In the coming year and beyond, my primary goal is to establish a sustainable income-generating activity for myself and my family. Charcoal burning, my current source of income, is unreliable and physically demanding. After conducting thorough research and considering my options, I've decided to pursue opening a shop business. This venture will involve selling a variety of goods, including foodstuff and essential products like personal effects. By transitioning to this business, I hope to not only improve our financial stability but also reduce the physical strain on myself.

In my opinion, GiveDirectlydoes well in providing unconditional cash, that allows recipients like me to address our most urgent needs. This approach gives us the freedom to decide how to utilize the money based on our specific circumstances. However, one area where there could be improvement is in providing additional resources or support to help recipients maximize the impact of the funds received. This could include access to financial literacy training or assistance in identifying opportunities for sustainable income generation, thereby ensuring the long-term effectiveness of the support provided.

Receiving assistance from GiveDirectly has been a significant blessing for me and my family. With the $130 of the received transfer, I prioritized my son's education. I used it to pay for his first term school fees as he embarked on his journey into junior secondary school. Witnessing him take this step forward academically fills me with immense pride and gratitude toward GiveDirectly for making it possible. Alongside the school fees, I did some shopping for some essential items he required as he joined the school. Investing in the future is crucial, so I allocated $90 to purchase three she-goats. Not only do they provide security for our future, but they also offer an opportunity for additional income through breeding and selling offspring. As a family heavily reliant on charcoal burning and occasional casual jobs, securing our future with these investments brings a sense of stability and hope. Furthermore, I utilized $55 to purchase a sack of maize, ensuring an adequate food supply for my family of seven. This investment in our sustenance ensures that we can focus on other aspects of our lives without worrying about hunger. With the remaining $252, I am currently renovating the walls of our mud-wall house, which were damaged by the ongoing rainfall. Investing in our home's infrastructure enhances our living conditions as well as provides a sense of security and stability for my family's future.

While my phone was charging at home, I was occupied with my spouse. Little did I know that GiveDirectly had sent me money. However, when I took my phone out in the evening, an unexpected Mpesa message appeared. I was thrilled to see that it was from GiveDirectly, and I informed my husband right away that our blessings had finally arrived. He was also filled with excitement. As we sat at our table, our first thought was to fix our motorcycle, which had broken down. We knew that my husband would use the motorcycle for work, and that's where we would get our necessities.

The most significant change in my day-to-day existence is that I am now comfortable and have enough food at home. My family is also doing well, feeling happy and relieved.I personally want to thank GiveDirectly for making my life easier. I can now comfortably take care of my livestock without worrying about my children's food supply.

My spouse rides a boda boda, so since our motorcycle broke we used to leave a tough life sometimes going without food. We did this because we knew that's where we would get food and other basic needs. I recently transferred to a new job, and I spent it fixing our motorcycle, which had broken down a long time ago.Additionally, I used a portion of the leftover money to buy groceries because our homestead was foodless.Lastly, I used the remaining funds to purchase clothing for my kids and myself because we were practically going to be nude.