My goal for this year and beyond is to develop my plot in the nearby center. I plan to use the income from my farm and the next transfer from GiveDirectly to make this happen. By building on this plot, I’ll be able to rent out spaces for people to open businesses, which will significantly increase the income flow in my household. The idea of becoming a landlord fills me with hope and happiness, as it promises a more secure future for my family and brings me closer to financial independence.

What stood out to me about GiveDirectly was their remarkable transparency and kindness. They even provided speakers of indigenous languages to ensure that everyone, regardless of language barriers, could understand and feel included. This level of inclusivity is truly admirable and made the process feel respectful and accessible. My recommendation for GiveDirectly would be to enroll more people, allowing others to experience the same life-changing support and transformation that we have been fortunate to receive.

I was filled with happiness and gratitude when I received $450 from GiveDirectly. After careful planning with my husband, we decided to invest the money in livestock, as we saw this as a sustainable way to secure our future. I used $420 to buy seven goats. With my background as a livestock keeper, I understand how to care for them, and I know how profitable this venture can be. As the goats multiply, they will provide a reliable source of income that I can use to support our farming and meet other personal and household needs. With the remaining amount, I decided to boost my poultry business, which had suffered losses after recent floods washed away some of our chickens. I bought 15 young chicks with the money, planning to raise them for egg and meat production. This addition to our income sources will allow me to pay school fees and buy food for my family without depending solely on my husband. Thanks to GiveDirectly, I now feel more secure and empowered to meet our family's needs.

It was a very fine Sunday afternoon, and I was just resting at home with my children when my phone vibrated with a message. When I checked, I saw it was an M-Pesa message, but I didn’t think much of it because I wasn’t expecting the GiveDirectly money yet, having just been enrolled a week before. Later, I went to fetch water at the nearby borehole and overheard some women discussing the arrival of the money. I joined in the conversation, feeling both excited and happy, knowing that I could finally repair my toilet, which had sunk after being swept away by floods.

In my life, I never thought I could rebuild after being affected by the floods, especially when my toilet sank. I kept wondering where I could find the money to repair it, especially since I'm just a charcoal burner. Rearing four kids wasn't easy, and my husband is also just a small-scale farmer. But now, I am very happy and grateful to GiveDirectly for your support. The sanitation at my home is now well taken care of.

Before I received this cash, I was under a lot of stress and had no peace of mind since the floods came and set us back to zero, causing almost all of our plans for the year to fail. The floods swept away my children's clothes and shoes, but the biggest impact was that my toilet sank completely, making the hygiene conditions in my compound very poor. I immediately allocated $100 to repair my toilet, and now it's restored, ending the shame of having to use the bush.Additionally, I used $40 to harvest my maize farm, where I harvested 25 bags of maize. I sold 15 bags and kept 8 bags for us to continue eating at home. The market price of maize had dropped since many people were harvesting at the same time, but fortunately, my farm wasn't affected by the floods because the maize had grown tall. With the remaining $40, I bought new clothes for my kids to replace the ones that were washed away by the water.