Receiving support from GiveDirectly has been a game-changer for me and my family. I plan to expand my livestock farming by purchasing more goats. Currently, I have three goats, but I dream of growing my herd to improve our livelihood. I plan to save $10 each month, and after every four months, I'll use my savings to buy a goat. Over the coming year and beyond, I hope to build a sustainable farming business that ensures a better future for my children, providing them with opportunities I never had. This journey, fueled by the generosity of GiveDirectly, fills me with hope and determination to succeed.

As a family, we have been relying heavily on our son, who works as a casual laborer at construction sites. My husband, being too old to work, left me with no choice but to engage in tiring jobs like charcoal burning to help support our son, who bore the heavy burden of being our sole breadwinner. When we received the recent three transfers, the first thing I did was use $20 to pay the school fees for my grandson who is in primary school. I knew his father was struggling to manage, and education is crucial for his future. After that, I spent $33 to buy food for the family. This allowed us to take a much-needed break from our grueling jobs, providing a brief respite and nourishment. The hard work had taken a toll on my health, so I used $20 to seek medical treatment, and I am happy to report that I am now well. To secure our future, I invested $35 in four hens, envisioning a small poultry venture at home. Lastly, with the remaining $14, I bought detergents to ensure our home stayed clean and healthy. These transfers have truly been a blessing, helping us meet essential needs and plan for a better future.

Having yielded a bountiful harvest from my farm, I am delighted to have an abundance of food that will sustain me for several months. During this period, my intention is to channel my transfers into acquiring livestock, aiming to augment and expand my herd. This strategic investment is made with the foresight that, in case of unforeseen emergencies, I can sell some of the livestock to address urgent financial needs. I am genuinely grateful for the financial support provided through the transfers, which has significantly contributed to improving the quality of my life.

My grandson faced exclusion from school due to a substantial outstanding fee, and a week later, he remained at home as his father couldn't afford the necessary payment. Upon receiving my transfers, I allocated $20 to settle the debt, allowing him to return to school and resume his studies. Meanwhile, I encountered challenges with my cooking area, which collapsed, forcing me to contend with adverse weather conditions during meal preparation. To address this, I invested $30 in purchasing building poles to construct a new cooking space. In addition, I acquired two goats for $15, viewing it as a strategic investment with the potential to yield a favorable return in case of unforeseen emergencies. Allocating another $15, I purchased food for my family, and we consumed it together. The financial support I've received has been instrumental in meeting not only my basic needs but also those of my family. I express profound appreciation for this assistance.

I am happy that the recent planting season was a success, providing my family with enough food that should last us for the remainder of the year. This allows me to allocate funds to areas other than food, something that was quite challenging when food was a constant concern for the family. My particular interest is in livestock keeping. With the assistance of the cash transfers, I have been able to acquire nine chickens and three goats. However, my goal is to focus more on raising goats to build a more sustainable form of wealth. Even when the cash transfers come to an end, I am confident that selling these animals will generate the funds needed to meet my needs and those of my family. Besides, this will reduce my dependence on my son.

During the three months when I received the cash transfers, there were moments when ensuring we had enough food was a constant worry. My son, who is the primary breadwinner and relies on casual jobs in town to support his six children, often struggled to provide daily meals with his limited earnings. Even though it was the planting season, our maize crops were not ready for harvest and consumption. This is why I allocated $43 to purchase food. Additionally, one of my grandchildren was sent home from school due to unpaid tuition fees. I used $22 to settle the outstanding debts. I would not wish for him to miss a single day of classes due to lack of school fees, and the cash transfers have been a lifeline in ensuring this doesn't happen. Around the same time, heavy rains damaged my kitchen structure, and I had to spend $30 to repair it. This was essential as I did not want to prepare meals in the same area where we sleep. Finally, I purchased two hens for rearing. I see this as a way to attain financial security down the line.

