My goal is to expand my business, produce more sacks of charcoal, and sell them at the market at a high price. The extra income will help pay school fees for my children without strain.

I enjoy my calls with GiveDirectly. Also, the idea of sending money directly to our account is a genius one.

Before the transfer, I was burning and selling charcoal. In a week I would produce six bags selling them at $3.5. This money has helped me buy food for my family. I have six children that need food and school fees, it has not been easy catering to the family's needs. My husband is a broker who sells livestock and he makes $5 a day. The money is used to pay school fees.

It was around 5pm in the evening and I was from fetching water when I heard people talking about having received the said money from GiveDirectly. I then checked my phone and confirmed that indeed I had also received my transfer. I felt great happiness because, first of all, I didn't expect that I was truly going to get that money and the other reason for my happiness was that I knew my heart's desires will be fulfilled. I knew that I was at last going to get the house that I've always desired to have, since my charcoal burning and selling business barely raised enough which mostly catered for food for my family.

The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving money from GiveDirectly is that I am now living a better life of reduced hardships. I was able to get clothes for my children and myself, food for my family and I am about to have the house that I have desired to have for so long which will take away the shame of living in a makeshift house. I am so grateful and happy, that this program changed my life and gave me the ability to address the challenges that my charcoal burning and selling business could not.

I spent most of the transfer which was KES 20000 on buying twenty pieces of iron sheets as well as kept aside some of the transfer to cater for labour charges for the construction of a better and proper house for my family and myself. This is because I didn't have much of what I could call a place to sleep as I had been living in a makeshift house that was so shameful and that's just the best way to describe it. This used to be the case because I didn't have a reliable job as I solely depended on my charcoal burning and selling business which barely raised enough money of which mainly catered for food for my family. The other sources of livelihood for our family was my husband's job, who works as a broker in livestock selling business, in which when there are some livestock for sale he's contacted and asked to find a willing buyer. When he gets one who agrees to buy, then is when he gets a commission of around KES 200 mostly which is never enough to make long-term plans. Therefore, I am so happy that I got to address the most pressing challenge which was the house, and it now makes my life easier in that I am only remaining with the immediate daily needs which are manageable. I am so grateful to GiveDirectly.