Looking ahead, my goal for the coming year is to purchase a new mattress. While I now have a wooden bed, the sisal twine mattress I currently use is still uncomfortable. A new mattress will greatly improve my sleep and increase my comfort. I plan to use my next financial transfer to achieve this goal. I am deeply thankful for the continued financial support, which is helping me not only reach some of my personal goals but also provide for my family's basic needs.

As an elderly woman, I am no longer able to work and provide for myself. I rely heavily on my sons, who work as casual laborers, to help meet my needs. I also try to support my eight grandchildren, all of whom are in school. When their parents are unable to pay school fees, I do what I can to assist. Recently, I spent $10 to cover fee arrears for three of my grandchildren, who had been sent home. I was relieved to see them return to school in time for their end-of-term exams. In addition, I used $40 to purchase a wooden bed, which is a significant improvement from the sisal twine bed I’ve been sleeping on. The old bed has been uncomfortable, and I’m happy to finally have a more comfortable place to sleep. I also saved $20 in a savings group, with the hope of using it in the future to buy livestock. I spent $12 on food to ensure that my family and I had enough to eat, and we didn’t have to go to bed hungry. Unfortunately, I also had to spend $20 on travel expenses to attend my grandson's funeral. Despite these challenges, I am very grateful for the financial support that has helped me meet both my needs and those of my family.

By the end of the year, my goal is to invest in quality bedding, including a wooden bed and a mattress. For years, I have endured restless nights on an uncomfortable traditional bed, struggling with fatigue. I feel it's time for a change. With the upcoming transfer, I plan to set aside some money from transfers to purchase this new bedding. I am hopeful that this will bring me the relief of waking up well-rested each morning, a comfort I have long yearned for. This change will free me from the physical and mental strains of sleepless nights that I have endured for so long.

As I grow older, work has become increasingly difficult for me, and I have had to rely on my children to meet my basic needs. However, they have their own families to support and lack permanent jobs, which means there are times when they may not be able to provide for me. This uncertainty about my future has led me to consider how I can secure my own well-being. With the recent cash support I received, I decided to invest in two goats for $56, which I am now raising at home. I am confident that by the time this program concludes in a few years, I will have a substantial number of goats that will support me in the future, reducing my dependency on my children. Additionally, my clothes had become old and worn out, so I took the opportunity to purchase new ones along with a new bedsheet. This has been a significant relief, especially at night when I used to feel the cold. With the $21 provided, I have been able to buy food and other essential items for my family, ensuring that we no longer skip meals as we used to.

My goal for the upcoming months and beyond is straightforward: to steadily acquire goats using the funds I receive from GiveDirectly. With each passing month, I plan to invest in these animals, seeing them not just as livestock but as a form of security for the future. As an elderly individual without employment and dealing with health issues, having these goats will provide me with a safety net in case of emergencies. Their value goes beyond mere monetary worth; they represent stability and a means to sustain myself during times of need. So, with each addition to my herd, I'm not just buying goats; I'm investing in my own well-being and peace of mind.

Upon receiving my cash transfer, I immediately invested in two goats and one chicken, foreseeing their potential to sustain me in the future. As age and illness weigh heavily on my shoulders, I find solace in the prospect of these animals multiplying and providing for my needs. With careful nurturing, they will not only offer sustenance but also serve as a means of livelihood, ensuring a semblance of stability in uncertain times. Additionally, $23 was allocated towards addressing the persistent challenge of food scarcity, exacerbated by recurring droughts. This expenditure brought relief, alleviating the burden of hunger that loomed over me and providing a sense of security in an unpredictable environment. However, amidst these practical investments, life's unpredictable nature reminded me of its fragility. With the remaining funds, I embarked on a journey to attend my nephew's funeral, a sombre reminder of the fleeting nature of existence. Despite the sorrow that engulfed me, the support provided by the cash transfer allowed me to honour his memory with dignity and grace. In moments of both hope and despair, the assistance received proved invaluable, offering a semblance of stability amidst life's turbulent tides.

My goal is to acquire a bed and a mattress. I have been using a sisal-roped bed for an extended period, and it has become both uncomfortable and structurally compromised. I fear it may not last much longer as it has started breaking. Therefore, I aim to purchase a wooden bed and a fitting mattress. Since the cash transfers constitute my primary source of income, I plan to save upcoming funds until I accumulate enough to fulfill this goal. This is my current focus, and once achieved, I will redirect my attention to other needs.

My lifelong wish was to own goats, but the lack of funds made it seem like an unattainable dream. Given my advanced age and inability to engage in active work, I saw livestock rearing as the most viable option to sustain my family. The cash transfers have played a crucial role in turning this dream into a reality. Recently, I utilized $27 to purchase a goat and $2 for a chicken. With a current count of four goats, I am optimistic that they will multiply, expanding the herd in the future. This assures that even after the cash transfers conclude, I can sell the livestock to address immediate needs, particularly related to food. The remaining $5 was allocated to buy food, ensuring that my household never faced scarcity.  As my son serves as the sole provider, relying on casual jobs, the cash transfers have empowered me to contribute to putting daily meals on the table. I am grateful for this support.

