I had initially considered improving my cashewnut processing business that I had already started with the money from my first transfer but by the time I received the second transfer, cashewnut was scarce and unavailable. Therefore, I decided to have my goal as buying two cows because I consider them as a living and walking bank where my money lives.

Among the things that GiveDirectly does well, include the fact that it is very honest and doesn't lie as it fulfilled the promises made to us at the time we were being enrolled into the program. It doesn't discriminate neither does it favour any group or a particular people. However, I feel that in addition to the suggestions given to us at enrollment, there should have been more training specifically on financial management and investment instead of the money being made to be only for household uses. I think that will be better and a more assuring way of progressive development instead of allowing people to spend the money as they please.

I spent most of the transfer which was KES 40000 on buying two cows because I considered getting better than saving the money with a bank as there will be much more profit in selling the cows after they have multiplied and increased in numbers. I will be able to continuously depend and count them in the future as they are living and when they multiply I'll be able to sell one or two so as to address the financial challenges I will be facing in the future as compared to going to the bank where I saved my money and ask for a loan through my savings which I'll have to pay back later. I am, therefore, very contented with this decision I made.

It was around 9 AM when I was at my workshop when I heard a message tone from my mobile phone. Without wasting time I decided to check the content of the message. Only to realize it was an Mpesa message from Segovia Technology, I felt extremely happy and I even had to close my shop and went back home to share the great news with the rest of my family members.

The biggest difference in my daily life is that the cash transfers empowered me to boot my business (selling cashew nut) that was almost collapsing. This has been the only source of income that I majorly depended on and whenever I experienced any losses it could affect my family directly. Being a seasonal business most of the time I could lack capital which was the major challenge that I faced all though and this made me not be able to fend for my family appropriately. I had even tried borrowing a loan from banks but it was granted becasue I even had no security. Having received my first transfer I had to focus on reviving the business becsue I was certain I would achieve a lot through it. I am now a happy father because in a week I have been able to earn KES 5000 which was contrary to that of before. Providing for my family's needs like food, school fees have now been easy courtesy of GiveDirectly

I spent part of my first transfer on boosting my business (selling cashew nuts) which I have been running for the last 10yeaqrs. Since it's a seasonal one with so many challenges, i am glad the money came in good time becasue I was even about to close it. Therefore I used KES 25000 of the transfer on boosting and it's currently doing perfectly well. I later paid school fees of KES 15000for my son who is in his final year in college, and KES 10000 for the other one in secondary school. They are now peacefully studying without being distracted like they used to. With the remaining KES 5000, I had to buy enough food stuffs for the family that will at least take us to the next three weeks.