In the coming year and beyond, I plan to save for about four months to buy a goat. Once I have the goat, they will multiply and generate profit. Currently, goats cost approximately 7000 each. In the future, I plan to sell some goats to pay for my child's schooling. My spouse sells mandazi, thus we supplement with these transfers to support our family. I also aim to expand our house to have two rooms. Currently, we live in a single room, which is small, so I need an extra room for my child. I want to purchase building materials gradually through my savings to achieve this goal. This will also help provide for our growing family enough space in the future, especially once the cash transfers stop.

Thanks to GiveDirectly, I was able to purchase my own tailoring machine. Following the completion of my course, I initially worked for people who owned machines. Over time, I was able to acquire my own. From my recent transfers, I saved a portion of three payments, resulting in an accumulation of $88. I utilized this money to purchase crucial materials necessary for my work, as I cannot operate without them. The remaining $14 was spent on food for my family.

Looking ahead, by the end of the year, I aim to expand my tailoring business further by investing in more equipment and materials, estimating a cost of at least $500. This expansion will not only ease financial strain in our household but also enable me to play a more active role in supporting my husband. It will also lay a foundation for providing for our growing family in the future, especially once the cash transfers cease.

The cash transfers have been instrumental in boosting my tailoring business. Previously, I struggled to even begin due to a lack of materials. Now, I'm delighted to say that I can stock up, which has significantly increased my earnings. From almost no profit before, I now make at least $15 per month, marking a considerable improvement. While I have aspirations to expand my business by purchasing another sewing machine and more equipment in the future, I understand the importance of steady growth for now. With $34, I invested in more materials to bolster my stock, and I saved $58 for future equipment purchases. Having additional equipment will also enable me to train other girls in our community, helping them develop their skills. The remaining funds were used to support my husband in covering household expenses like food and toiletries. I'm grateful for the opportunity to lighten his load and contribute to our household's well-being.

In the upcoming year, my main goal is to establish a dedicated shop for my business, as I currently operate out of my house. I plan to purchase a plot where I can set up this shop, utilizing both future transfers and my savings to bring this objective to fruition. The establishment of this venture is poised to enhance the well-being of my family, providing a source of stability that brings me both peace of mind and a profound sense of fulfillment. I am content with the progress I have achieved in my life, and I eagerly anticipate the realization of this significant milestone in the year ahead.

As a mother of one, my livelihood revolves around my tailoring job. In the past, life was marked by constant challenges, especially since my husband, who operates a motorcycle taxi, struggled to provide financial stability for our family. The difficulties were reflected in the frequent nights of going to bed hungry. However, the financial support we received has brought about a positive transformation in our lives. With this assistance, I was able to acquire my own sewing machine, transitioning from being employed to becoming self-employed. This change has not only stabilized my business but has also enabled us to purchase food, ensuring sustenance during the drought season. Utilizing $73 from the transfers, I invested in clothing materials to support my business, while the remaining $29 was allocated to acquiring food and essential household items. I am grateful for the opportunity to change my life, and I express deep appreciation for the assistance received.

Having completed my education at Vitengeni College, where I acquired valuable tailoring skills, I aim to expand my business. Alongside creating garments, I plan to sell additional products such as plates, cups, and spoons to cater to a wider customer base. Simultaneously, I intend to save enough and get my husband a motorcycle as a means to provide opportunities for my husband, who is currently seeking employment. With determination and the skills gained from my education, I am confident in our ability to build a brighter future for our family.

I took a bold step towards entrepreneurship and I acquired materials at $18 to establish my existing business. Presently, I specialize in crafting and selling captivating African fabric famously known as Vitenge. With the invaluable assistance from GiveDirectly, I embarked on this entrepreneurial journey just last month. Their support has been a guiding light, fueling my determination to create exceptional and vibrant items that bring delight to my customers. I am filled with gratitude for this opportunity and eagerly anticipate the boundless possibilities that lie ahead on this exciting path. The remaining transfer I carefully allocated $16 to provide sustenance to my family, ensuring their well-being with essential food purchases.

I am a skillful designer, but I have not yet established my tailoring business shop. I do work from home occasionally, but it doesn't bring in much money for my family. I intend to save my monthly transfers to collect capital for starting a tailoring business shop because I already own two sewing machines. It will help me to experience a boost in my tailoring business that will go a long way in easing my family's financial burden. I aim to sell both designed clothes as well as other ready-made clothes. It will give me a steady source of income.

Since I did not have food, I prioritized spending $13 on food for my family of three; my husband, my son, and myself. The rest helped me to acquire other household items that I needed. Because I have tailoring skills and works in the house, I also opted to spend some $1 on buying clothes for my tailoring business. I have been doing it on a small scale but I hope to improve it so that it can be raise more income. My husband does a casual job that does not always support us adequately. I am grateful for my enrollment in the GiveDirectly program.

I originally intended to open a tailor shop, but I haven't done so. I have so far used the prior transfers that I had saved up to purchase a sewing machine. I still need $12 to rent a shop, buy the fabrics I'll need, and other things to get the shop up and going. I will set aside $15 per month from the transfers in order to accomplish this. We presently only have the monthly stipend from GiveDirectly as a regular source of income, so I will utilize the remaining amount to cover our living expenses. Our household income will increase once the shop is operational.

Since we began receiving transfers, I have been storing a portion of them. I saved $50 into an informal savings group during the last three months so that when I get my shares, I can buy a sewing machine and other supplies for running my business. I presently work for someone, but my $50 compensation is insufficient to meet our necessities. I spent $34 on groceries for my household. My spouse, our son, and I make up our family of four. Currently, my spouse takes care of our household's necessities while working occasionally at construction sites. He makes $5 a day, but there are times when he goes two weeks without working. This typically translates to us going without food. Since I won't split the income with anyone once my business is up and running, I think I will profit more from it.

I am glad that the unconditional transfers I am receiving from giving Directly are helping me improve my life. I recommend that the organization increase the monthly stipend to cope with the high inflation in the country.

I depend on my husband who is a casual laborer. The jobs he works on include building mud houses, fetching water, and working on other people’s farms. The scarcity of jobs caused by the prolonged drought and bad economy has made our life miserable. Often, we lack food to eat and survive on one cup of porridge every day. When I received my transfer, I bought food (three packets of 2 kg maize flour, 1 kg of rice, 1kg of Omena, and 1kg of beans) worth KES 1500. I saved the remaining amount so that I can buy a sewing machine, sewing linen, and sewing strings to start a business. This will greatly help me shoulder part of the bills that my husband is struggling to pay for the family (husband and daughter).

There are no words to describe how happy I was when I received the transfer. It was a sure sign that my one-year-long desire to owning a tailoring business would finally actualize. I cannot wait to save up enough money to buy a sewing machine for my business.

Prior to the transfers, our family would frequently run out of food due to a lack of funds. As a result, we skipped essential meals and went to bed hungry for several nights. However, things have changed since I received the transfer; my family has never gone a day or night without food.

I used half of the transfer to buy food for my family. There was only enough food for one day, so I restocked to last for one more week. This is because my husband, a casual worker at an oil refinery, had not yet earned any money due to the inconsistency of his job.  I was able to save the other half through a self-help group. The goal is to save at least KES 15,000 in order to purchase a sewing machine and sewing materials. Being a tailor by profession, I am confident that starting a tailoring business would relieve my husband of a significant amount of responsibility burden.