I currently hawk various products in town to make a living, but the earnings are not substantial, and the business is unpredictable. Sometimes it is booming, and other times it goes down, which reduces my income. To address this challenge, I have decided to keep goats as an alternative source of income. I have five goats that I am taking care of, and I plan to buy more and let them multiply. Owning goats gives me the assurance that I can easily sell them to meet my financial needs whenever they arise, and this will no longer be a challenge.

My grandson was about to begin high school, but his father was unable to cover the full admission cost. There were numerous other expenses as well, including school uniforms, stationery, and other necessities. My son was overwhelmed by the financial burden, so I helped him by contributing $20. As a family, we are now happy that my grandson is in school, and we are looking forward to seeing him achieve his educational aspirations. In addition to helping with my grandson's education expenses, I also spent $50 on purchasing a goat. I now own six goats, which I acquired by saving a portion of the transfer every month. Since my income from hawking various products is not very high, owning goats is a good investment for me. I can rely on them for financial needs or even exchange them for cows. With the remaining amount, I bought foodstuffs for my family, and we had enough food to eat without facing any shortages despite some financial challenges.

My primary goal is to shift my focus towards investing in livestock and generating income through profitable sales. With the realization that the period during which we receive funds is nearing its end, I understand the importance of making sustainable investments that will continue to support me beyond that timeframe. By purchasing livestock, I am creating an opportunity to improve my future and break free from the clutches of poverty. This prospect brings me great joy, knowing that the transfers are not only providing immediate assistance but also paving the way for long-term growth and stability.

As a casual laborer, my primary source of income comes from selling local toothbrushes made from medicinal tree twigs. Unfortunately, this job does not always yield substantial earnings, and I often rely on the monthly stipend from Give Directly to support my family. I have the responsibility of caring for my three grandchildren, including covering their educational expenses. To ensure their uninterrupted education, I used $10 to clear their school fee balances, allowing them to continue learning without any disruptions. Recognizing the value of investing for the future, I purchased a goat worth $45, despite the increasing prices. I believe that this is a wise investment that will pay off in the long run. In a few months, the goat will multiply, and I can sell the offspring to generate income for the well-being of my family. A significant portion of the funds, totaling $55, was allocated for food purchases. The previous three months were particularly challenging as we had not yet harvested our crops, forcing us to buy food at high prices from local shops. The financial support I have received has greatly assisted us in surviving this difficult economic situation, and I am immensely grateful for the positive impact it has had on my family's well-being.

Owning a vast livestock herd stands as my most significant achievement, representing wealth in our cultural context. My ultimate aspiration is to possess both dairy cows and bulls, which I can utilize for land cultivation and tilling during the planting season. Given the limited monthly income we receive, achieving this ambition all at once is impossible. However, through a step-by-step approach, starting with the purchase of goats and gradually transitioning to selling cows, I am steadily progressing towards the accumulation of the livestock I have always longed for.

Over the past three years, we have faced significant challenges in meeting our basic food needs. The severe drought had devastating consequences, resulting in meager harvests. The economic difficulties forced me to spend a considerable portion of the money I received from previous transfers on expensive food. However, our situation is on the brink of transformation as we are currently blessed with abundant rainfall, promising a plentiful harvest. To prepare a portion of my land for farming, I allocated $19 from my May transfers, specifically for cultivating 3/4 out of my total of 5 acres. Once food becomes abundant, I can utilize my monthly stipend to invest in livestock, fulfilling one of my long-standing desires. Unfortunately, my small business selling local toothbrushes does not generate significant income, leaving me with insufficient funds to purchase livestock or even provide for essential needs such as family meals. By combining the remaining $15 from my May transfers with $15 saved from April, I managed to acquire a $30 goat. This gradual process is gradually building up a substantial livestock herd, which brings me immense joy. I am sincerely grateful to the organization for their financial support in improving the overall quality of my life.

Currently, putting food on the table is my priority. I would never wish to go back to the days when my family constantly slept hungry for lack of money for food. When lack of food no longer seems to be a problem in the household, I plan to save towards the purchase of goats. Having already purchased one, courtesy of previous cash transfers, I wish to buy at least five more goats by year end. 

The persistent drought in my region has hindered farming activities over a long period forcing people to dwell on buying food. Personally, the only thing I can do to generate money to buy food is by cutting and selling chewing sticks, a practice that hardly yields enough. Besides, the highly rising commodity prices make it tougher to acquire enough food with little earnings. That is why I prioritize buying foodstuff whenever I received my cash transfers. From the recent three cash, I spent $24 on securing maize flour. At least this bought me time to raise money for more, and I never went hungry. I saved $10 from each of these transfers to buy a goat. As this animal reproduces, it will grow the herd, from which I can generate money by selling the goats. 

Personally I applaud the Organization for the amazing work which it has done so far especially because I was struggling to feed my family and take care of them yet I happen to be the breadwinner which was quite disappointing. Through the funds though, it has not been as tough as it was in the past which makes me very happen.

A couple of weeks before I had received the money, I had happened to take some items on loan at my neighborhood store which included maize flour and sugar just to mention a few. This was because at the time we barely had any food in the house and we were about to go hungry. As soon as I received the funds from the Organization I decided to settle that debt and I ended up paying KES 1,200. Later on I proceeded to put away a KES 1,000 into my savings account because I hoped to buy goats. Also I ended up using KES 400 by spending it by purchasing almost a kilogram of sugar and also bread on a day-to-day basis for a couple of weeks. I remained with a balance of KES 400 which I decided to help pay for my two grandchildren tuition because they were almost getting kicked out of school.

I woke up on the morning of 19th August to a message notification on my mobile phone. Upon reviewing its contents, I realized that money had been sent from Give Directly the previous night. That confirmed the shouts I had heard from my neighbors the night before who appeared to be celebrating something. I was happy as well from the great news because I knew the money would help relieve the responsibility weight off my son's shoulders for a while.

Before the transfer, I used to take foodstuffs on credit from the store promising to repay later when my son sent me money. I would always wish to support my family as well but the casual jobs I could handle rarely came by, so I mostly ended up waiting on him. However, the narrative transformed through the cash transfer. I was excited to help provide for the family without having to request a penny from my son. It was a much-needed relief to him.

When I received the cash transfer, my household was almost running out of food. My son, who works as a mechanic on whom I mostly depend, had not sent money home to replenish the maize flour that was running out of stock. Besides, it was during a time when the food prices had reduced following a subsidy issued by the government. So, I used the opportunity presented by Give Directly to utilize KES 2,400 from the cash transfer on enough food for my family and grant my son a breather. I spent the remaining amount to clear school fees for my three primary school grandchildren who had been sent home that day due to overdue balances. I am glad they immediately resumed classes without missing out on their learning that day.