In the coming years, I plan to open a business shop right at home so that I can earn profit without needing to go elsewhere. This will allow me to focus on growing the business steadily while staying close to my family. Alongside the shop, I want to continue farming, as it will support us with food and extra income. I believe this combination will not only improve our lives but also help secure a brighter future for my children by supporting their education. With the shop and farm together, we’ll have more stability and fewer financial worries. My goal is to create a strong foundation that will sustain us for years to come.

GiveDirectly did a wonderful job educating us clearly about their cash transfer program, including all the rules and procedures. They made sure we understood that the money is meant to improve our lives and should be used responsibly. I appreciate how they patiently explained everything and encouraged us to make good choices. The team was respectful, and their advice felt genuine and caring. I haven’t noticed anything negative; everything has been handled well, and their support has truly helped my family. I’m grateful for the way GiveDirectly operates and for the positive impact they’ve made in our community.

Investing in my family’s education has always been a priority, so I used $200 from my cash transfer to pay school fees for my five children. Normally, I would have had to sell livestock to cover the costs, but this time, receiving the money allowed me to avoid that difficult choice. Knowing my children’s education is secured for now brings me peace of mind and helps me focus on other areas of our lives.In addition to covering school fees, I allocated $230 to farming. My husband and I decided to plant two acres of watermelon and beans, as we believe these crops have the potential for a good profit. Farming is our main source of income, and by growing crops that sell well, we hope to recover from the setbacks caused by the recent floods, which damaged our land and made life tougher. We’re hopeful that this season’s harvest will not only sustain us but also improve our financial standing.The remaining $20 went towards purchasing food, as we had very little at home. With our main focus on farming and sometimes burning charcoal for extra income, having this extra support for groceries has been a relief. Thanks to this transfer, we’re able to sustain ourselves through this challenging period, and I feel optimistic about the future. It has made a big difference in our lives and has encouraged us to keep working toward a better future.

I was just at home preparing to milk my cows when I heard a message sound on my phone. Curious, I checked it, and I couldn't believe my eyes—I had received $200 from GiveDirectly! My three children were with me, and they immediately noticed the excitement on my face. I shared the news with them, and they were equally excited. They had been sent home for unpaid fees, and I didn’t have the money. Now, they were cheered by the news, knowing they finally had something to return to school with.

I was in a difficult situation before receiving the transfer from GiveDirectly. My two children in high school had been home for two days due to unpaid fees, with arrears totaling about $150. I had no money to cover their fees and was on the verge of selling my three goats—one of the few long-term investments I had left after the floods affected me. Thankfully, the transfer arrived in time. I used $100 from the transfer to reduce their school fee arrears, which not only allowed my children to return to school but also saved me from selling my goats. This made a significant difference in my life, as I could secure my children's education while preserving an investment that will benefit us in the future.

After my two children, a boy and a girl, were sent home for school fees two days before the transfers, I was desperate. I didn’t have the money and was about to sell my goats to raise the funds. Fortunately, GiveDirectly's support arrived just in time. I used $100 from the transfer for their fees, giving $50 to each child to reduce their arrears. We have five plastic chairs, but with a family of eight and frequent visitors, they often aren’t enough. So, I decided to use $48 from the transfer to buy four additional plastic chairs. I had also planted maize on my 5-acre land, but the floods that struck our community didn’t spare my crops; I lost it all. Knowing that maize is our staple food, I decided to use the remaining amount from the transfer to purchase two bags of maize, which will sustain us for about three months.