Earlier, I had planned to replace my old, dilapidated door. It does not give my home a welcoming look, nor does it provide the level of security that I need. I managed to buy all the necessary materials for a new door and was only left with hiring labor to install it. But just as I was preparing to move forward, my family was struck by tragedy. My dear daughter-in-law fell seriously ill and, heartbreakingly, lost her battle with the illness which shook us deeply. I had to put everything else on hold to focus on saying goodbye to her with the dignity and love she deserved. Now, as I look ahead to this coming year and beyond, I want to pick up where I left off. I plan to use a portion of my transfers to finally cover the labor costs and get the new door installed, bringing a fresh, secure look to my home. After that, I hope to gradually invest in purchasing more goats adding to what I already have using another portion of my transfers hoping they will multiply, growing in both number and value, so that in the future I will have something to rely on when this program comes to an end. Additionally, I rely on my son for support, but his income is unstable and I do not want to place too much of a burden on him. To ease this, I plan to use some of my transfers to help provide food for myself, supplementing the little he manages to bring in so he does not have to shoulder this responsibility alone. I am incredibly grateful to GiveDirectly for this support

The past few months have been especially challenging for my family. My dear daughter-in-law had been unwell for some time, but recently her condition worsened, and she had to be admitted to the hospital. The transfers from GiveDirectly have been an important support during this difficult time. I used $60 from my recent transfer to help with her hospitalization and cover my transport expenses so I could visit her at the hospital. Despite our prayers and the doctors’ efforts, my daughter-in-law did not recover. Losing her has left an indescribable void in my heart. She was dearly loved, and now she has left behind my son and two young children who will feel her absence profoundly. To help settle her hospital bill and to prepare for her final journey, I used another $30 of the transfer. With the remaining $12, I bought food and water for myself, as I had nothing left, and the drought that struck our region has made it hard to secure necessities. I am very grateful to God for giving my family and me the strength to endure this sorrowful time. I also want to express my deep gratitude to GiveDirectly for their support, which enabled me to care for my beloved daughter-in-law and see her through to her final rest.

As an elderly woman, I am not able to do much for myself and rely heavily on my child, who is also struggling to make ends meet through small hustles. With the much that he is already enduring with his family as well, I could not burden him with more of my troubles. In this challenging situation, the support I receive from GiveDirectly has been a true blessing, as it helps me manage my daily needs, and I intend to continue using a portion of it together with what my son is offering to keep taking care of myself in terms of food and health. One of my main priorities for this year is to replace the dilapidated door in my house, which does not provide adequate security and also does not give my home a good, finished look. My plan is to use a portion of my upcoming transfers to purchase the necessary materials and pay someone to complete the assembly and installation of a new door. Once this is done, I will feel much safer and more content in my living space. In addition to addressing this immediate need, I intend to allocate a portion of my future transfers to continue buying more goats. I firmly believe that these goats will multiply and increase in number and value over time and provide me with a reliable source of income, especially when this program comes to an end. Having this financial security will give me peace of mind and help me manage my daily needs more effectively.

My house is in need of a new door for better security because the one I currently have is worn out and can easily be knocked down, plus it doesn't give my house a good appearance. I therefore used $5 from my recent transfers to buy materials to start making a frame for the new door. This home improvement will provide me with a more secure living space and enhance the overall look of my house. Additionally, we did not receive sufficient rain but prolonged scotching sun and very strong winds, hence leaving our crops to dry up, resulting in no harvests, and so I had to prioritize food security and spend another $70 from my transfers to buy food for myself, ensuring that I would not go hungry. With my old age, it is crucial for me to maintain proper nutrition to stay healthy and active. I also spent another $20 to buy a goat, adding to the ones I already own hoping that these goats will multiply and increase in number and value over time, allowing me to sell some of them in the future once this program comes to an end, providing me with a reliable source of income to support myself. Lastly, I spent the remaining $7 to buy a piece of clothing that I can confidently wear when going out, as I did not have any. Having a decent piece of clothing is important for my self-esteem and allows me to participate in social activities without feeling self-conscious. I am happy that I can now walk with confidence, knowing that I am presentable.

My goal has been to improve my living standard by building a new iron-roofed house and buying new bedding to ensure that I have a comfortable and healthy shelter in my old age. I have already built the house and recently bought a new wooden bed to replace the old traditional one. My plan is to save a portion of my transfers to purchase a new mattress and replace the old mats that I am currently sleeping on. Once I acquire the new mattress, I plan to also buy livestock, especially goats, which are valuable assets that I can sell to settle my financial needs. I currently own one goat, and my goal is to buy more in the coming years and build a herd.

I am so grateful for GiveDirectly because it has transformed my life. Before I joined the program, I was living in a house that belonged to my son, who lives in town, because my own house had collapsed many years ago and I couldn't afford to build a new one. Although I was happy to have a roof over my head, I longed for privacy and independence. When I received the money, I felt empowered to build a new house for myself. I saved my transfers every month, and with the recent transfers, I was able to buy enough iron sheets and pay the mason, which cost me $60. I also bought some nails and timber to complete the house. Now I am at peace living in my own house, which has greatly improved my well-being as an elderly person. I enjoy the privacy for which I have longed for so many years. In addition to the house, I also spent $45 on a new wooden bed and replaced my old bedding, which I had been using for many years. The old traditional bed was uncomfortable, and I couldn't sleep well. I plan to buy a new mattress soon for added comfort. Finally, I used the remaining money to buy some foodstuffs that I lacked, and I am glad that my family was able to eat well and enjoy three meals a day too.

