In the coming year and beyond, I hope to finally build a house of my own, a dream I've cherished for so long. As a grown-up girl, I crave the privacy and comfort that come with having my own space. Currently, I live in my granny's house, and while I love her dearly, I often feel uncomfortable and yearn for a place to call my own. Thanks to GiveDirectly, I am closer to making this dream a reality. I've started saving money at a local hardware store for iron sheets and now have nine out of the twelve needed for my house. Once I reach my target of twelve iron sheets, my next step will be saving for building poles. Each step, each saving, brings me closer to seeing my house complete, standing proudly as a symbol of my hard work and determination. Beyond this year, I envision not just a house but a home, a haven where I can grow and thrive, and possibly even start a family of my own someday.

As an orphan raised by my grandmother, life has not been easy. Depending on the mercies of my uncles, who have their own families to care for, has made things even harder. As a grown-up girl, I feel uncomfortable sleeping in my granny's house. I crave my privacy and a space of my own. With this in mind, I've been carefully saving the money I receive from GiveDirectly. Each time I get a transfer, I head straight to the hardware shop and put the money towards purchasing iron sheets for my future house. It's a slow process, but I know it will be worth it. Currently, I have managed to save enough for nine iron sheets, although they are still stored at the hardware shop. The contractor advised me that I would need twelve sheets in total. With each sheet costing $11, I am determined to reach my goal. Every dollar I save brings me closer to having a place I can call my own. This journey has been tough, but with each transfer, I see the dream of my own house getting closer. Soon, I'll have the privacy and independence I've been longing for.

After receiving the cash transfer, my biggest dream is to finally build a house of my own. Currently, I share living space with my grandmother, but I long for the freedom and independence that having my own home would bring. To achieve this goal, I've devised a plan where I participate in a merry-go-round with three others, depositing $15 each time I receive my share. This steady saving allows me to accumulate enough money to buy all the necessary building materials at once from the hardware store. With determination and patience, I believe that in the coming year or beyond, I will be able to turn my dream of owning a home into a reality, providing myself with security and a place to call my own.

Taking care of my health became my top priority. Dealing with stomach issues had been a constant struggle, so this time I decided to use the last two cash transfers I received from GiveDirectly to seek medical attention. Even though the doctors didn't diagnose anything alarming, they provided me with medication after a thorough series of checkups and screenings. Thankfully, the medication worked wonders, and I can now say that I'm feeling much better compared to how I was before. Those transfers truly came to my rescue because, without them, I'd still be stuck in discomfort. It's a relief to have my health back on track, all thanks to the support I received.

One of my primary aspirations is to make a substantial investment in the poultry business. The hens, in particular, will serve as a significant source of income, enabling me to support myself and meet my daily needs. The financial support I have received has been instrumental in achieving this goal, as it has empowered me to become self-reliant. Unlike before, when I had to rely on borrowing or asking for money from relatives to meet my basic needs, I can now sustain myself. This newfound independence has brought immense happiness and satisfaction to my life, and I am immensely grateful for the positive changes it has brought about.

For the longest time, I had a strong desire to own a bed and mattress. However, due to the lack of a stable income, fulfilling this wish proved to be incredibly challenging. Fortunately, when I received my transfers, I decided to join a savings group called "chama." In this group, each member contributes $15 every month, and the accumulated amount is then given to one member who can utilize it for personal development projects. When my turn arrived to receive the funds, I seized the opportunity and purchased a brand new bed for $45 along with a comfortable mattress for $55. This accomplishment has brought immense joy to my heart, as I had previously been sleeping on borrowed beds and mattresses that belonged to someone else. The fulfillment of this longstanding goal is a source of great happiness for me, and I am deeply grateful for the financial support provided by the organization. Without their assistance, I would not have been able to achieve this milestone in my life.

After graduating from high school in 2021, I faced a major obstacle in pursuing higher education: lack of funds. Living with my elderly grandparents, who are unable to financially contribute, made it even more challenging. Although my uncle occasionally helps us with our food expenses, his support is limited to that. Fortunately, the cash transfers I receive have presented a great opportunity for me as I plan to set aside some funds for my education. In the coming years, my main goal is to enroll in language studies, particularly in French, and complete my education. This is because my ultimate dream is to become a tour guide, and being proficient in different languages will work to my advantage.

I usually save around $15 monthly through a self-help club, intending to use it to enroll in language classes, such as French. My dream is to become a tour guide, and being proficient in different languages is crucial for achieving that goal. The remaining money I usually allocate towards our food needs. However, in March, I fell ill and unfortunately, I didn't have any money to cover the medical expenses. I had to use the entire amount of money I received from the transfer to pay for the necessary medical procedures. While I did receive treatment, I haven't fully recovered yet and I still experience stomach pain. Currently, I am living with my elderly grandparents who are unable to actively contribute to the household expenses due to their advanced age. We have learned to carefully budget the funds we receive from Give Directly to meet our daily needs. Whenever we face financial difficulties, my uncle is always there to support us, but to a limited capacity since his income from casual house construction tasks is low and unpredictable. Am grateful for the cash transfers have been a lifeline in my family, allowing us to enjoy daily meals.

I finished my form four exams but was unable to further my studies since their was no money to pay for my college education. I am currently seeing the hope of my pursuing a course in tourism specifically as a tour guide which has been my long dream. I hope to get money from the merry go round when its my turn which I will use to settle the school fees for this. I am also now interested in being diagnosed of my ailment as it was something I had not foreseen and I hope to use Givedirectly transfers to achieve this and while also taking care of the treatment of whatever this stomach issue is as now I am not aware what it may be.

The transfers I have been receiving has changed my saving lifestyle. I have joined a local merry go round and am now saving 15 dollars of my monthly transfers. I have also been able to buy food for the family as I did in November with the remainder of my transfers after sending to the group. I am orphan and have been my grandparents responsibility but in December I was able to buy a few clothes and shoes at 9 dollars which was a relief to them since I did not have many clothes and this was a burden they would have had to bear. January I however was not able to do much apart from saving in the table banking group because I had started being unwell and am even now awaiting treatment. I have a bulge at the lowere poinyt of my stomach, below the belly buttion and was sent for scans which I am unable to afford even with the savings I have accumulated thus far.

This support program has allowed me to further my education and pursue my dreams of working in the hospitality industry. I am so grateful and I would not want them to do anything differently.

I am the only child and live with my grandparents who are too old to work. Recently, I got a job as a receptionist in a nearby clinic and have taken up all the responsibilities of the family. After being enrolled in the support program, I decided I must attend the school of catering and pursue my career. I saved $10 and used the remaining cash to buy food and my personal items.

I was already asleep at around 9.00 p.m. when I received a message. When I checked my balance, I found money in my account and felt excited. I waited till the following day before I could spend the money.

The biggest difference in my life is the ease of accessing food and repayment of our debts. We had borrowed some essential items from a nearby shop promising the shopkeeper that we would soon repay. We had no idea where the money would come from but through GiveDirectly, a miracle happened. Settling the debt using the GiveDirectly transfer has since relieved the family from financial burden leading to great peace of mind. We equally enjoyed nutritious meals making us feel happy as a family. I thank GiveDirectly for restoring our happiness and hope in life.

I stay with my grandparents, and we depend on our uncle's income to cater to our basic needs. I recently finished my secondary school studies and now plan to join college. When I received the transfer, we had accumulated a lot of debts and thus were feeling disturbed about how we would clear them. When I received the transfer, I used KES 500 to repay the debts and bought corn flour worth KES 400, cooking oil, and soap because we had none. I thank GiveDirectly for coming through for us during our lowest moments.