In the upcoming year, I aim to expand my livestock investment by acquiring more goats. Initially, I owned nine goats, but I traded five of them for a cow, which was a significant move toward securing a stable future for my family. Currently, I have four goats and one cow, and I plan to rebuild my goat herd. Each goat represents an investment in our present and future. By adding more goats, I will increase our assets and ensure a reliable source of income through meat or sales. As the goat population grows, I can continue to expand, potentially exchanging more goats for another cow or using the income to support my family. This plan instills hope and motivation in me, knowing that every small step I take today will lead to a more secure and prosperous tomorrow for my family.

I am a widow with four children, relying on my eldest son, who does casual jobs, to provide for our family. With the last three transfers, I decided to make careful choices that would ease our struggles and bring some comfort to our lives. First, I bought three chickens for $15 as an investment. These chickens will grow and multiply, providing us with eggs and a source of income in the future. It’s a small step, but it’s a way to secure a better tomorrow for my children and me. I also spent $42 on food to lighten the load on my son. His jobs are exhausting, and I wanted to give him a chance to rest without worrying about what we would eat. Lastly, I bought a mattress for $45, something I had longed for but could never afford. Before this, I used to sleep on an empty sack on the earthen floor, which was uncomfortable and made it hard for me to rest properly. Now, with this mattress, I can finally sleep well, waking up with more energy to care for my grandchildren. These transfers have brought a sense of relief and hope to our lives.

My goals for the coming year and beyond include purchasing a new bed and mattress, fixing a door on my house, and acquiring more livestock. The bed and mattress will provide me with much-needed comfort during my sleep, while the door will ensure the safety of my property inside the house. By investing in more livestock, I will have a valuable resource to fall back on in the event of an emergency, even after the financial aid ends. I plan to achieve these goals by saving a portion of my transfers each month. I am very appreciative of the financial transfers, which are helping me work towards these goals and improve my life.

I am a widow, and my main work is raising my five goats. Without a proper job, I heavily depend on my sons for financial help with food, medication, and clothing. My enrollment in the cash program has reduced my dependence on my sons, and I can now take care of my needs. Recently, I saved a significant portion of my transfers, amounting to $55. With these savings, I plan to purchase a new wooden bed and a mattress. For quite some time, I have been sleeping on the bare, dusty, and cold floor, with only sisal sacks separating my body from the floor. Additionally, I want to fix a door on my house to ensure that my property is safe. I fell ill and spent $10 on medicinal drugs to treat my illness. I am glad that I am well now and my health has improved. With the remaining amount of $37, I purchased food, ensuring that I had enough to eat and never lacked food. I am very appreciative of the financial support I have received so far, as it has helped me live a better life.

I have always dreamed of building a respectable house and owning livestock, particularly goats. I am overjoyed because I have successfully built my house and am now living in it comfortably, free from the challenges of seeking shelter in my neighbors' homes as I used to do in the past. With this accomplishment, I now have the means to redirect my funds towards other investments, and my initial focus is on expanding my goat herd. Currently, I own five goats, and as a subsistence farmer without a regular source of income, I see them as a potential financial safeguard. They serve as a reliable resource in case of any unforeseen financial needs. Given my background in menial jobs, such as burning and selling charcoal, which has become impractical due to the impacts of climate change, I view goat farming as a viable alternative. My plan is to acquire more goats, engage in breeding activities, and allow their numbers to multiply. This will provide me with the flexibility to sell them when necessary, effectively addressing any financial requirements that may arise.

I had a strong desire to build a good house with an iron roof, but due to financial limitations, I was unable to achieve this dream. However, when I started receiving transfers, I found the means to make it happen. During the construction period, I had to rely on my neighbor's hospitality for an extended period. I saved diligently every month and managed to acquire the necessary building materials, such as iron sheets and poles. I'm currently living in my newly constructed iron-roofed house, which brings me immense joy. While enjoying this milestone, I realized that I hadn't cleared the dues of the mason who contributed to the construction. I spent $25 from my latest transfer to settle this outstanding debt. This brought me a profound sense of peace and security in my new home. In addition, I spent $35 to buy and install a new door, which enhances security and contributes to my overall contentment. With the remaining transfer, I bought essential food items and new clothing for my grandsons, especially since we were approaching the festive season of Christmas and New Year. Celebrating with my family was truly joyous, and I took immense satisfaction in being able to provide adequately for them.

The house that used to provide me shelter collapsed, leaving me without the immediate means to construct a new one. I found refuge in a relative's home, but the dependence on someone else for shelter weighed on my peace of mind, and I yearned for the day I could have a place to call my own. I am now grateful because I'm in the process of turning that dream into reality. I've been able to acquire some of the essential building materials, including building poles, and construction is underway. The anticipation of having my own home brings me tremendous joy. My next objective is to save up for the roofing of my new house, which necessitates 14 iron sheets. Currently, I've managed to purchase 5 iron sheets. My primary focus is to diligently save my monthly transfers to secure the remaining iron sheets and see the completion of my new home.

