Given that I have a just started a new business, looking ahead, one of my dreams is to stabilize it enough, save some money and hopefully buy a cow as a family investment. I recognize the invaluable contribution that a cow can make to my livelihood. It would not only provide a sustainable source of income through the sale of milk and dairy products but also enhance my ability to meet the needs of my customers. With the unconditional transfers serving as a stepping stone, I am determined to save diligently and work towards purchasing at least one cow in the next year or more.

All we ever needed was a little support to unleash our true potential. Give Directly recognized that financial constraints has often been the biggest barrier to progress and decided to address this issue head-on. Through their unconditional transfer program, they provided direct funds to us and our families in need, without any strings attached. The impact of these unconditional transfers was nothing short of remarkable. One by one, our lives were transformed, and hope was reignited. Families who had struggled to put food on the table were now able to enjoy nutritious meals every day. Children who had been forced to drop out of school due to financial constraints were now able to pursue their dreams of education. Entrepreneurs who lacked the necessary capital to start or expand their businesses suddenly found themselves with newfound opportunities due to the financial responsibility given to us by Give Directly transfers to use the funds unconditionally.

With my last transfers, I decided to use half of the transfers on my small grocery business. As a small business owner, I have faced numerous challenges and setbacks along the way. The unconditional transfers came at a critical time when my business was struggling to stay afloat. With the allocated transfers I used $200 to inject much-needed capital into my grocery business. I used the funds to restock inventory, improve marketing efforts, and enhance the overall operations. This infusion of funds revitalized my business, attracting new customers and increasing sales. In addition to boosting my business, I recognized the importance of completing my house, which had remained unfinished for far too long. The unconditional transfers allowed me to allocate $ 250 towards the completion of my dream home. I saved diligently, knowing that this investment would provide long-term stability and comfort for my family which has not been the case and I would like to make this a major representation of what Give Directly has done for me and family.

I have five children who are still in primary school. I intend to provide them with the best education that I was not lucky to have due to financial constraints. To do this, I plan to rear livestock as an alternative source of income come next year. I will be using savings from the eatery business to start it off.

In my opinion, GD does well by enrolling its beneficiaries by visiting all the households in the village without depending on secondary sources or local leaders. This has reduced cases of discrimination and corruption. The organisation is doing great work. However, I wish GD could add one more transfer of $450 for us to be more stable financially.

Upon receiving the second transfer, I used it to boost my business by expanding its structure. I have an eatery business but the structure I was in,was very small in that our customers used to eat from outside in an open-air space. The structure was just enough for cooking and storage. This posed a challenge to the business as we were getting fewer customers during the rainy season. So we used $ 350 of the transfer to buy iron sheets and pay for labour services to expand the structure. We as well replaced the seats with decent ones using $ 50 since the previous ones were very old and outdated. I am glad that the renovation has attracted more customers. Finally, I spent the remaining amount on food to ensure that we have enough for my family's consumption. 

I received a message around 4:00 p.m. while at home. After reading the message and recognizing the amount indicated to have been deposited into my account, I was relieved to realize it was from GiveDirectly. My husband was at the shopping center, where he was running a food kiosk; I could not call him at the time, so I decided to wait until he got home to surprise him. He was ecstatic, and even though he had heard about the receipt from his customers at the shopping center, knowing that we had also received the expected amount made him very happy. We had a lot to do, but feeding my family was a top priority.

The availability of food for my family is the most noticeable difference in my daily life. I am no longer struggling with part-time work that pays less at the end of the month, but at least I can plan my work while I look into an income-generating investment. Even though we had been struggling a lot, we could not always find money for food, forcing us to go without even if we had been struggling all day.

After receiving the first transfer, I spent $80 on food shopping for my family of seven, which included maize, beans, and other items. We had previously relied on livestock farming, and goat rearing has been thriving, so much so that we considered adding more animals to the 30 goats we currently have. As we planned, we decided to rebuild their house before increasing the number any further. For $9, including transportation, I purchased construction materials such as poles and grass thatches for the roof, as well as a metallic door. I am relieved that the construction has only just begun and that the subsequent transfer will help us realize our dream. The remainder was spent on groceries and other household items that we still use.