I was at my farm planting peas when I realized that I had notifications on my phone. Upon checking, I could feel my joy. It was the long-awaited cash transfer that I had eagerly been waiting for. I remember calling all my family members and sharing the news. I immediately withdrew the money and bought food since we had not eaten for two days.

Before receiving the transfers, my five children had been away from school for almost three weeks. This is because the teachers were tired of listening to my false promises of clearing the fees on time. It all happened because I relied on making charcoal and sometimes working on my neighbor's farms to generate an income. The money I got could hardly sustain all our basic needs, including food. Sometimes I was forced to borrow from friends, though it was a bit embarrassing. However, my children ended up being on the bad end more so for providing for their fees. Two had assured me that they would drop out and join me in hustling and supporting the other three, who were still in primary school. This broke my heart, and I felt that I had failed them as a parent. Therefore, having cleared the fees has brought so much joy into my life. Also, they will have ample time in school, which will boost their performances and, hence, a promising future.

When I received the transfers, my four children were at home due to the huge fee balances. I, therefore, had to prioritize this matter and spend almost $380. Seeing them at home loitering here and there stressed me the most because I was worried that they might end up in bad company. However, it all happened because I did not have a steady source of income that I could rely on. I am glad to see them back in class without any disruptions for the remaining months of the year. To add on that, I settled a debt of $70 with a friend, which gave me peace of mind. It reached a point where I used to hide whenever I saw her since I had not been able to acquire her money. This was the worst experience ever. The money I could get from the charcoal activities( $1) on a good day could hardly sustain our basic needs, let alone our debts. Finally, with the remaining amount, I had to buy sufficient food, which took us almost a month.