I have been saving for my house from the monthly transfers I receive from GiveDirectly. It's something I've been dreaming about for years, and now, with careful planning and saving, I know it's within reach. Additionally, I have another important goal: to see my daughter through her college journey. Watching her succeed and graduate would be the greatest joy for me. I'll do everything in my power to support her education and ensure she has the resources she needs to thrive.

Between December and February, I've been managing my monthly transfers from GiveDirectly. Each month, I've saved $20, adding up to a total of $60. With this money, I'm planning to buy building materials to construct a house for myself. Currently, I live in a grass-thatched house, which poses risks of dangerous animals and leaks during rainy seasons, including snakes sneaking in. Additionally, I've been supporting my daughter Salome, who's in college, by giving her $10 every month for the past three months. The remaining $40 I've used to purchase essential items like relish, sugar, and soap. My main source of income is burning charcoal, which is unpredictable, and I usually earn around $15 a month. Despite the challenges, I'm determined to improve our living conditions and provide for my two children .Am grateful to give directly to help me achieve the desires of my heart through the monthly transfers.

I have a clear plan for my upcoming transfers, to purchase the necessary building poles. Acquiring these poles might be a challenging and costly endeavor, but I am resolute in my determination to obtain the required quantity. My ultimate goal is to construct a house where I can finally settle and find comfort. Enduring the harsh cold weather and sleepless nights caused by rainwater seeping into my current dwelling has been a long-standing hardship. However, I am overjoyed and grateful for the financial assistance I have received thus far. It has provided me with hope and optimism for a better future ahead.

After a successful harvest, I found myself in a predicament with nowhere to store my crops. The leaking grass-thatched house posed a problem, so I decided to take action. I spent $20 to purchase grass, which I used to cover the leaking spots. This created a suitable storage area for the maize I had harvested. Additionally, I invested in three pieces of iron sheets that will contribute to the construction of my new house. Thanks to the funds received, I now have a total of 15 iron sheets, but I still need to acquire nine more to reach the required amount of twenty-four. Moreover, I allocated $30 from the transfers to pay for my son's college tuition. Ensuring his education is financially supported will greatly enhance his prospects for a brighter future. I am extremely grateful for the assistance provided through the transfers, as it has been instrumental in not only building a new house but also overcoming the challenges posed by a difficult financial period and a severe drought.

Having a secure and spacious home is my ultimate aspiration. The current state of my dwelling has been a constant source of distress. The situation has only worsened, particularly due to the rainstorms, forcing me to endure sleepless nights and bear the chilling weather. Regrettably, this relentless exposure to the elements has resulted in the loss of personal belongings, including clothing, due to the leaking roof. However, the prospect of acquiring all the necessary materials and initiating the construction process fills me with immense joy. With the generous financial support I have received, I am confident that in the near future, I will be the proud owner of a new and improved house.

As a widow, my source of income comes from working as a casual laborer, where I sell charcoal made from tree stumps. Unfortunately, the earnings from these charcoal sales are meager, and I constantly find it challenging to fulfill my daily necessities such as buying food, paying my son's school fees, and ensuring we have a decent shelter. A significant portion of $24 was allocated to the purchase of three iron sheets, each costing $8 each. This investment was crucial as my current grass-thatched house is in a state of disrepair, with a severely leaking roof. The ongoing heavy rains have exacerbated the situation, eroding the mud walls and weakening the supporting poles, causing the house to lean precariously. To address this issue, I have already acquired 15 iron sheets, giving me hope that I will soon be able to construct a new, more stable dwelling. Apart from acquiring iron sheets, I also utilized $5 to prepare a quarter plot of land for farming. This endeavor is essential in ensuring future food security for myself. Having an abundance of food will provide the necessary sustenance for our well-being. Finally, I allocated the remaining $5 to support my son financially as he pursues his college education. This money will assist him in purchasing food and meeting his personal needs while he continues his studies. It brings me immense joy to know that I am creating a conducive environment for him to excel academically.

I am no longer comfortable during the rainy seasons. My grass-thatched house usually leaks making my days and nights terrible. Currently, I aim of renovating my house so that I could live comfortably in it. To achieve this, I committed myself to buy at least two iron sheets every month from the monthly transfers to see my plan coming to pass. I am optimistic that, through the financial discipline I started I will achieve my goal if all goes well.

Upon getting the recent transfer, I first sent my college son pocket money of $10. I would like to support him with, more than that but poverty is depriving me of my wishes to do the best for my child. Since my house is made of a grass roof which is now leaking profusely during the rainy season, renovating using grass is not possible currently since there is no grass due to the drought. Based on that, I have been buying three iron sheets using every transfer and the recent transfer was the second to do so since I started. Currently, I have six iron sheets. In the recent transfer, I used $20 to purchase the three iron sheets that made a total of six iron sheets so far. For the remaining $4 I bought two packets of 2kg each of maize flour for my family.

I am happy that the otganisation is giving us unconditional transfers. This allows us to plan accordingly prioritizing our most pressing needs. I urge the organisation to continue supporting the vulnerables in the society in the same way.

I spent a large portion of my transfer on buying food for my family. I earn a living by selling charcoal. The little i earn from the charcoal sales is not enough to buy three meals a day for my family. In addittion to buying food, I saved the remaing $10 so that i can pay my daughter's school fees next year when my daughter will be joining junior secondary school. I am optimistic that my daughter wont lack the required amount for to join the school of her choice and persue her dream of becoming a doctor.

I received a notification message on my phone at 7 pm. I was in my house preparing supper. I called my daughter, who checked it out and informed me I had received my first transfer. It thrilled me and emotions took the better of me. Tears of joy rolled down my cheeks freely as I thanked the Lord for the miracle.

The transfer has instilled confidence that soon I will own a big and better house than what I have. This will ease the struggles of bearing with the cold weather and leaking roof during the rainy season.

For over five years, I have lived in a dilapidated grass thatched house. The roof leaks whenever it rains and the mud walls have enormous cracks and gigantic holes. The condition of the house has forced me to persevere with the chilly weather during the night. My husband died a long time ago, leaving me with no one to depend on. I work on manual jobs making and selling charcoal. The little I earn is only enough to buy food and cater for my medication when I fall ill. Therefore, when I received my first transfer, I bought food with half of the money and saved the other half. My goal is to save enough money and buy iron sheets and build a new house.