My new goal is to build a new home which is a three-roomed house. My previous house was in a dilapidated condition and a ticking time bomb (collapse) because of the deep cracks on the walls and leaking roof. I have nine children and it has been uncomfortable to live with all of them under the same roof. It forced me to have my elderly children hosted in my relative’s houses while I sleep with the younger children because of insufficient space. It has been my dream to have a bigger house, to have all my children in my house. This way I will monitor and instill good manners and discipline which I cannot do currently.

Give directly did well to provide the funds in my village because there are many developments that have changed the living standard of this area. I feel like Give directly should have a project that focuses on education because it’s an enormous struggle in our village.

I earn a living as a charcoal burner. In my first marriage my husband died and due to our cultural beliefs, I got married again. My new husband is not supportive and thus I lack money cater for my essential needs. Therefore, when I received my transfer, I spent KES 20,000 to buy building materials and paying the construction contractor. I bought a mattress for 4500 because I felt uncomfortable sleeping on the sisal twine bed for the last 15 years. Besides buying the bed, I bought food for KES 5000 to add to the dwindling stock in my house. My son was getting married, and I visited my in-laws and paid part of his dowry worth KES 10,000 and incurred transport of KES 8000 back and forth at the venue.

My neighbor came to my house very early in the morning and informed me she had received her transfer. I became very anxious and checked my phone too. It surprised me when I saw the message confirming that I had received my first transfer. As I hugged my neighbor, I broke into a dance and sang a praise song.

Paying school fees for my children who had stayed home for over two years is the biggest difference the transfer has made in my life. I felt terrible when I saw other children going to school while my own stayed at home because I had no money to pay their school fees. I did not have peace and stressed all thought. They are going back to school and I am happy about that.

When my husband died, I was forced out of my matrimonial home, and I became homeless. Since then, I have found refuge in my brother’s house. I earn a living through the sale of charcoal and I earn little, which is only enough to buy food. Because of my poor income, I have faced challenges in paying school fees to my children. It forced my four children to stay at home for over two years without going to school after I lacked the money to pay for school fees for them. When I received my first transfer, I spent KES 15000 to buy new school uniforms and stationeries and pay school fees for them to go back to school. Besides paying school fees, I spent much of the remaining amount on building a house. Staying in my brother’s house with my eight children made the house very tiny for all of us. Building the new house will ensure I move into a spacious house and own a house, too. Finally, I spent the remaining amount on buying food for my family because I was going through a rough time selling charcoal and buying food for my children.