I gained technical knowledge and a passion for the task while working as a casual laborer at a garage. As the trading center has few mechanics, in the future I would like to establish my garage. Once more, the garage business is very marketable and faces little competition. This will be my priority as soon as I have some money.

We are now more financially independent thanks to GiveDirectly's assistance. The elderly and the young were handled with the utmost professionalism. The enrollment process was open because the officers went to every home. I have not yet encountered anything improper during my interactions with the staff.

Since I had no defined source of income apart from casual labor, I opted to buy a motorbike for business. The motorbike is used for ferrying people and light luggage from one destination to the other. In purchasing the motorbike, I bought it in hire-purchase because the amount could not allow me to buy it in cash. Therefore, I paid a deposit of $120 and I am paying a weekly installment of $24 for one year. I am very happy that I now have an income-generating activity. Despite having riding knowledge, I opted to enroll myself in a driving school so that I could possess the legal documents required for a motorist. I paid $120 in school fees for the driving classes. I also bought a sack of maize for $70 to ensure there is food security at home.

Around 3:00 PM, I received a message from GiveDirectly that I was not expecting. I was with my spouse, whom I immediately informed because I was overjoyed and could not hide it. We had to check our account balance to make sure the information we read in the text was correct. My husband was equally excited, and we began planning the withdrawal point because most of the nearby mobile shops were crowded.

Even though the construction of a new house has yet to begin, I am relieved that we have begun the purchase of the construction and identified the builder. This is by far the most significant change in my life, as well as the life of my family members, who are hoping for a better living situation in the future. I am looking forward to more transformation when I get the second transfer, which I believe will finish the current construction and kick off other new projects.

We currently live in a small hut with my family of three and have been considering building a new one that would comfortably accommodate us while also creating an extra space in the current house to be used as a kitchen. I spent $250 on construction materials from the first transfer, which included 15 iron sheets, building poles, and nails, as well as the cost of transportation from the shopping center to my residence's door. I am relieved that I have secured a contractor's schedule to begin construction in the first week of February. I also used some of the remaining funds to purchase household goods, such as groceries for $60, clothing for $20, and a bed and mattress for $95. I also paid off a $50 debt. I am grateful for the situation that has changed so much in my family and given me hope of regaining dignity once I finish building a new, spacious house.