In the coming year and beyond, my main goal is to complete the construction of the house. I plan to save my future transfers to fully pay the mason’s labor fees, ensuring the work can continue smoothly until the house is finished. Moving into our new home will be a moment of great pride and joy for me. After the house is completed, my next goal is to invest in livestock. Currently, I have two cows and five goats, and I hope to grow my herd. As the livestock multiply, they will provide a good return on my initial investment, and I’ll be able to sell some for income in the future. I’m incredibly grateful for the financial support from GiveDirectly, which has been instrumental in helping me move closer to my goals and secure a better life for my family.

My house was in a severely dilapidated condition, posing a serious safety concern for my family and me. I knew I needed to act, so I made plans to begin constructing a new two-roomed house for us. The first step was purchasing building materials, and I spent $34 to buy building poles. With that done, I saved up for labor costs and made a down payment of $68 to the mason, allowing the construction to begin. I’m thrilled with the progress so far! The iron sheets from my current house are still in good condition, so I’ll be reusing them to cover the roof of the new house. Despite the economic challenges I face as a fisherman, I’m optimistic that I’ll achieve my goal of providing my family with a safe home. It’s a relief to know that soon, we won’t have to worry about the risk of our house collapsing again.

The current condition of my house is giving me sleepless nights as I fear for the safety of my family members. My goal is to have a new two-roomed house built and ready for occupation by the end of August. I have completed the purchase of new building poles. Now, I plan to save the amount from my next transfer to pay the mason, who is demanding $100 to build the entire house. I am hopeful that I will achieve this goal soon. Once completed, my family will be safe, and I will no longer have to worry about their safety. I am very appreciative of the financial transfers so far.

I earn a living as a fisherman. While my earnings are enough to cover my family's daily needs, they are insufficient for savings or initiating development projects. These financial challenges have caused me to stagnate for a long time. Thanks to the financial support from Give Directly, I purchased five goats and two cows. These livestock are a strategic investment for the future, as they will multiply and increase my initial investment. Recently, my mud-walled and grass-thatched house developed huge cracks and is currently in a dilapidated condition. I fear that the house may collapse soon, making my family of eight members homeless. To prevent this, I spent the entire $102 to purchase building poles and saved a small amount to pay the mason who will build the house. I am very appreciative of the financial support so far because, without it, I would not have the means to build a new house for my family if the current one collapsed, given the low income I earn from my fishing business.

Looking ahead, my priority is to build a new house. The current structure has been significantly weakened by the heavy rains last year, and I am concerned it may collapse with the next rainfall. Therefore, I plan to allocate the next cash transfers towards purchasing materials for a new house, such as building poles and iron sheets. Securing a stable and safe shelter for my family is essential, and I am determined to prioritize this goal hopefully before this year ends.

I allocated $68 from the cash transfers to purchase two goats, to raise them to accumulate funds for my five children's education. Rearing livestock is a reliable means of financial provision, especially considering that my primary source of income, fishing, is often insufficient to cover all their tuition fees. Aside from that, I invested $20 in acquiring a new phone, as my previous one was faulty and impeding communication. This purchase not only ensures I can stay in touch with Give Directly but also enables me to maintain contact with my loved ones. I am now relieved! The remaining $14 was used to supplement my savings and settle a school debt accrued by one of my children for that particular term.

My main goal is to engage in livestock farming, specifically focusing on raising goats and cows. I have consistently used the financial transfers I receive to acquire these animals, and I am pleased to report that I currently own three goats and two cows. Looking ahead, I am eager to expand my livestock holdings in the coming year, and I plan to use future transfers to achieve this growth. This business venture holds the promise of creating an additional source of income for my family, contributing to a more stable financial situation. I am genuinely thankful for the opportunity provided, as it has had a positive and transformative impact on my life.

Being a fisherman, the persistent heavy rainfall has significantly impacted my livelihood as it restricts my ability to venture out to sea. In the past, providing food and covering school fees for my ten children was a constant struggle. The assistance from GiveDirectly has proven invaluable in supplementing my income. With the funds received, I invested in livestock, starting with goats, which will eventually enable me to acquire cows. The entire $102 I received was utilized to purchase three goats, which I view as a strategic investment. This approach allows me the flexibility to sell them if the need arises, particularly for covering my children's school fees. The structured support from GiveDirectly not only provides financial relief but also instills a sense of joy as I can meticulously plan and invest in ways that benefit my family's future.

My goal is to support the education of my children. I firmly believe that education is crucial for their future, and I am committed to ensuring that they receive the best opportunities possible. They will have the knowledge and skills to contribute to the household, and this will alleviate some of the financial burdens I face as the head of the family. Through the help of cash transfers and other means, I will do everything I can to support my children's studies.

