Currently we do not have any food in our stores, and my family is at risk of starvation. My plan for this year is to continue using a portion of the transfers that I receive from GiveDirectly to buy food for my family until we get good rains and have good harvests that can sustain us. Once we have enough harvests to sustain us, I intend to invest a certain portion of the transfers to buy more chickens, hoping that they will multiply and increase in number and value so that in the future I may be able to sell them and use the proceeds together with some portion of the transfers to help pay school fees for my children as well as take care of my family.

With two children still in school, paying their school fees is a primary priority for me. I have older children that help me with their educational expenses. With their assistance, I was able to pay $30 from my recent transfers, which added to what they had raised to cover school fees and secure their continued education. In addition, this year had no rain hence a drought in our area, which resulted in poor crop harvests and put us at risk of starvation. To prevent this, I used another $66 of my transfers to buy food for my family which helps us get through this difficult period without going hungry. Lastly, I spent the remaining $6 to buy 5 chickens and some chicken feed. I am hopeful that these chickens will multiply and increase in number and value over time. In the future, I plan to sell them when needed to provide for my family during emergencies or unexpected expenses. I am grateful for this support, which has made a significant difference in our lives.

Even as my older sons help with paying school fees for my two children, my goal is to assist where possible. I want to continue supporting my children by paying their school fees until they all complete their education. Ensuring they receive a proper education will provide them with a good future, which is my primary aim. In addition to paying school fees, I plan to invest in livestock, such as goats, and poultry, like hens. This will provide a sustainable source of income even after the financial aid ends. I am very appreciative of the financial support I have received so far, which has significantly improved my quality of life.

After retiring from my job at the port in Mombasa, I returned to the village to focus on raising livestock. As I age, I increasingly rely on my sons, who work various jobs, to support my immediate needs. I have two children still in school: the elder is a Form Two student at Mariakani Secondary School, and the younger is in her final year at Makwala Primary School. The financial transfers have been a great help. I used $74 to pay their school fees, ensuring they can continue their education and secure a better future. Additionally, I invested $9 in three hens. This investment will grow over time as the hens multiply, allowing me to sell some and use the income for my personal needs. I also spent $19 on food and essential items such as detergents and airtime to stay in touch with relatives and friends. This spending ensures our household's basic needs are met. I am very grateful for the financial support, which has significantly helped me support my children's education and improve our living conditions.

I have two children who are currently attending school. One is in high school and the other one has recently enrolled in junior high school. Since I rely on subsistence farming and livestock care, which do not provide a steady income, the transfers that I receive represent my only source of income. As a parent, my main goal is to ensure that my children receive uninterrupted education that enables them to achieve their dreams. Therefore, my specific aim is to use the transfers to pay their school fees on time and cover all their educational expenses. This way, I can prevent any risk of them being sent home or facing any discontinuation of their studies.

The arrival of GiveDirectly has been a real lifesaver for me and many others in my community. I take pride in certain accomplishments that would have been impossible without their financial assistance. As a subsistence farmer who also tends to other people's livestock for a living, the income generated is insufficient to cover my children's education expenses and other essential needs like food. However, thanks to the support from GiveDirectly, sending my children to school has become more manageable. Knowing that I can afford my children's school fees brings me a sense of peace, allowing me to focus on providing for other necessities, including food. To ensure the uninterrupted education of my children, I spent $70 to cover the high school expenses and fees for my son and the junior high school expenses for my daughter. I spent the remaining portion of the transfer to purchase food during the Christmas and New Year festivities. This enabled me to bring joy to my children's lives, creating memorable moments as we celebrated together.

As I look ahead to the coming year, my primary goal is to ensure that my children can continue their education without frequent interruptions that would require them to be sent home. This consistency will play a vital role in motivating them to work hard and excel in their exams. In addition to prioritizing their education, I also intend to invest in purchasing livestock. This investment will provide a reliable source of income even after the financial aid ends in the upcoming years. I am incredibly grateful for the transfer that has helped me in taking care of my family. It has provided the necessary support to meet our needs and has given me the opportunity to focus on the education of my children and secure a sustainable future for our family.

I have recently covered the school fees for my two children, totaling $40, as they are both students pursuing their education. One is currently attending secondary school, while the other is enrolled in primary school. Due to my age, I am unable to work and secure a job. However, I sustain myself by raising livestock. Thanks to the financial support I received from Give Directly, I have been able to provide for my children's education and ensure they continue their studies. A significant portion of the funds I received was allocated towards purchasing food to feed my family of four. Given my lack of employment, this money has been invaluable in ensuring that my family never goes hungry. I am immensely grateful for the transfers, as they have significantly improved the quality of my life compared to how I was living before.

