As I look ahead to the coming months and years, I'm hopeful to achieve a simple yet meaningful goal: expanding my flock of goats. I've been diligently saving through my SILC account, banking on the promise that when these savings mature, I'll be able to use the savings to purchase even more. This venture represents a path to financial independence and security for me and my family. With each addition to my herd, I'm not just growing a business; I'm nurturing a future where we can sustain ourselves with dignity and pride.

The quarterly transfers from GiveDirectly have been a great support for me and my family. When I wasn't feeling well and the doctor diagnosed me with high blood pressure, I used $30 from the transfer to cover my medical expenses. Thankfully, I'm feeling much better now. With $18, I bought food for my family since our harvest wasn't good this season, and we needed extra help to get by. Another $40 went into my SILC savings group, where I'm saving up with the hope of buying goats. I believe that when they multiply, I can sell them and support myself when the project ends. As a subsistence farmer, food security is crucial, and while I rely on my employed sons for support, the transfers help bridge the gap, especially when they can't provide.

My primary goal for this year is to expand my goat herd significantly. To accomplish this, I intend to utilize my upcoming transfers to procure additional goats. This strategic move aims to enhance the probability of their multiplication, ultimately expanding the herd. Subsequently, I plan to capitalize on the increased numbers by selling some of the goats, generating income to self-sufficiently meet my needs and reduce reliance on financial assistance from my son. I am genuinely grateful for the invaluable financial support provided by Give Directly, which has been instrumental in aiding my endeavors thus far.

With the financial support from Give Directly, I have invested in two goats, recognizing them as a wise long-term income source. The purchase of the second goat cost $34, and I have saved $20, aiming to acquire another goat next month to expand the herd. Anticipating their breeding, I envision potential income from future sales. Additionally, I cleared my grandchild's school fee arrears, enabling them to complete secondary education and sit for their national examination. I also spent $4 on new dresses, enhancing my appearance, and allocated $14 for a shared meal with my four grandchildren. The invaluable financial support has significantly enhanced my quality of life, for which I am deeply thankful.

Currently, we find ourselves in possession of a surplus of food due to the abundant harvest from our farm, which was made possible by the heavy rainfall we received over the past three months. This unexpected abundance has presented me with a unique opportunity to redirect the funds I would have allocated for purchasing food towards acquiring livestock. By investing in livestock, particularly in the growth of our herd, I anticipate a promising future. The initial investment will continue to expand as the animals multiply, bringing a sense of joy and satisfaction. Additionally, the presence of livestock serves as a valuable asset that can be leveraged whenever the need for additional financial resources arises. Having the ability to cash in on the animals provides a sense of financial security and flexibility. Should there be any urgent financial requirements or unexpected expenses, I can rely on the value of the livestock to provide the necessary funds. This flexibility allows me to address unforeseen circumstances without the added stress of financial constraints.

After the unfortunate passing of their mother, I have taken on the responsibility of caring for my four grandchildren. In order to ensure their education continues uninterrupted, I used $10 to cover their school fees. It brings me great joy to know that they can carry on with their studies without the worry of being sent home, which often hampers their learning progress. To sustain my family, I allocated $14 towards purchasing food. As a widow who relies on subsistence farming, my income is limited. Therefore, the financial support I have received has been crucial in meeting the needs of my family. It has provided the necessary assistance during times when resources are scarce. With a forward-thinking mindset, I have managed to save $10, which I intend to use to acquire three hens. This represents my desire to diversify my livestock holdings. Previously, I utilized my earlier transfers to purchase four goats, and now I am looking to venture into poultry farming. I am filled with optimism that as the hens multiply, they will not only yield a return on my initial investment but also serve as a contingency plan, offering a source of emergency funds when needed. I am genuinely grateful for the financial support I have received thus far from Give Directly. It has made a significant difference in my life and the lives of my grandchildren.

I have been thinking about joining a women’s group where people save money and do table banking. Before, I could not join such a club for I lacked a reliable source of cash. Galdy, with the cash transfers, this is an opportunity I never want to miss. I want to accumulate savings that will help support the education of my six grandchildren. With the rising cost of living, am certain their father will need a hand in covering the education costs of his children. I believe that education excellence is the only way my grandchildren will help pull us out of poverty in the future. 

