In the upcoming year and beyond, my aspiration is to diligently strive towards raising the necessary school fees for my children, who are on the verge of completing their secondary education. For the pair of children, I plan to expand my involvement in the farming endeavors that I initiated with the support of GiveDirectly, focusing on cultivating a 2-acre plot with maize. The proceeds generated from these efforts will be channeled towards covering my children's school fees, alongside other essential household expenses.

Working with GiveDirectly has been an incredibly positive journey, and I express deep gratitude for the remarkable changes witnessed in our village. Previously, numerous individuals in our village struggled to pay school fees, engage in agricultural ventures, or undertake housing projects, but thanks to GiveDirectly's assistance, these transformations became attainable realities. The monetary support provided by GiveDirectly was adeptly tailored to meet the unique needs of each household, which was highly appreciated. While we acknowledge the three rounds of support received, we remain hopeful for continued assistance and aspire to see this initiative expanded to benefit other villages in similar need.

Upon receipt of the third transfer, I faced specific, time-sensitive priorities, necessitating careful budgeting and decision-making. With constrained resources, I had to narrow down my choices to a select few. Prior to addressing the imminent deadlines, I focused on settling the school fee arrears for my three children—two of them in secondary school and one in primary school—amounting to $300. I am pleased that they enjoyed an uninterrupted term at school. I allocated the remaining amount to buy essential household items for my family of seven, encompassing staples like maize and sugar, totaling $150. Previously, our livelihood relied on subsistence farming and livestock raising, despite the challenges posed by harsh weather conditions. Periodically, I sell the yield and livestock offspring to manage our household expenses. We immensely appreciate the support from GiveDirectly, and I anticipate leveraging the proceeds of the ongoing projects to achieve even more in the future.

In the upcoming year and beyond, my aspiration is to establish a thriving business that will generate additional income. To accomplish this goal, I plan to set aside a portion of the proceeds from my farming activities as savings. With unwavering determination and diligent effort, I firmly believe that I can transform this dream into a reality. I am confident that my hard work and dedication will pave the way for the success and growth of my envisioned business venture.

The freedom to utilize our transfer funds according to our individual needs was truly captivating. This allowed us to allocate the money towards things that held significance for us. Furthermore, the field officers who visited our home displayed the utmost respect and consideration. Their presence and interactions left us overjoyed and grateful for the substantial improvements brought about by GiveDirectly's assistance. In my entire experience, I did not encounter anything that required correction, as everything was flawlessly executed. I am immensely appreciative of the support received, as it has positively transformed our lives in ways we could not have imagined.

Receiving financial support from GiveDirectly felt like a true blessing, and I considered it a sacred opportunity to make wise use of the funds. As a farmer and a parent to five children, I recognized the need for a significant improvement in our sanitation practices. Therefore, I decided to invest $250 in the construction of a pit latrine, a vital addition that replaced the primitive practice of relieving ourselves in the bush. Additionally, I allocated $100 towards paying my children's school fees, prioritizing their education. Lastly, I utilized $60 to purchase a sack of maize, ensuring our food security. All these endeavors were previously unattainable due to financial limitations. The assistance we received from GiveDirectly has not only raised our living standards but also granted us a sense of financial independence. We will forever be grateful for the transformative support provided.

I felt so happy the moment I received money from GiveDirectly. I had a lot of doubts when we were trained before enrollments. I could not figure out how someone would be willing to give me such a huge amount of money without expecting any returns whatsoever. We did not make any harvests from our farms the previous year and life was that tough for us. Having five children that I take care of and farming being the main activity that I do made things a little tougher for us. Getting this support was such a relief to me and my family at such a time as this.

The biggest difference in my daily life is in what I have been able to achieve with the money. The fact that we have averted hunger during such a time and the school fees that I have fully paid for my two children who are in secondary school makes me really happy and peaceful. Had I not received these transfers then things would have been tough. This is because the livestock that I have been depending on to pay such fees and meet other expenses have also been badly affected by the prevailing drought. My whole family is happier than we have ever been in our lives. We look forward to achieving much more with the remaining transfers.

When I received my most recent transfer of $180, I used $45 to buy a table and another $58 was used to buy maize for family consumption. I used another $20 to buy beans and another $50 was used to pay school fees for my daughter who is in secondary school. The money was very helpful since it came at a time when we had serious drought here at home. The livestock that I normally rely on to make such payments as school fees had been badly striken and selling them would not have helped to any meaningful extent. Although we still have a serious drought with us, we hope that things will change and we hope to use the money that we are yet to receive to improve our farming practices including buying high yielding seeds and fertilizers.