My goal for the coming year and beyond is to save more money from my transfers to expand my house by building a new room. I recently joined a savings group with 10 members, where we contribute a minimum of $20 each month. At the end of the year, we receive our savings along with the interest accrued over the year. My plan is to start the construction of an additional room in January next year, which will make my house more spacious and comfortable for my family. To achieve this goal, I aim to save enough money throughout the year, ensuring that by the time construction begins, I will have sufficient funds for the project. I am incredibly appreciative of the financial assistance, which has significantly lightened my burden and enabled me to better meet my family's needs.

Both my husband and I work as casual laborers; I sell charcoal, and he constructs houses. Despite our hard work, our combined earnings often fall short of meeting our family's needs. We have three children, all of whom are in school. Thanks to the financial support from Give Directly, I can now ensure that their school fees are paid on time. Our eldest child is in secondary school, and when he started earlier this year, I sold a goat and used all my savings from last year's transfers to cover his school expenses. It brings me so much joy to see him continuing his education without any interruptions. Recently, I spent $23 to pay school fees for all three of my children, ensuring their uninterrupted attendance. Additionally, I saved $64 in my savings account, which I plan to use at the end of the year to expand our home by constructing an extra room. This will make our house more spacious and comfortable for our family. I also spent $15 on food to ensure that we had enough to eat, and we haven't missed any meals thanks to the cash transfers. I am deeply appreciative of the financial support, which has significantly eased the financial burden we once faced. I am especially grateful that my children are able to continue their education without any major interruptions.

For now, my primary focus is on a significant goal I hope to accomplish by August, which is to build a new house. I plan to allocate my upcoming transfers, my savings, and the goats that I will be owning towards purchasing building poles. Building this house will not only fulfill one of my personal ambitions but will also provide a spacious living area for my seven family members and a comfortable space to host visitors. Achieving this dream will bring me immense pride as a parent, as I have long struggled with the lack of adequate housing. The thought of finally providing my family with a stable and comfortable home brings me a sense of peace that I have been missing. I am determined to see this project through and ensure that my family has a better place to live.

On receiving my recent transfers, I used close to $50 to pay school fees for my three children, one in secondary school and the other two in lower primary schools. Paying their fees has always been a challenge for me since I rely on charcoal burning and selling jobs, which are seasonal and no longer profitable. Consequently, my children have been on and off school, severely affecting their academic performance. This transfer lifted a heavy burden off my shoulders, ensuring my kids could attend school consistently without fear of being sent home for unpaid fees. Later on, I bought a goat and a chicken for a total of $37, hopeful that as they reproduce, I can sell some and save enough to start my dream project of building a new house. My current shelter is too small to accommodate my family of seven, and with my children now teenagers, privacy is becoming a pressing issue. It’s embarrassing and worrying, but the prospect of raising enough funds for a new house fills me with hope. Additionally, I saved $14 in the table banking system to accumulate more savings for the house project. This has been a source of great mental strain for me, constantly worrying about providing a suitable home for my family. With this support, I now see a clearer path forward, where I can not only secure a better future for my children academically but also provide them with a proper home.

I intend to allocate my upcoming transfers towards purchasing building poles. My aim is to complete the construction of the house before the onset of the April rains this year. Constructing this house will not only accomplish one of my personal goals but will also provide a spacious dwelling for my family members during their visits. I am deeply grateful for the financial assistance I've received thus far, which has significantly enhanced the quality of my life.

Last year, my son, Sunday Karisa, completed his primary education and awaited admission to secondary school at the onset of the previous month. Our primary challenge was insufficient funds to facilitate his enrollment. Utilizing both of my transfers, totaling $68, I managed to cover his school fees, ensuring his smooth transition into secondary education. Witnessing him now enrolled and actively pursuing his studies brings me immense relief. Additionally, I allocated $30 towards purchasing three iron sheets, a crucial step in my plan to construct a new, spacious two-roomed house. Our current single-room dwelling is too cramped to comfortably accommodate all family members. The new house will not only provide ample space for us but also offer lodging for visiting relatives during festive seasons. Furthermore, I invested $4 in acquiring two hens, foreseeing their potential to multiply and yield profit upon sale. I am profoundly grateful for the support received thus far, which has significantly contributed to improving the quality of life for myself and my family.

First and foremost, I'm determined to complete the construction of our new house. Once the house is completed, I intend to shift my focus towards livestock rearing. My plan is to start small and gradually expand, aiming to eventually exchange some of these animals for dairy cows. The milk from these cows will not only help us meet our daily needs but will also be a source of income. This opportunity is a stepping stone towards a more stable and self-reliant future for my family, and I'm eager to make the most of it.

