There's a time a started a video operating business but I had employ someone who helps me run it. This is because the business has not picked well as I earn $6 a month from it. This money cannot even sustain my family's needs for a week let alone paying school fees for my children. Due to this, I am currently spending a good amount from my monthly transfers in the purchase of goats whenever I do not much committments. I am targeting to have a total of 30 goats after which, I will set aside 15 for rearing at home and for the other 15, I will sell them in order to get money that I will use as capital in starting a business. My business will entail buying of livestock from the farmers and selling them at the nearest trading centers. This will be my main source of livelihood.

We were blessed with a bouncing baby girl less than two weeks ago. I am glad that my most recent transfers came in handy as we were able to spend $12 as our transport to the nearest health clinic. Due to this, my wife was able to deliver safely without any complications since she received the medical attention on time. In addition, I was able to spend $ 3 from my transfers as transport to our District officers lands office as we are having a land dispute that we're following it up as a family. Aside from this, I invested $58 on livestock through the purchase of a goat and sheep for rearing. Using the remaining amount, I spent $ 15 on food, $ 2 to pay for examination fee for my children and used $ 8 in the purchase of a wooden door for our house. The livestock are an investment to me that I can rely on in case of an emergency since I do not have a stable source of income since I depend on doing any available casual jobs within our area.

Prior to the conclusion of the five-year period for receiving the transfers, my primary aspiration is to establish a livestock trading venture. To achieve this objective, I intend to invest in goats, known for their rapid reproduction. As the herd expands, I will be able to sell them at a profit, using the proceeds to meet my requirements. I am truly grateful for the financial assistance provided by GiveDirectly, and words cannot fully convey my appreciation for their support.

I used to run a small business that showcased movies and football games. However, due to the high operating costs and minimal returns, the business was not profitable. Consequently, I decided to lease the business, now earning $6 per month from it. I transitioned to full-time farming and, upon receiving my transfers, allocated a significant portion, $59, to plow a 1-acre plot in both July and November. I am delighted to have had a plentiful harvest, ensuring an ample food supply at home. In addition to preparing my land, I bought a goat for $30, with hopes of it multiplying and yielding profits in the future. I also spent $9 to install a door on the small structure where my wife does her cooking, enhancing the security of the stored items. Lastly, I allocated $4 to purchase sugar and tea leaves for breakfast. I am extremely grateful for the financial assistance, as it has significantly improved the quality of my life.

The current planting season has brought forth a bountiful harvest, relieving my household of food-related worries for the next few months. Though the income from my casual jobs is unsteady, am confident that it will be instrumental in ensuring my children's school fees are taken care of. With food and school expenses taken care of, I will have the perfect opportunity to invest in purchasing more goats. My goal is to gradually expand my goat herd, as I believe this venture will provide a sustainable source of income and contribute to the financial stability of my family.

This month has been less stressful compared to previous ones, thanks to a successful planting season that yielded enough food. With food no longer a top priority, I decided to invest in the future by purchasing a goat worth $32. I plan to build a business of buying and selling goats once I have at least 15 of them. Currently, I have around 7 goats, all acquired through previous transfers. Once I obtain the 15 goats, I intend to start the business with 10 and allow the others to reproduce, gradually growing my herd. Currently, I am unemployed and rely on casual jobs in house construction to support my wife and three children, two of whom are attending school. The income from these jobs helps cover our basic needs, including tuition for my children. As a result, I can allocate the cash transfer funds toward acquiring livestock.

My goal for the year is to start an animal farming project. I have four goats which I had through GD. I had bought six, but two died due to the drought we have been facing. I was hoping to grow my flock to sixty goats, which is still a hope I have. I want to be able to take care of my finaces whenever work is slow. I have a roadside video shop where I show football matches. I get a lot of work on weekends and during big games, this however is very seasonal. When there are no games I can sell a goat and buy food for the family or get medicine.

Whenever I receive GD calls I see the help that you have given me and how much you have improved my life. I do not have a stable source of income, this means that sometimes I struggle to get by. My Two of three children are in school and my wife looks up to me for financial support as she is not currently engaged in any economically profitable activity. I have been able to provide food for my family and paid school fees for my children through these transfers. I have also been able to access medicine through these transfers. In January I spent $8 on food, $7 on my school uniform, and paid my Dlight solar token for the month at $2. I set aside $16 to use for emergencies around the house. I took a bus to and from the hospital at $7 for my drugs as I am terminally ill and require medicine frequently, I spent $11 on food and the rest was used for school and home emergencies. In March I paid school fees for my two children at $14, I bought maize flour for $12 and vegetables for $5, and set aside $2 for emergencies.

I am appreciative of the support because it has made it easier for me to get to and from the medical facility because of a health condition that necessitates me to visit the clinic every month for checkups. My transportation to and from the medical center has thus been made possible by $21 of the transfers during the past three months. In order to allow my kids to take the end-of-year exam, I paid $5 in school to clear the arrears they owed the school and I spent $50 on food and water for my family. Giving us support at this time was a terrific idea because we are now suffering from a drought that has caused a shortage of water and food and an increase in their prices. I operate a small entertainment venue in a neighboring business district, but because it is in a rural area, I do not earn much money from it. Without the support, it would have been difficult for me to meet my household's needs. I still have $10 saved up to use later to cover our everyday living expenses.

GiveDirectly is a good organization, and we are happy to be part of it. What makes it stand out is that one not only gets the exact amount as promised, but we are allowed to decide on the spending without any worries of paying it back. The transfers are consistent too and one can easily budget with them. Everyone is happy in the village, and they praise the support given to us by this organization. There is nothing that it is not doing right.

I have not yet used my most recent transfer, but I am planning to purchase a goat at KES 2500 and use KES 500 on foodstuffs for my family. Our parents raised with the income they earned through rearing goats. We do not have a favorable climate for farming and no business can do well, especially with the current economy. Since livestock does well in our area, they are therefore the best investment. I am sure that after one year they will have multiplied which will be a good source of income since I can sell some of them to raise money whenever I am in need.

My phone rang with a message notification as I was relaxing at home. There are no words to describe how happy I was when I confirmed that Give Directly had sent my first transfer. That day, my wife and I discussed how we could best use the transfer to meet our family's needs.

Eating on a regular basis was a luxury in the household prior to the transfers. Most of the time, the kids were forced to go to school hungry because I could not afford to feed them. I am extremely grateful because my family has never skipped a meal since the transfers.

For the past five months, I have been working in a cinema hall where people pay to watch movies and soccer games. I have not had many customers since the football season ended, which has reduced my earnings. As a result, meeting my family's basic needs, such as food and school fees, has been difficult. That is why I used KES 300 to settle my children's outstanding debts. For the past week, the household had run out of food, and we had been skipping basic meals and going to bed hungry. So, I used the remaining funds to buy food for my family to last at least two weeks.