Given my advanced age, I can no longer actively contribute towards my family’s needs by working. Mostly, I depend on my son, who works as a cargo trailer driver for a living. Since he bears a huge burden of providing for his wife and children, he can only afford to send me money for food and nothing more. Besides, sometimes things become tough and the household runs out of food before the month ends. It is during this time that I use the cash transfer to replenish more. However, instead of buying food, I decided to spend $4 from the recent transfer to pay examination fees for my four grandchildren, who had been sent home to collect the fees. I saved the remaining $30, intending to use it to acquire a goat. Owning goats will be a reliable source of income in the future especially after the transfers cease. 

After the death of my daughter-in-law, I took the task of assisting my son in looking after their 6 children. In this regard, I opted to take care of the last four children who are in primary school while the father takes care of the first two who are in secondary school. Having taken that responsibility, I have some plans to achieve this year. From the transfers I get from GiveDirectly, I want by the end of the year to have bought five goats exclusive of the ones which will be born in between. To achieve this goal, I planned to be saving at least $13 every month to ensure that I buy the goats. I opted to save this little amount so that I could also cater for the examination fees for the four grandchildren I am taking care of as well as for food for the family using the remaining amount.

After their mother left, my five grandchildren have been relying on their father and me to provide for their basic needs. When I received the transfer, during the Christmas season, their father had not made enough to fund the festivities. So I contributed $10 towards the purchase of foodstuff. I was content to put a smile on their faces. I saved the remaining $24. The goal is to accumulate enough ($40) to buy a goat and increase my herd to four goats.

After his wife died, my son was left with the heavy responsibility burden of caring for his eight children. Working as a casual laborer, most times financial obligations weigh on him because his scant income cannot meet all the household needs. Two days after I received the transfer, four of his children (my grandchildren) were pulled out of class to collect pending school fees. By that time, my son had not sent home any money, so I used KES 1,000 from the transfer to clear the tuition and they immediately resumed learning. Also, I spent KES 1,000 to extend a shed at the entrance of my house to act as a chilling spot and shelter from the scorching sun. Then I purchased a chicken worth KES 500 for rearing. When it reproduces, I plan to generate money from selling the matured chickens. The remaining amount went towards the purchase of maize flour since the household had run out of food that afternoon.

Give Directly is assisting many families in alleviating poverty. The cash transfers help us put food on the table and support the education of our young ones, which is normally difficult for us. Everything the organization does is for the benefit of the villagers, and their work is flawless.

The transfer occurred at a critical juncture in my life when food was running low and my son had not yet sent anything home. The family completely relies on him to meet our needs while driving long-distance cargo trucks from the harbor across the country for a living. So I spent KES 800 on food so that we would not go hungry. In addition, I allocated KES 200 to the payment of examination fees for my two grandchildren, who had been sent home to collect the money. I set aside KES 2,000 with the intent of supplementing it with future transfers to purchase a goat for rearing.

I was home that early morning busy doing some chores when the message concerning the transfers came in, but I never went to school so my comprehension and reading are not to per, and that is why my kids helped and let me know that I had finally got the funds as GiveDirectly had promised. I was extremely joyful because I knew with the money I could now afford to get a meal for my family and I.

Ever since losing my husband, making ends meet and providing mere basic needs for my kids has been quite challenging, and to also think that drought crept in on us making life even more harsh than it was already. But this program finally made it seem like there was light at the end of the tunnel. I managed to put a meal on the table with the funds, and soon enough it will help me keep my children in school and hopefully even start a business to sustain my family.

Considering the impact that climate change has had on us, and I mean the entire region and village, fighting drought and famine has been one of our biggest predicament over the years. As farmers our source of livelihood has been affected immensely which has led to a lot of cases of starvation. That is why after I received the transfers, my immediate concern was that I ensured that we had enough food in the house for my kids and I. Most especially my kids because ever since my husband passed on I became their primary caregiver with literally no assistance especially financially, which was strenuous most times. I took the KES 1,200 that I had received from GiveDirectly and added KES 250 from my savings so that I would enough money to buy a bag of maize flour which contained a dozen packets which would last my family and I for sometime as I found other means of earning money.