In the coming year and beyond, my main goal is to grow my business further. Currently, I sell essential items like maize flour, wheat flour, cooking oil, and sugar, but I want to expand my range of products. I'm planning to introduce items such as soap, detergents, and over-the-counter medicines like painkillers. Additionally, I aim to start buying commodities in bulk to better meet the needs of my customers. To achieve this, I’ve been saving $10 each month from the profits I make. These savings will play a crucial role in helping me reach my business expansion goals next year. I'm incredibly grateful for the financial support I’ve received so far, which has enabled me to grow and improve my business.

After receiving financial support from Give Directly, I started a small business selling food commodities like maize flour, wheat flour, sugar, and cooking oil. This new venture has been successful, allowing me to leave my previous job of selling charcoal. Selling charcoal was not only tedious but had low returns, making it difficult to meet my daily needs. I am happy that my current business enables me to meet my needs with much more ease. To boost my business, I spent $17 to purchase additional stock to meet my customers' demands. I also spent $21 on school fees for my daughter, ensuring she continues her education without any interruptions. I bought her new shoes and socks for $5, replacing her worn-out pair, which has made her look neat and comfortable. For my family's well-being, I spent $33 on food, ensuring we had enough to eat without missing meals. Additionally, I purchased new clothes for both my daughter and me for $17, which has improved our appearance and made us feel more presentable. I am very grateful for the transfers that have transformed my life for the better, allowing me to support my family and grow my business.

Moving forward, my plan is to continue using the transfers I receive to simultaneously expand my thriving shop and food preparation business, while also ensuring my child's education remains uninterrupted. By consistently investing in the growth and development of my business, I can increase profitability and secure a stable income stream for my family. At the same time, allocating funds towards my child's school fees will open doors to a brighter future through the power of education. However, I also have my sights set on a long-term investment that will further diversify my family's assets and provide additional financial security. In the future, I plan to use a portion of the transfers to purchase a goat, with the hope that it will multiply and increase in number over time. When the need arises, I can then sell these livestock and utilize the proceeds to support my family in whatever way is most beneficial, whether it be covering unexpected expenses, investing in my business, or providing for my child's educational needs

I currently operate a successful shop business where I sell household consumables, such as sugar, as well as prepare and sell homemade food. This business has been a reliable source of income for my family. However, my long-term goal has been to expand this business, making it even more sustainable. To this end, I invested $72 of my recent transfers into growing and strengthening my shop and food preparation operations. This strategic investment will allow me to increase my product and generate higher profits to support my household. Recognizing the importance of education, I allocated the remaining $30 of my transfers to pay the school fees for one of my children. Ensuring their continued access to education without interruption is a top priority, as I firmly believe it is the key to a brighter future. I am grateful for the support that has allowed me to take these crucial steps, and I am excited to see the fruits of my labor as my business grows and my child continues to excel in their studies.

I'm grateful that the cash transfers enabled me to start a donut-making and selling business. I even built a stand where I sell these donuts from. My goal is to expand this business into a kiosk by the end of the cash transfer period. I plan to stock other fast-moving items like maize flour, soap, etc., which are in daily demand in most households in the village. The profits from this business will help me contribute more to my child's education and ease the financial burden on my husband.

Honestly, my life has transformed for the better as a result of the transfers. I used to rely on making charcoal to help my husband provide for our family. Not only was it physically demanding, but the money I made barely covered our daily needs, especially food. Thanks to the cash transfer, I now have my own business making and selling donuts in our village. I invested $64 to start the business, buying ingredients like flour, sugar, and oil. Now, I can make at least $2 in profit every day, which helps fill any financial gaps my husband can't cover. This allows me to easily manage our daily expenses and pay for my eighth-grade child's exam fees and school supplies. Now, he never misses a day of school. I used the remaining money to hire labor to weed my maize farm, ensuring the crops grew healthy. I'm happy that this led to a bountiful harvest, which will provide food for my family for several months.

My objective is to expand my livestock holdings, particularly by acquiring more goats and chickens. Presently, I am maintaining a flock of 50 chickens, which I consider a valuable asset. I'm aware that, in times of financial necessity, I can readily sell these chickens to generate much-needed cash. My intention is to transform this livestock into a sustainable income-generating venture, as I currently lack any stable source of income. My primary means of sustenance is subsistence farming for household consumption. However, when unexpected financial challenges arise, overcoming them can be quite challenging. I firmly believe that owning and growing my livestock will serve as a reliable safety net during times of financial hardship. This endeavor will not only provide additional financial security but also help improve the overall economic stability of my household.

