If I manage to secure some funds, my dream revolves around initiating a shop business on the plot I purchased using the second transfer. My primary focus would be to offer fast-moving essentials like nourishing food items and daily personal necessities. The reason behind this vision is rooted in the struggles of my fellow villagers, who presently undertake arduous journeys for their basic shopping needs. By setting up this shop, not only would I establish a reliable income stream for myself, but also more importantly, I will be alleviating a significant burden for the community. This endeavor would not only signify a financial achievement but also a heartfelt commitment to bettering the lives of those around me while ensuring my family's well-being through the proceeds earned.

In my perspective, GiveDirectly successfully avoids biases during the enrollment approach. All of its field employees are attentive and patient with every one of us throughout the door-to-door visitation. There is never any partiality involved in the registration process at all. As a result, many community members, especially the less fortunate, are taken into account for its financial help. I have not yet noticed any shortcomings in what GiveDirectly accomplishes.

When I got the second cash transfer, the first thing that occupied my mind was the unfinished house I had started building. Memories of sleeping uncomfortably at my mother-in-law's place after the whirlwind had torn down my previous house were still fresh. I decided to dedicate $200 toward completing the construction. The joy that swelled within me as the roof stood tall was indescribable. Finally, I had a place I could call my own, a shelter of comfort and security. A portion of the cash, $150 to be precise, went towards a one-and-a-half acre piece of land aiming to do an investment. With the land, I could visualize the business I had always dreamed of starting, sowing the seeds of my entrepreneurial aspirations. Thereafter, I committed the remaining funds to construct a granary for storing the maize I had harvested from the land, ensuring that my family would have food on their table. As I looked at my house, the land, and the granary, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the support from GiveDirectly that had transformed my life.

I was at home, unwinding after spending the morning on the farm. I had no idea transfers would be sent that day while my phone was turned off and charging. It was not until I heard from my neighbor that I realized she had received her transfer. I took my phone out of charging mode, opened my inbox, and it was true! I had also received mine and could not contain my joy. I could not stop thinking about renovating my house, especially now that I was financially empowered.

I had been living in a grass-thatched house that was in really bad shape for a long time; even before I was enrolled, the roof was already dilapidated, and the grasses were no longer helping. The roof was riddled with holes and patches, and the walls were sagging. It was leaking during the rain, and I could not afford to renovate it myself. I am a subsistence farmer with no source of income. I assumed I would continue in this manner, possibly ending up homeless and seeking refuge with my neighbors. When I received the transfer, my first priority was to construct a decent iron-roofed house for my family to live in. I was able to purchase enough construction materials, such as iron sheets, building poles, nails, and wood, to begin my project. I will be living in an iron-roofed house soon after spending years in a grass-thatched house, which required frequent grass replacement.

My most pressing need was a comfortable place to live with my family. When I got the transfer, I spent the majority of it on building materials like iron sheets, timber, nails, and building poles. I am currently in the process of constructing a decent iron-roofed house and moving out of the grass-thatched hut where I have been living for years. In addition, I purchased three goats for KES 10,000, which I am currently keeping on my homestead. I already had some, and my goal is to buy more because they are valuable assets on which I can rely in the event of a financial emergency. My expectation is that they will reproduce and multiply and that I will be able to easily sell their offspring to educate my children when they enter high school. I do not have a source of income, and it might be difficult to raise the necessary fees when the time comes, so I can rely on the goats. I used the rest of the money to buy food, including maize flour, to ensure that my family had enough to eat.