Right now, I'm focusing on breeding goats because they reproduce quickly. Once my goat herd multiplies, I aim to exchange them for cows, as the market rate is around 5 goats for a cow, and also get their nutritious milk. With cows and on the farm, I'll have extra help for tilling the shamba hence saving the amount that I could have used tilling using the tractor for other investments moreso they'll be a source of income too. I'm hopeful that by this time next year, I'll have around four cows and at least sixteen goats. It's a simple plan, but it fills me with excitement and hope for the future of my farm.

As a casual house constructor with an unpredictable employment pattern and low wages, I've learned to make the most of the quarterly transfers from GiveDirectly. With $65, I invested in a she-goat, seeing it as a small but promising investment for the future; I believe that as they multiply, they'll become a valuable asset. Additionally, I allocated $60 to pay school fees for my two children, viewing their education as an investment in their future, knowing that when they secure employment, they'll be able to support me. Setting aside $30, I plan to till my shamba, hoping to produce enough food to ensure our security and free up funds for other investments. These decisions stem from the need to plan carefully, given the uncertainty of my employment and the meager wages I receive.

Currently, I operate a small bicycle repair space within my compound, away from the shopping centers. However, I am considering a move to Mutulu center to set up a shop where I can not only offer repair services but also sell bicycle spare parts. With the financial assistance from the transfers, I envision achieving this goal next year. I am excited about the prospect of having a more stable income to adequately support my family.

In addition to my main work in construction and bicycle repair, I also dedicate time to farming during the rainy season. A significant portion of my transfers went towards preparing my land for cultivating maize, green grams, beans, and vegetables. In July, I allocated $34 from my transfers and $24 from my savings to hire a tractor for plowing 2 acres of land. This month, I spent $30 to plow an additional acre. I am hopeful for a plentiful harvest early next year, which will provide an abundance of food for my family. Additionally, I invested $50, supplemented by my savings, in purchasing a goat, recognizing its potential to multiply and enhance my initial investment. Furthermore, I replaced my phone's battery to ensure constant availability for communication. I am grateful for the positive impact of the financial support in transforming my life.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have bought two goats through previous cash transfers. To me, rearing goats is like a form of banking for my family's future financial stability. I have a vision and hope to see this herd grow to twenty goats in the coming years. As these goats reproduce, I can sell them to generate the funds needed to meet my family's various needs. This simple investment in goats has the potential to provide a reliable source of income and support our household expenses. It gives me peace of mind knowing that I have an opportunity to secure my family's future through the cash transfers.

In the past few years, farming has been challenging due to the prolonged drought. However, when the rains finally came, I saw an opportunity to invest the cash transfers into my farm and plant maize crops. So for the past two months, I have been spending the entire $34 from the cash transfers to weed and prepare my land for planting. My main goal is to ensure that my family would have enough food and avoid the struggles of hunger. I am pleased to see that the crops are growing well, and I am looking forward to a bountiful harvest. With my two wives and six children, having enough food is a significant relief. Apart from farming, I also work in house construction but the earnings can barely cover all the needs of my family. I am grateful for the cash transfers, as they have allowed me to invest in my farm and provide my family with food.

Since I lack a stable income stream, I believe livestock rearing is a great opportunity to obtain enough wealth that will help during financial emergencies. I particularly wish to focus on goat keeping because they can survive the harsh climatic conditions of my region. By the end of the year, I wish to have grown my current herd of seven to seventeen goats. 

My family of twelve people (my mum, wife, seven children, and two grandchildren) entirely depend on my provision. I take on different casual jobs in house construction and bicycle repair to cover household expenses. However, my low income does not provide enough food or settle school fees for my children.  In fact, when I received the money, three of them had missed classes for three days due to overdue tuition of $10. I immediately settle it and they resumed classes. Additionally, there was no food at home, and spent $4 on maize flour. I saved the remaining amount of $20, which I plan on using to purchase chickens and pay more fees for my kids. 

In the coming years, I wish to rear goats as well as purchase a cow. This is because of the ease of managing and rearing them in semi-arid areas. To achieve this, I plan on getting a goat every month at $25 from the support of cash I receive every month. This is the only assurance I will have of meeting my children's school fees.

The greatest challenge I am facing is not being able to provide daily meals for my family of nine (two wives and six children). We mainly survive by taking food on credit from the store and promising to refund the debt whenever we get funds. Since I don't have a steady source of income, I take on whatever odd jobs I can find to get money, which I usually use to pay down my shop debt. This is why it is tough to meet other needs such as paying my children's school tuition and buying livestock. When I got the transfer, the primary school where my four children attend required every student to pay a fee to help fund the construction of a new two-classroom structure. As a result, I paid $10. I spent $20 on four hens to supplement the two I had acquired with prior transfers. The plan is to raise them so that they can help support my needs when I sell them in the future. Finally, I committed the remaining funds to the shop's debt.

Since I came to contact with GiveDirectly, I have honestly felt a new sense of hope and rejuvenation in my life. Prior to the organization I struggled financially and my kids were constantly being kicked out of school and we would go for days on end without a meal. But I am definitely glad I took the opportunity of getting enrolled because since then the financial woes have reduced significantly all thanks to GiveDirectly, so I definitely praise it.

Since I am part of a savings committee, as soon as I received the funds I decided to contribute KES 1,000 to my savings committee that has about ten participants. When the money accumulates and it is my turn to receive the funds I plan to use the money to buy a couple of goats and also pay for school fees of my children. After that I used KES 1,000 and paid tuition fee for my five children who still happen to be in school since they had been out of school for over three days. Eventually I was left with about KES 1,000 which I ended up using by ensuring my family and I had a meal so I bought five packets of maize flour.

I could not hide my delight when I received my transfer. I was at a critical juncture where I had exhausted all options for raising finances for my children's education. I took a sigh of relief, knowing that the transfer would help relieve that weight, and the kids would return to school without being sent out on a regular basis.

My children were routinely sent out of school twice a week to collect pending fee balances prior to the transfer. Things have changed now that I utilized the money to pay these outstanding amounts. I cannot express how grateful I am to Give Directly for helping me keep my children in school.

My five children had outstanding school fees amounts of KES 200 each when I received the transfer. Clearing the unpaid amount had proved futile because the money I made from the charcoal making business barely placed food on the table. They had missed two school days the previous week because of the debt. As a result, I considered settling the balance a top priority, paid KES 1,000, and they have continued to attend classes without interruption since then. I used the rest of the money to buy a chicken with the hopes of having it reproduce in the future and provide more income-generating products.