Receiving the monthly transfers has had a profound impact on my life, and I am deeply grateful to be part of this program. To begin with, I was facing some significant challenges in covering my son's high school fees. However, upon receiving these transfers, I made a firm commitment to ensure his education remained uninterrupted. Consequently, when I received the most recent transfers, I promptly allocated $50 towards his school fees, bringing immense relief as he is now comfortably attending his classes. I look forward to witnessing his successful completion of high school and his continued education while being supported by this program. In addition, I allocated $10 of the funds to purchase essential stationery, including new books required by his school. This not only eases my financial burdens but also ensures that my son is no longer at risk of being sent home due to unpaid fees. Moreover, I allocated $10 to enrich my personal life by buying new clothing and shoes. This modest investment has not only improved my wardrobe but also boosted my self-esteem and overall well-being. Furthermore, I used $10 to purchase new utensils and other household items that I lacked, enhancing the comfort and functionality of my home. Additionally, I allocated $10 to hire a tractor for the early preparation of my farm, which will undoubtedly lead to increased harvests and ensure an ample food supply for my household.

I want to find a sustainable source of income that can continue to support our basic needs even after the cash transfers end. While I have been involved in charcoal burning to make ends meet, the income it generates is minimal and cannot meet my daily needs. Therefore, I am considering investing in livestock keeping, specifically goats. I believe that by rearing goats and allowing them to reproduce, I can sell them to generate income for our household expenses. This would provide us with a more stable and reliable source of funds.

Being the sole caretaker of my grandchild, with no one else to rely on, the cash transfers have been a lifeline for us. When the recent transfer came in, it was a critical time for my maize crops as they needed to be weeded. I was concerned that if the weeds were not cleared, they would hinder the growth and productivity of my crops. Since I did not have any other sources of financial support, I decided to hire people to help me with the weeding and used $20 from the cash transfers to pay them for their work on one acre of my planted land. I am extremely grateful for the cash transfers because, without them, I would not have been able to afford the labor costs. I also used the remaining amount to purchase more food as our stock was running low. It is a relief to know that the cash transfers ensure that my grandchild and I have enough to eat, at least once a day.

I sell charcoal and my earnings in a week are $5. My husband works as a watchman on Kilifi town but we do not see much of his money. I would like to increase my income as I do not make much. I would like to start a business this year that will be able to allow me increase my earnings and even educate my child. I would also like to use this business to buy a few more animals as I have been buying a number over time. I hope to save a reasonable amounts from my savings to invest in the business. I do not know how much I will need as commodities have been on a seesaw with prices but I will be really excited if I meet this goal.

I am happy I received cash from GD. In December I used $20 to buy food, I used $3 on buying a chicken and paid school fees using $10. My January transfers went into buying uniform at $5, I also bought a bag at $10, a shoe at $3.5an, a sock at $1 and books for my child at $10. I also bought flour at $5. In February I bought a bundle of flour at $20, I also bought sugar $2.6 and also a bag of wheat flour at $1.9.

Sending us money every month with no strings attached.

I make and sell charcoal at my homestead twice a week. I sell a 50kg sack for $5.This money helps me buy food for my family. I have one child that has a granddaughter, she lives with us. She works as a waitress and she leaves the child with me whenever she is working. My husband works as a guard and most of his money is used to pay school fees for my granddaughter and also buy food for my family. Life has been hard ever since my daughter added another member to the family. Receiving this transfer has enabled me to buy food for $20, paid school fees for $6, and bought detergents for $4.

After finishing my dinner, I went to the bathroom to take a bath before going to bed at eight o'clock. I was alerted that I had gotten a text message by the loud ring of my phone. Reading the message, I was astounded by what I discovered. When I discovered I had gotten my first transfer, I grinned heartily. I said a brief prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord for the minor miracle.

My husband and I have strained to prepare three-course meals for the family for more than three months. Due to having less food, this has caused my children's health to decline. I am incredibly appreciative that the unconditional transfer allowed me to purchase a lot of food for the family. By eating two well-balanced meals a day, their health will be improved.

My spouse is the sole bread winner of the family. He works as a watchman in Mombasa town, guarding a commercial building. I sustain myself by selling charcoal in the village. In his field of employment, my husband deals with numerous issues, such as small payments (KES 5000 per month) and late payments. This has made it more difficult for him to provide for the family's basic requirements, namely food. Due to a shortage of funds to purchase food, we have only been able to eat one meal per day for the previous three months. I am unable to assist in supporting the family because my charcoal-selling business has not been performing well. So, when I got my first transfer, I bought a lot of food for the family with the KES 2700. I purchased two kilograms of sugar, two kilograms of beans, 500 grams of tea leaves, and one kilogram of washing detergent in addition to eight packets of maize flour. I purchased enough food in bulk to feed us for a long time. Finally, I paid KES 300 on my daughter's primary school examinations.