In the upcoming months, I am planning to buy a new bed and mattress to replace the old traditional bed and worn-out mats that have been my sleeping arrangements for years. The current traditional bed fails to provide a comfortable sleeping experience, and my aim is to secure a restful and comfortable sleeping environment. I am confident that with the assistance I've received, I will be able to afford these new bedding essentials. Moreover, my intention extends to purchasing additional goats. I am no longer burdened with the expenses of buying food, thanks to a successful harvest that has alleviated past food shortages. This change in circumstance has created an opportunity for me to buy more livestock, especially goats, a venture that I am eager to pursue.

I used $33 from my recent financial assistance to purchase a goat and two ducks, all of which I am currently tending to. The desire to possess more livestock has long been on my mind, as these are the sole assets that I can effectively manage. Presently, my livestock count comprises three goats, and I am expecting them to multiply and provide me with a safety net in case of financial difficulties, as I can rely on these assets for potential sales to raise funds. Furthermore, I spent a portion of the remaining funds to cover somemedical expenses, while I spent another portion to hire oxen for plowing my two-acre plot of land. This decision ensured the optimal use of my farm and subsequently yielded a bountiful harvest. Consequently, the burden of purchasing costly food has been lifted, and my family has enjoyed a consistent supply of nourishment, granting me a profound sense of serenity. I now contemplate potential projects to invest my transfers in, including the acquisition of additional livestock such as goats.

Right now, I'm sleeping on a bed made of sisal twine, which is very uncomfortable. I've started experiencing excruciating back pain, and as a result, my health has gotten worse. My top priority for the year is to purchase a brand-new wooden bed and a cozy mattress to sleep on. This will solve all of my issues and improve my health.

Given my age, my eldest son is primarily responsible for taking care of me. My son and I combined the money from the transfers to launch a small kiosk enterprise to sell maize flour. A healthy profit margin from this business has greatly aided my ability to meet my needs. I used all of my February transfers, along with some of my own savings, to buy two bales of maize flour that each contain 12 pieces of 2 kg of maize flour. This increased the amount of maize flour I had in stock. Business is booming, and the high demand for flour is an additional benefit for turning a healthy profit. I'm appreciative of how the money is enabling me to support myself independently of other people.

After receiving the transfers I decided to start a small business so that it could help me sustain myself. Therefore I used KES 2,000 of the donation that I had received and started a selling sardines at the comfort of my home due to my old age. I was left with about KES 1,000 which I ended up using on buying five packets of maize flour because nutrition was a challenge.

We are in abject poverty and the financial support was what we needed most. GiveDirectly gives us the transfers unconditionally in order to improve on lives. Thus, in my opinion, GiveDirectly has so far done well in helping us with the transfers and rescuing us from the poverty we are in. We are now able to take care of our basic needs such as buying food and paying fees for our children. These were the biggest challenges that GiveDirectly has helped us to overcome.

I am glad that through the transfer, I purchased livestock which I could not afford to buy at my own cost. Currently, I have three chickens and a goat which I am keeping on my homestead. I am aged and cannot do any manual work thus having livestock is my financial security. Once they reproduce and increase in number, I can readily sell the offspring in case a financial need crops up. The transfer also enabled me to buy enough food for my family. I have been relying on my son's support but he is currently sick and indisposed. He is unable to work anymore and has a big family to take care of. I am happy that I was able to assist him in providing for the family.

I was sitting outside my house in the morning hours. My neighbors passed by on their way to the shop, being thrilled. After having a brief conversation with them, they told me they had received their transfer and were going to withdraw the money. At that moment I became very anxious, and I called my grandson who checked my phone. He read the text message and informed me I had received the money, too. I was thrilled, and I murmured a small prayer to thank God.

The money has brought a big difference to my life. I now own livestock, which I never had. I am happy that soon I will have lots of them once they multiply. It gives me a sense of joy when I know I will one day become financially stable through the chicken I bought using the transfer.  

Having received my first transfer of KSH 1200, I was very excited and I spent the money on something. I would always make me remember the excitement of receiving my first transfer. After a few days of thing through, I bought some chicken with the money. I bought three chicken at KSH 300 each. In my reasoning, the chicken would multiply after a period and when I sell some, I will use the money to buy another type of poultry or livestock. Waking up to see the chicken grow motivates me to spend the money wisely and I am optimistic that I will make good money from rearing the chicken. Besides buying the chicken, I spent the remaining KSH 300 to buy food for my family, as we had nothing to eat on that day.