I would love to go to college and get a diploma in civil engineering. The Kenya Coastal Polytechnic would be an ideal start on that journey, and potentially, when I'm done, I should be able to get a good job. This would automatically mean that I could give back to my family and ensure they were well cared for.

GiveDirectly has provided me with independence. They excel at providing recipients with independence. a chance to choose how to handle their problems, which problems to handle, and how to handle them. GiveDirectly and their generosity have lifted my village and my family. They will never be forgotten by us. Never.

My life primarily is dominated by work. Hard work. I work in the mining industry in Timboni. When I say I work in the industry, I mean I'm the one doing the mining manually. When that isn't the case, I'm out on our family land, plowing away and trying to ensure that come harvest time, I reap good cassava and maize. That being said, the only paying job is the mining one, and it pays me $5 per day, which doesn't allow me to do much in terms of savings. Even without a wife and kids, I am still one of 7 siblings, 3 girls and 4 girls, of whom I am 4th. Meaning I still am needed financially to chip in to keep my family afloat. GiveDirectly sending me those transfers meant that I could not only save funds to use for our upkeep but also buy food to stock up in the house and, most importantly, build a two-bedroom house, complete with a verandah. I can't begin to explain the magnitude of the burden that GiveDirectly, even if just momentarily, gave me by sending me those funds. I will forever be indebted to them.

That day, I had gone to fetch water far away and left my phone at home. I came back home at 7 and took my phone to check what time it was. The first thing that I saw was the Mpesa message and I didn't even check time anymore.

I'm very hopeful nowadays compered to previous days when I had lost hope in life. I'm hopeful that I will build my house soon and I will be able to join collage.

I had plans to build a house because the one that I live is in a bad shape but it could have taken years to build if it were not for the transfers. I had bought some iron sheets from the money that I earn from doing casual job so I wanted to buy roofing timber and build the structure. With my first, I spend KES 10000 to buy iron sheets, KES 3000 to buy clothes and KES 2000 to buy food. I saved the balance as I'm planning to join collage soon and persue my dreams.