My plan for this year and beyond is to permanently protect my family from future floods. I aim to begin by paying off the remaining balance to secure a new piece of land in a safer area and building a home there. With a safe, permanent home, my family will have security and peace of mind. Once this is accomplished, I will continue farming on our current land, with a focus on generating income. This income will enable me to support my family by ensuring my children get a good education and that we always have food on the table.

I appreciate GiveDirectly and their approach to explaining the unconditional cash transfer program. Their team communicated everything clearly, ensuring everyone understood how the program worked and what to expect. I feel confident in the current structure of the program, as it addresses essential needs without complications. Because of this, I don’t have any recommendations for changes. I am fully satisfied and grateful for the support they have provided.

When I received $450 from GiveDirectly, I felt incredibly thankful, as this support came just when I needed it most. After the devastating floods that swept away my mud house, my family and I were forced to seek shelter with a neighbor who lived on higher ground. With $250 of the transfer, I was able to buy building materials for a new house. I am grateful that the house is now complete, and my family feels safe and secure once again. I used the remaining $200 as a deposit toward purchasing land on higher ground. This decision is important to me because I want to protect my family from future floods. Once I finish the payments, which I plan to do with the next GiveDirectly transfer, I hope to build a permanent home there. The land where we currently live will then be used for farming, so we can stay safe while still making the most of our resources.

The M-Pesa message arrived exactly at 3:10 PM while I was busy in the bush with my husband, burning charcoal. A sudden joy appeared on my face, and I was filled with happiness. I immediately notified my husband that the money had arrived. He also became very happy because we had initially planned to purchase goats with the money. In our area, someone without livestock is considered very poor, even if they have other possessions.

The biggest change in my life is that I am now seen like any other person in the village because I have goats as a future investment. They are doing well because we live in an area with plenty of grass and water, and they look very healthy. In the future, I will sell them for a profit to pay for my kids' school fees since we are not employed.

Thank you so much, GiveDirectly, for coming to our aid at the right time when we were severely affected by floods. The floods caused significant damage, forcing us to relocate to a camp on higher ground where the water couldn't reach. My house, made of mud walls and a grass roof, collapsed, and the floods swept away my 3 hectares of maize, my generator, water pipes, kitchen utensils, and my two sheep. I was on the verge of losing hope, but when I received the promise of GiveDirectly's assistance, I felt confident again and my stress diminished.Even before the floods, life was challenging. My husband and I depended on farming, casual labor on other people's farms, and charcoal burning to provide for our three kids. However, since receiving the money, we have bought three goats with our first transfer, knowing they will multiply, and we can sell them to pay for our children's school fees. We decided to invest in livestock first to recover what we lost in the floods. Now, we are on the path to recovery, and life seems promising again. GiveDirectly, we appreciate you for being the savior of our lives.