As a fisherman, my job provides some earnings for household needs, but the cash transfers have been instrumental in helping me achieve my goal of owning livestock. From past cash transfers, I was able to acquire one cow, and I am immensely grateful for this opportunity to have livestock. I recently used the entire $34 to purchase a goat, which brings the total number of goats in my homestead to six. Having livestock will not only contribute to our financial stability but also enable us to support my children's education and other basic needs like food. I am particularly thankful for the cash transfers, as they have significantly improved my livelihood and allowed me to invest in assets that will continue to benefit us in the long run.

My goal is to purchase additional goats using my monthly payment before the end of the year. This will increase the number of goats that I own, which would be a valuable addition. I am also aiming to acquire dairy cows, which would significantly enhance my source of income through the sale of milk in the village. By doing so, I will be able to achieve financial stability and provide for my family's needs.

I am a fisherman who earns a living through fishing in the nearby flowing river. However, my job has been in danger over the past two years due to the water sources drying up. It has been a very difficult time for me to ensure that I fully provide for my family's needs. To counter these challenges, I decided to invest my money from the transfer in buying livestock such as goats and poultry such as hens. The climatic conditions present a fever for the rearing of these domestic animals, and through them, I can earn money by selling some in the market after they multiply. I currently have a total of six goats and one cow. I acquired all of these by investing in the monthly stipend I receive from the organization. So upon receiving my match transfers, I spent a huge chunk of $28 on buying a goat. I am determined to succeed, and my main aim is to sell the six goats and purchase a dairy cow, which will allow me to sell milk and earn a living. The thought of being able to provide for my family fills me with joy and motivation. I have also partially paid school fee arrears for my two children in primary school, and this gives me immense satisfaction. As I tend to my animals every day, I feel a sense of pride in what I have achieved. My goats and hens are thriving, and I know that soon, I will be able to sell them in the market and earn a good profit. I wake up early every morning to feed and care for my animals, and the feeling of fulfillment is indescribable.

I used the funds from the transfer to purchase six goats up until November of last year. After selling six goats, I used the money to buy a dairy cow. I'm going to harvest the cow's milk in a few months and sell it. My objective is to keep spending the money I will be paid on additional goat purchases so that I can eventually turn the goats into cows. When I have a sizable herd of cows, I will be able to sell the milk that the cows produce as a secondary source of income.

I spent $30 from the transfer to buy a goat and increased my herd to nine. From the nine goats, I exchanged six for a cow, which I plan on using for farm work such as ploughing. Besides, leasing the cow out to support farming activities would garner more cash to supplement the little I make from fishing. Having nine children and a wife who count on me, the $8 I make every two days from fishing barely covers their food needs. In fact, last month went for two days without food because I had no money. Am confident such hardships would have been alleviated had I obtained extra cash from a side income source. I spent the remaining amount on school fees for my son who was set to sit for his national examinations this month. Am so grateful because had it not been for Give Directly, I would not have acquired the cow. Moreso, my son would probably not have sat for his exams. No words can express my happiness right now.

Before I was enrolled into the program, I did not have any livestock. Working as a fisherman I earn very little (average of KES 300 per day) which is only enough to feed my family ( wife and nine children). I have used all my previous monthly transfers to buy goats. Therefore when I received my transfer, I bought a goat worth KES 3000. Currently I have five goats. I am happy because the goats are a future investment. Incase of any emergency I can sell some and use the money to attend to my most pressing needs.

Everything right from the start of operations by GiveDirectly was well done in my opinion. The promises that we were given in the initial meetings have been accomplished and I believe we shall receive all the money for the number of years promised. I am glad that I was able to receive the first two transfers and spent them according to the plans I had laid down with my family. I have nothing to complain about but am I congratulating GiveDirectly for perfect delivery on their promises.

I invested the whole of the second transfer on a goat with a projection of selling them out in the future to enable me to sort some household bills and school fees for my children. With KES 3000, I was able to obtain a goat. I have never owned one but I have seen how my neighbors have on several occasions sold some of their goats whenever they are faced with financial challenges especially in paying for their children's school fees. This motivated me to purchase one hoping to buy more in the future. My target is to purchase 10 goats and since they give birth twice a year, I believe that in the future I will have more of them.

I was at work when I got the message that I had received money from give directly. This gave me a feeling of serenity because I was worried i would not manage to raise the amount. I asked my son to go and withdraw the cash. The next day, I took him back to school and settled the bill.

I normally struggle when it comes to school fee payments for my children. But ever since I started receiving the money, this has been different for me. I am happy I can settle the school fee arrears on time.

My firstborn is in class 8. He is required to pay for his final exam and the amount they needed was KES1500. This was hard for me to raise as my work as a fisherman never brought in much. On a day worked, I earn KES700. From this, I need to fend for my seven children, three of whom are in school. So, when I got the funds from give directly, I topped it up with KES300 so I may pay for my son's exam fee.