The focus which I am now fighting to achieve is to buy some items for hire. I aim to buy some sufurias and tents if I get some money because these items are in demand daily. To achieve this, I started a small business whose profit is specifically saved to buy the said items.

Getting an unconditional huge amount of money was something I had not dreamt of and this is the uniqueness of GiveDirectly from other organizations. The cash transfers enabled most of us to think about the exact areas everyone saw a need for them to up their living standards. On my side, I was able to get a modern standard bed and a mattress, something I did not see coming anytime soon. I am grateful that my family is happy and comfortable both in sleeping areas and also food access unlike before when they used to sleep hungry for up to two days.

For quite some time I was using a small traditional bed that was not comfortable to sleep on. My four children used to sleep on a mat on the floor because they did not have a bed. Upon getting the second phase of the transfer, I first bought a bed and two mattresses for $130 one of the mattresses was for my children. This is because I also wanted my family to enjoy the comfort of sleeping well since the aim of the money was to better our living standards. As of now, my family is very happy sleeping well and comfortably not like before when they could wake up tired as if they were doing rigorous work overnight. I also bought a cow for $140. This cow was for remembrance purposes. Since GiveDirectly did a commendable deed to me, I vowed not to forget the organization by buying a cow that will give birth hence marking the existence of GiveDirectly at my home. I also paid $50 school fees for my four primary school children and used the remaining amount to buy food for my family since it was a drought season.

It was around 3pm in the afternoon and I had just gotten back home from a meeting when I got the SMS confirming that I had received the money from GiveDirectly. I was so happy when I got the money because I did not believe that it would be true and I would indeed receive it. So, when it actually happened and I got the transfer, I believe it and it was all the reason for my happiness and gratitude. I used this money to complete the building of my rental houses that had stalled due to the lack of enough money, bought some goats, food for my family as well as settled my children's school fees arrears. It was difficult for me to address these challenges, especially for the rental houses, because I did not have a job and used to just stay at home and look after my children, making sure that they get their meals in time when they come from school. I used to depend on my husband who is a teacher and was basically the one whom everything depended on, therefore, no much ability to address these challenges. So, it was a relief to me as well as my husband when I received this money from GiveDirectly.

The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving money from GiveDirectly is that I have taken some steps forward in my life and I was able to address the challenges that were so pressing. I was able to complete the construction of our rental houses, as well as settle my children's school fees arrears because the school fees used to be paid in partial amounts because everything depended on one person who is my husband, therefore, no much ability to settle them fully. I was also able to get some goats that I couldn't afford to have before, which make me so grateful because they are part of the steps I have taken, all thanks to GiveDirectly.

I spent most of the transfer which was KES 37000 on completing the construction of our rental houses by buying doors and windows, as well as paying the labour charges. I did this because it is a long term investment plan and will be earning us regular income when tenants occupy the rooms and through it, I will always remember the assistance I received from GiveDirectly which is something that I couldn't possibly believe it would happen or be real. I could not do anything to help in addressing this issue especially, the completion of the rental houses because I did not have a job and used to just stay at home looking after my children, prepare them food in time especially when they come home from school. I used to depend on my husband who is a teacher and he is basically the one whom everything depends on, therefore, I am so happy now that through GiveDirectly I was got the ability to address these challenges and I can now confidently and proudly say that we are not going to depend on one person to address our needs as a family, all thanks to GiveDirectly.