In the years ahead, my foremost aspirations are centered around securing a prosperous future for my two children through the successful financing of their education. Witnessing my children receive a quality education brings me immense joy, as it ensures they will be equipped with the necessary tools for a promising future. Additionally, I have a strong desire to expand my livestock herd to a substantial size. This endeavor will not only enable me to amass wealth, but it will also provide a safety net during unforeseen circumstances, allowing me to sell a portion of the livestock to attend to any emergencies that may arise.

Under my care and dependent on me financially are my two children. The elder one, my son, successfully completed his primary school education by acing his final national examination. It was distressing for me to realize that I couldn't afford to finance his education due to my impoverished state. However, recognizing his passion for learning, we rallied our relatives and collectively raised funds to support his schooling. As my contribution, I utilized $10 from my May transfers. The knowledge that my son is able to continue his education brings me great happiness and peace of mind. Additionally, I allocated $10 to purchase stationery items for my daughter, who is also in primary school. This investment was crucial in facilitating her smooth learning experience. Moreover, I bought food amounting to $14 to sustain my family. Given my advanced age, I rely on my elder sons for financial support. When they are unable to provide assistance, my wife and I face the grim choice of either going hungry or relying on credit to purchase food. The food I purchased with the $14 was sufficient to sustain us for over two weeks, effectively preventing starvation.

Built during the 1980s, my house has become very old with a corroded and rusty roof that lets in water when it rains. Moving forward, I plan to start replacing the roof, before renovating the walls. I wish to have fully installed a new roof by the end of the year. I believe that the cash transfers will allow me to save enough to fulfill this goal by then. 

At my advanced age, there is not much I can handle to raise money for my family’s needs like food and school fees for two of my children. Most of the time, my two sons, both of whom work as clinical officers, send me money to cater to these needs. Given that they each have their own families to look after, I feel the burden is too heavy for them to bear. Gladly, the cash transfers have reduced my dependability on my sons as the money allows me to afford some essentials. For instance, I spent the entire amount from the recent transfer to do books and uniforms shopping for my son who is set to join high school next week. In December, I spent every penny on Christmas festivities, including buying foodstuffs. Similarly, the entire transfer from November went toward food. At least I can fend for myself through the cash transfers; I could never be more grateful. 

The financial assistance I am receiving from the organization makes me very happy. I hardly make enough money to provide for my family in these difficult economic times. The money has been essential in assisting me with buying food for the family and paying the school fees for my children. We rely heavily on the monthly transfer for our survival, so I urge the organization to send it on schedule.

I got very sick a week before getting my transfer, but I couldn't go to the hospital because of a lack of money. To treat my illness, I turned to using local herbs. Immediately after receiving my transfer, I was hurriedly admitted to the hospital to begin receiving medical attention. I paid the hospital bills with $12. I added another $10 to my spending to cover the primary school tuition for my two kids. They didn't attend school for more than a month because I lacked the funds to cover the enormous school fee arrears they owed the institution. I'm glad they are back in class so they can continue their education with their peers. I then used the $8 that was left over to purchase four packets of 2 kg maize flour. Purchasing the flour ensured that my family would have enough to eat for the following week while I waited for my son to financially support us so that we could purchase more food.

I was at home cleaning the compound during the morning hours when I received a text message on my phone. I quickly checked it out and I was shocked to realize that I had received my first transfer. I was very happy after receiving the transfer bearing in mind that my two children were at home because of school fee arrears. I quickly rushed to the Mpesa shop where I withdrew the money. That evening while having supper, I broke the good news to my family and we were all very happy.

I feel humbled by how greatly the transfer helped me pay school fees for my children. Without a source of income, I found it very challenging to pay school fees for my children on time. This affected their smooth learning in school by frequently being sent home. Seeing my children going back to school through the help of the transfer, eased my troubles and ensured that my children did not miss their end of term exams.

I retired from my job working as a gardener in Mombasa town three years ago. Since then I have struggled to provide for my family’s needs (buying food, paying school fees and buying clothes). Because of the low wages, it forced me to spend everything and nothing was left to save. Currently, I heavily depend on my eldest son who works as a casual laborer constructing houses. He earns very little from his job, which is not enough to cater to the huge family expenses. Therefore, when I received my first transfer, I spent KES 1000 topay school fees for my two children who are currently in secondary school. Since I am unable to pay school fees on time, my children are often sent home to pick school fees. This has affected their performance in school as they spend most of their time at home whereas their colleagues are in school. Finally, I spent the remaining KES 100 to buy detergents to wash school uniform for my children. Their school uniforms were very dirty making them very uncomfortable wearing them while going to school.