I have a plan to construct a respectable house with an iron roof. Given that I've been residing in my son's home for an extended period, I eagerly anticipate having a place of my own. This is necessary because whenever my son visits, I rely on the generosity of our neighbors for shelter. To address this situation, my objective is to amass sufficient savings through a savings group. This will enable me to purchase 20 pieces of iron sheets and an adequate number of building poles needed for the construction of my new house.

Several years ago, my house collapsed, and I couldn't afford to construct a new one until my son graciously offered his own home for me to reside in. Due to financial constraints, I was initially unable to purchase the necessary building materials, but thanks to a recent financial transfer, I managed to secure some crucial items like iron sheets and building poles. Presently, I'm in the process of building a new home. I'm currently living in my son's house since he resides in town. When he visits, I rely on the kindness of our neighbors for nighttime accommodations. To make this construction project a reality, I've been diligently saving $20 every month. These savings will enable me to purchase the necessary materials and continue with the construction of my new house. The remaining funds from the transfer have been allocated to purchasing essential food items such as sugar, beans, and other cereals.

The house where I used to live collapsed several years ago. As an elderly individual, I primarily rely on my sons, who engage in occasional employment, to sustain themselves. However, because of their own obligations and the need to support their own extended families, building a new home for me proved to be a daunting challenge. Consequently, I found refuge in the residence of one of my unmarried grandsons, who resides in the town. While I am currently residing in this house, a sense of tranquillity has eluded me due to the fact that it is not truly my own. To rectify this situation, my plan is to accumulate my transfers with the intention of gradually purchasing essential building materials such as corrugated iron sheets and structural poles. This will allow me to begin the process of building my own home. I am confident of achieving this goal by acquiring these materials since I am assured of receiving the transfers. My ultimate goal is to own a home where I can live peacefully and cherish my personal space.

I spent my recent transfers on two goats and a chicken, as well as new clothing and food for my family. The purchase of these goats has proven to be a significant turning point in my financial situation, as they are assets I had long desired but could not afford. The ownership of these animals brings me great contentment, especially considering my advanced age and cessation of laborious tasks. It is reassuring to know that I can rely on the goats to meet my financial needs. Additionally, the ability to sell their offspring provides an additional source of income when required. I have had financial problems to the point where buying new clothes was difficult. The majority of my available funds were consistently allocated to food expenses. However, a successful harvest alleviated food scarcity and enabled me to spend $20 from the transfer on new clothes, resulting in a transformative change in my circumstances. Lastly, I also spent a portion of the transfer to cover my grandchildren's school fees as well as buying household essentials that I lacked in my household.

Ever since my house crumbled last year, I was compelled to move to my son's house, where I have resided to this day. Fortunately, he works and lives with his family in Mombasa. It only gets troublesome when they come to the village and I have to find another place to sleep. To prevent this from happening again, I intend to construct a one-room home for myself. Am glad that the cash transfers allow me to save money for construction materials and labor compensation.

After my house fell last year, I moved into my son's house where I have been staying up to date. The fact that he stays in Mombasa with his family and only visits occasionally conveniences me to accommodate his space. However, I wish to build my own house as this will save me the suffering when my son visits the village. In making this plan a reality, cash aid has been an instrumental source of the necessary funds. Every month, I set aside $20 for the construction project and contribute the remaining $14 toward the acquisition of food for my family. Through the cash transfers, I have seen how much weight I have been able to lift off my son's shoulders, who rely on casual jobs to provide for his wife, nine children, and me.

When I received the transfer, I had a fear that my house would collapse soon because it was in very poor condition. So I started planning to build a new two-room mud-walled and tin-roofed structure. This is why I saved $20 toward the construction project. Just as I had feared, my house collapsed a month ago, which made me move into my son’s house for shelter. I would not wish to involve my son in financially supporting the building exercise because he bears a lot of responsibilities, especially having ten children and his wife to look after. Besides the little he makes from buying and selling goats barely provides his household’s expenses; a construction project would weigh even more on him. Other than saving, I spent the remaining amount on two hens. Being my first time owning poultry, I plan to let them breed, increase the flock, and sell them later to source enough funds for the new house. 

I would have probably taken almost forever to even ever think of trying to renovate my house because I am quite old, I have no job and most times I depend on my children to cater for my needs yet they have their own families as well. Therefore GiveDirectly has definitely empowered me and given me some form of financial independence that I am quite grateful for.

When I received the transfers this time round I decided that I will leave it in my savings account because I planned on renovating my house. I have lived in my home for over two decades and my house is quite old and it us almost collapsing. Since it is a mud house the foundation has deteriorated almost leaving the house about to fall off . Therefore I took the KES 3,000 and put it away because I know renovation will cost me financially so saving is the best option for me at the moment until the funds accumulate and are enough for me to begin construction.

I had just woken up that morning when my helper informed me that GiveDirectly had sent the transfer. At first, I was worried that I might have missed my transfer. After confirming my account, I was very happy when it landed to my ears that I had received the transfer. I was sure that I will be able to get food for myself.

The biggest difference in my daily life is that, I am able to get my essential need like food more easily unlike before .In addition, I can't wait to see my house complete the renovation of the shelter with help of the transfer.

I spent my recent transfer purchasing various food stocks for myself. I bought 14 kg of maize flour, dry fish, and sugar. This is because I did not have enough food since my charcoal burning activity did not earn me enough income to fully support my needs. I am planning to spend the next transfer to renovate my house by purchasing 15 building poles. Currently, my house is in a bad state and I am afraid that it may collapse at any time. With the transfer, I will be able to renovate it slowly until I complete the construction.