My house was swept away by a heavy downpour, leaving me with no choice but to seek shelter in my neighbor's home. From the beginning, my goal has been to rebuild my own house, a place where I can enjoy my privacy. Unfortunately, financial constraints made it impossible for me to acquire the necessary construction materials, such as iron sheets and building poles. Most of my funds were allocated to food expenses since our farming efforts were hindered by a prolonged drought, and I primarily relied on subsistence farming. Fortunately, the past few months brought ample rainfall, allowing me to cultivate my land successfully and obtain a bountiful harvest. This relieved the burden of food scarcity in my household and enabled me to initiate the construction process. I devoted all my recent funds to acquiring building poles and some iron sheets. I have already purchased enough building poles and commenced construction; presently, I am in the process of roofing. I have managed to procure 5 out of the 14 required iron sheets. Witnessing the progress of this house fills me with immense joy, as I know I will soon have a place to call my own. I look forward to completing this project in the near future, which will alleviate the stress of depending on others for shelter and restore my sense of dignity.

My goal, extending beyond this year, is to acquire all the necessary building materials for constructing a new house. This endeavor will not only grant me peace of mind but also provide the much-needed privacy once I move into my own residence. The new house symbolizes a fresh start for me after losing nearly everything when my previous home collapsed. I express immense gratitude for the monthly transfers I receive, as they will enable me to rebuild my life and fulfill a long-held aspiration of building a house. The lack of sufficient funds had previously hindered me from realizing this dream.

After enduring homelessness for a year following the collapse of my house due to weak pulses and heavy winds, I found myself left with a few salvaged items amidst the rubble. Determined to rebuild, I embarked on a saving spree, gradually acquiring iron sheets and building poles. However, the journey has not been without obstacles. I rely on odd jobs, such as selling charcoal, but my earnings mostly go towards immediate needs like food and clothing, leaving me with no savings for my new house. Thankfully, I have been staying with relatives during this time. When I received my recent transfer, I allocated $20 for purchasing building poles and the remaining $14 for food. These past three months have been particularly challenging, often forcing me to skip meals due to a lack of funds. Therefore, I am immensely grateful for the monthly transfers that have provided me with sustenance and prevented me from going hungry.

My current goal is to build a new house through the monthly transfers. I am planning to buy 20 pieces of iron sheets and building poles soon. I will buy part of these materials every month and accumulate them until I can start my project. Owning my house is what I am yearning for, which I believe I will fulfill through the transfers.

It has been five years now since my house collapsed and I have not built another house. A fellow widow has accommodated me in our village, though her house is not spacious enough. When I started receiving the monthly transfers, I resolved to buy at least two pieces of iron sheets every month in order to build a new house. I thus spent a bigger portion of my recent transfers on buying iron sheets, and have bought six pieces so far. I am planning on buying the materials until I have enough to construct the new house. I also bought a goat which I am currently keeping at my homestead. I am glad that I now own two goats, which, upon reproducing, I can sell the offspring to meet my financial needs.

I am appreciative of how Give Directly's unconditional transfers are improving my life. Currently, I seldom ever go to bed hungry thanks to the food that is readily available owing to the transfers I got.

I purchased a goat with a significant portion of my money, totaling $25. Three years ago, I lost my agricultural business, so I decided to sell charcoal to make ends meet. It takes three days to make the charcoal, which is a pretty tedious job. My advanced age allows me to generate one sack of charcoal, which sells for $3. There isn't any money left over after buying meals for one day to save or pay for other expenses. It was a wise financial decision for me to use my money to purchase the goat. The goat will ultimately multiply, and when I sell some of it, I'll be rewarded by earning money. I intend to use the funds to pay other bills that I am now unable to pay as well as for food purchases. Having used up all of the food in my house, I finally used the $5 that was left over to purchase more food. I'm pleased I never went to bed without eating since I used the money from my transfer to purchase food.

I was relaxing outside my house around 9 p.m. when I heard my mobile phone ring with a message alert. Due to my inability to read, my son helped me to understand the contents of the message and he found that Give Directly had sent the first transfer. To say I was happy would be an understatement. The money brought me the relief that I would finally receive proper treatment for the fever that had put me down for three days. 

Prior to the transfer, my health was deteriorating from a fever that had followed me for three days in a row. I could not do anything at the time because every inch of my body was paining. To make it worse, I could not afford to obtain treatment from the hospital since my charcoal burning business had not produced any money. I am glad because the cash transfer helped me pay for appropriate medication from the hospital. I am fully recovered now courtesy of Give Directly and I could never be more grateful.

By the time I received the cash transfer, I had been suffering from severe fever and body pains for three. Since I lacked the money to receive proper treatment from the hospital, I used to obtain painkillers from the shop, which did not significantly relieve the pain. Besides, the ailment never allowed me to handle any charcoal burning activities (on which I mostly rely for provision) to raise funds for medication. Gladly, the transfer proved useful at this critical moment. I used KES 500 to acquire appropriate care from the hospital. I am recovering well now, courtesy of Give Directly. Also, because I could not work to raise money, my household ran out of food for two days such that I had to borrow maize flour from neighbors to prepare meals. This is why I used the remaining funds to buy food, which was only enough to serve the family for four days.