Before the monthly cash transfers, life was a daily struggle. Our family lived in a cramped, old house, which was becoming even more crowded as our family grew. My small business, never seemed to be enough to cover our needs. My husband, as a casual laborer, faced uncertainties in finding work, the thought of building a new house seemed impossible, something we couldn't fathom. Then, the monthly cash transfer from GiveDirectly changed everything. With $88.50, I was able to buy iron sheets and started building a new, more spacious house for my family. It was a beacon of hope for us, a tangible symbol of a brighter future. I also allocated $10 to pay school fees for my children and purchased school supplies for the four who are still in school. To further boost our income, I invested $5 in buying poultry that I'm raising to sell. Thanks to GiveDirectly, I can finally envision a day when my family lives comfortably in a new home, and our children can access quality education. This program has brought us so much relief that we will always remember it, long after it ends.

I have always wanted to build a large house with at least two bedrooms for my four children and myself. They have been sleeping in neighbors' houses at night for a long time, and I am not happy about it. My current house is very small and located in a waterlogged area, which is dangerous whenever it rains heavily because it could sink and also expose us to waterborne diseases. I intend to buy at least 31 pieces of iron sheets and building poles to facilitate the construction. I have so far managed to buy 15 iron sheets using the monthly transfers. Since I do not have a source of income that can allow me to buy all the materials at once, I am planning to continue saving monthly, buying them in bits until I achieve my goal. Building a new, spacious house on good ground is the only goal that I am planning to accomplish in the coming year and beyond.

I have been living in a small house that could not even fit my four children. This has forced my children to seek shelter from neighbors at night, despite my desire to keep them all together under one roof. Furthermore, the house is built on a waterlogged site and becomes uninhabitable during heavy rains. When I first started receiving transfers, I resolved to buy at least three iron sheets per month. I have been spending $28 on iron sheets and have so far purchased 15 iron sheets. I am planning to build a spacious house that will require 31 pieces of iron sheets and building poles. I believe that when this house is finished, my children will not have to worry about where to sleep. I used the remainder of the transfer to pay school fees for my four children as well. They are now settled in school, and I am relieved that their studies will not be disrupted due to a lack of fees. This has also given me plenty of time to plan for the next term.

I live by the path of water as it comes downhill which means that when its raining water passes through my house and has been washing it away slowly over the years. Now my house is a shell, it is almost crumbling, it is also small hence is not sufficient for my family. I want t build my family a house. I want to by building materials over the year using this money. I will buy some more Iron sheets and poles until they are sufficient to build a house. I also want to venture into livestock farming. This is a very profitable business that can help me take care of my family as currently my income is not sufficient to do so.

I did not have a bed and mattress, my bed had broke and my mattress was badly torn. In December I spent $20 and got a new bed and January I spent $20 and got a mattress. I have also been able to but a few animals using my transfers, I bought two chicken in December at $10, 3 chicken in January one at $3.5 and two at $5, I also bought 1 chicken in February at $3. I bought a goat in February at $32. I was also able to pay school fees in December at $4.

Having a toll-free number that we can call and express ourselves. The number is useful.

I produce and sell charcoal at the nearby market. I usually make two trips in a week. On each trip, I make a profit of $6 which is spent on food. My husband works as a masonry and most of the time he gets jobs in Mombasa town and stays there for two months. He makes $6 a day which he sends some of the money and I pay school fees for my children. I spent the recent transfer to buy a goat at $28 and paid $ 2 for my child's exam fee.

Unfortunately, I never had an opportunity to go to school hence I do not how to read. However, I have been able to check messages from the phone. So at around 8 pm when I was cooking in the house, I heard a message notification on my phone. Upon checking the message, I learned that I had received my transfer, and I was so happy with what I saw. Prior, I did not know that I could receive that money at that time when I was in financial need.

I have noticed a positive change in my life since receiving my transfer. Before receiving that financial assistance from GiveDirectly, I had no way of raising school fees for my children. I do not have a steady source of income, which has constantly put a challenge me. With that support, I was able to pay a portion of their tuition, and I nowadays get excited whenever I see them going to school. This has provided me with peace of mind that I had not anticipated.

Because I took a mobile phone during the enrollment process, I received a KES 1,200. I also used KES 900 to pay the tuition fees for my three children, who are currently in primary school. Because neither my husband nor I have a job, we rely heavily on charcoal burning, which does not provide much for me. Furthermore, I spent KES 300 on a hen. This I did to help my poultry farm, which I hope will grow and benefit my family in the future. I am grateful to have seen a ray of hope through this kind of support, which I know will contribute to improving my family's living standards.