Well, considering my many needs, there are several goals I wish to accomplish. However, at the top of my priority list is building a new house. The current one has deteriorated over the years, with a corroded tin roof that leaks during rainfall. My wish is to construct a completely new house, even if it means using mud walls and an iron sheet roof, as bricks are expensive. Once the house is built, I plan to invest in a decent bed and a suitable mattress. Currently, our bed is broken, and the mattress is worn out. I hope the cash transfers will help bring me closer to accomplishing these goals in the coming years.

In my household, it's just my husband and me, and as we grow older, we find it increasingly challenging to take on casual jobs to support ourselves financially. Our two daughters, who work as house helps, actively contribute to our basic needs, especially food. The cash transfers we receive from Give Directly have allowed my husband and me to provide for some of our own needs, and we only rely on our daughters when the funds run out. Additionally, I have used some of the cash transfers to purchase chickens for rearing. Since I don't have a source of income, I believe that these chickens will reproduce and help me generate income by selling them to cover household expenses. In the recent transfer, I spent $9 to buy three chickens, increasing my flock to six chickens. I then used $15 to buy food, which sustained both my husband and me until our daughters received their salaries. The remaining $10 was used to settle the unpaid school fees of my grandchild, who had missed a day of class due to outstanding balances. Seeing him back in school brought relief to both me and his parents.

The provision of nutrients in my home is my first priority. This is due to the fact that we have been suffering from drought for a number of years, which has caused bad harvests and put us in a nearly starvation-like situation. In addition, I want to make a future investment and acquire a few additional goats and chickens.

I paid KES 2,500 for a goat as soon as I had the chance to withdraw the money. This is because I believe that with the investments I would have made on my farm, by the time the program is complete, I will be able to stand on my own two feet. There was also hardly any food left, so I went on to spend KES 600 on nutrients. I therefore purchased two packets of maize flour and a quarter kilo of sugar with that money. In the end, I used the remaining KES 300 to pay my grandson's tuition because he had been expelled from school and his parents were away at the time.

In my own opinion GiveDirectly is doing quite a great job because it has elevated us from conditions of uttermost poverty and now we can at least actually afford a day-to-day leaving. I am definitely grateful and applaud them for their good work and generosity.

I felt quite a huge relief when I had received the money from the renovation especially because during the time I was struggling financially. After I withdrew the transfers I ended up spending KES 900 on purchasing three hens because I was investing in poultry farming gradually. I then proceeded to spend KES 500 on paying tuition for my grandson because at the time his parents were struggling money wise and he was about to get kicked out of school. Lastly I was left with a balance of 1600 which I ended up spending on nourishment because we were almost starving so I ended up buying five packets of maize flour, sardines, a kilogram of sugar and drinking water to use on a daily basis because it was scarce.

I was contemplating how I would earn money to buy food for my family as I sat outside my house. There was nothing left for breakfast, and all I had left was a small amount of maize flour to make porridge for supper. I heard a text message notification on my phone. When I learned I had received my first transfer, I sprung up from my seat in excitement. As I rejoiced in the joyous occasion, I burst into a dance and ululated loudly.

My life has significantly changed as a result of the transfer. I feel overwhelmed by the numerous bills I have to pay because I am the family's only source of income. The fact that I make so little money from my source of income to meet all these obligations makes it considerably tougher and more stressful. I am appreciative of the funding' significant part in ensuring that my child returned to school after being expelled for not paying his or her school fees.

I support my family financially alone. My spouse is far too elderly to work. Since my income from selling charcoal is so little, it is difficult for me to support my family. The process of making charcoal is laborious and time-consuming. Each and every two weeks, I sell three bags of charcoal for KES 900. The amount is quite small when compared to the family's necessities, which include covering medical costs, food purchases, and education costs. My son, a secondary school student, was kicked out the day after I received my first transfer owing to unpaid school fees. I spent a total of KES 600 on helping him partially settle his school tuition debt so that he could pick up where he left off with his studies. Additionally, I invested KES 300 on two chickens for the future. To avoid my family being hungry, I ultimately used the remaining money to buy food.