needs as I have before.

After receiving my recent transfers, I made the thoughtful decision to invest in livestock, specifically turkeys and goats, spending almost $90. I have been wanting to own them for a while, but with my hand-to-mouth job of selling charcoal, I couldn't afford it. However, I chose these animals because they are well-suited to thrive in my region and reproduce quickly, ensuring that I will have many within a short time. I believe that once this happens, I will no longer struggle to meet my family's needs, especially given the high cost of living we are experiencing. Additionally, my granddaughter was unable to return to school because her father didn’t have the money for her school fees. I decided to help out with $8, which allowed her to return to school and pursue a good education. I believe that once she finishes her secondary studies, she will be better prepared for college, an opportunity that some of us never had. Lastly, with $4, I bought food, cereals, and vegetables to sustain us as we waited for the next farming season. I am deeply grateful for this support, as sometimes I lack the words to express my gratitude, having once lost hope.

As I look ahead to the coming year and beyond, I have a clear goal of starting my own animal vending business. With the transfers I'll be receiving, I plan to save up enough to kickstart this venture. My dream is to buy and sell cows, inspired by seeing others thrive in this business. I'm hopeful that with hard work and determination, I'll be able to make it a success too. This isn't just about making money; it's about creating a sustainable future for myself and my family. I'm excited to embark on this journey and see where it takes me.

Relying solely on selling charcoal has been hard, especially with fewer trees around. But thankfully, GiveDirectly's monthly help has been like a rope thrown in a stormy sea. With $34 in January, I bought seven chickens for $20. This not only could bring in money by selling chicks but also gave us another way to make a living, reducing our need for charcoal. With the $14 left, I helped my grandson pay for school. Education means the world to me, and seeing him back in class filled me with hope. In February, I used $30 of the transfer to buy a she-goat. Goats are tough and give milk and babies we can sell. With the $4 left, I got sugar for my family. It might not seem like much, but not having to worry about basic things feels like a big weight lifted. A cup of tea in the morning feels like a slice of normal life. In March, I gave my son $30 to renew his driving license, giving him a chance to source for job opportunities. I used the $4 left to get another chicken, adding to our hope for a better future. Thanks to GiveDirectly, we're slowly stepping out of poverty's shadow.

My goal is to further expand my herd of goats, aiming to reach a minimum of forty goats in the coming years. Currently, I possess eight goats obtained through the cash transfers. I am aware that these livestock assets will play a crucial role in wealth creation, generating income even after the conclusion of the cash transfers. Despite potential challenges in meeting other needs, I am committed to ensuring that I acquire at least one goat from every subsequent transfer to support my long-term financial stability.

I prioritize planning for livestock so that I can establish a sustainable source of income even after the cash transfers conclude. In the recent transfer, I utilized $68 to purchase two goats, contributing to the growth of my livestock assets. Reflecting on my experience with cash transfers, I have no complaints; the funds have allowed me to acquire and maintain livestock, serving as valuable assets. I engage in making and selling charcoal, but considering my age, I recognize that this may not be a viable source of income for an extended period. Though my son, who works at a hotel in town, is the primary provider for our family, I would not wish to add a dependence burden on him as he is already going through a lot to provide for the family.

I am actively involved in goat rearing, and my primary goal is to expand this venture by acquiring additional goats for breeding. Goats are the ideal assets for me to manage and capitalize on due to their practicality and benefits. At present, my livestock consists of five goats and some chickens, and my aspiration is to foster their multiplication, yielding a larger and more prosperous livestock population. Recognizing the value of these animals, I view them as a source of prosperity for our family. Their significance extends even to securing the education of my grandchildren. As the need arises for their educational pursuits, I am confident in the potential to sell a portion of my livestock to finance their studies. The ownership and expansion of my goat herd stand as the primary objectives that I plan to actively pursue in the forthcoming year and the years that follow.

A challenging situation arose when my five grandchildren were sent home from school due to unpaid fees, and my son was unable to settle the outstanding amount. Witnessing their education disrupted troubled me deeply, and upon receiving the transfer, I immediately utilized $16 to alleviate a portion of the fee arrears. This timely intervention allowed them to resume their studies without further disruptions caused by financial constraints. In addition to addressing the fees, I took a step towards enhancing my financial stability by investing $34 in acquiring a goat and a chicken. This decision contributes to my growing assets, as I now possess more than five goats. These animals are valuable resources, ready to help in times of financial need, including the potential to cover my grandchildren's educational expenses. Recognizing the importance of sustaining our nutritional needs, I also used a portion of the funds to purchase essential food items such as maize flour. This ensured a consistent and adequate food supply in my household, providing us with nourishment and stability.

I have been employed to look after my neighbour's livestock for many years, and I am worried this job might end anytime. My old age may not be suitable for me to continue working for someone, thus, my plan is to buy goats as I continue to receive the transfer. Owning the livestock is a good investment for me since I do not have any other stable source of income. I will save a portion of the monthly transfers to achieve this goal.

Giving us unconditional transfers is what GiveDirectly did well. We have been experiencing many financial challenges that have made our lives miserable. The transfers have changed our lives because, currently, our children are comfortably in school because of the transfers. We have also been hit by drought, which has made it impossible to do any farming. Providing food to our families would have been difficult looking at our poverty. However, despite this challenge, we can effectively fend for our families because of the transfers. I thank GiveDirectly for committing themselves to help us for five years.

I am grateful to be part of the GiveDirectly program, which is changing my life through monthly transfers. Receiving the transfers has made it easy for me to provide basic necessities, such as food, in my household. I am employed to look after my neighbour's livestock, where I earn a meager Ksh. 2,000 a month. This money hasn't been enough to fend for my family. When I received my recent transfers, I spent it on buying enough stock of foodstuffs and vegetables to last for weeks. In addition to this, I had also saved a portion of the transfer over the past few months, which I spent on buying livestock, a goat and two chickens. I am planning to rear them and benefit from them soon. I can readily sell them as they reproduce to settle my financial needs.

When my family members received text messages on their phones verifying that they had received their transfers but I had not, I became very concerned. 2 weeks later I still had not received a message confirming that I had received my first transfers. Unexpectedly, the message from the service provider came through and was able to confirm that I had indeed received my first transfer when a relative of mine took my phone and went through the text messages, deleting some of them. I was ecstatic, feeling like a king. I hurried to the m-pesa shop to quickly withdraw the money. I am grateful that the organization sent me the transfers because I really needed the money.

The biggest change since receiving my first transfer is being able to carry out my dream of raising different livestock species. I've been trying to save money for livestock for the past ten years, but I've been unsuccessful in my efforts. I'm glad that with the help of the monthly stipends I'll be receiving, I'll be able to fulfill a lifelong dream and support myself by raising various livestock.

After getting my first transfer, I spent $9 on two ducks. I've always wanted to raise animals and make a living off of them. I own a sizable farm, but the harsh weather prevents me from working there. By purchasing poultry, I will be able to start my own poultry business and make a living. In addition to purchasing chicken, I also spent $3.4 on my two grandchildren's school expenses. My grandchildren had been sent home because of unpaid school fees a week before I withdrew my transfers. I offered to pay so that they could return and finish their education because their parents didn't have any money. Last but not least, I spent the last $1.60 on a 1 kg packet of maize flour and a 1/4 kg bag of sugar for my own use. I'm appreciative that the money did help me at a time when I had no money to solve some of my problems.