My goal for the coming year and beyond is to complete the construction of my house. I started building it but faced delays due to a shortage of building poles. I plan to save my upcoming transfers to purchase enough poles and iron sheets for the roof. Once the house is finished, I also aim to buy a solar lighting system on hire purchase, which will ensure my home is well-lit. I am incredibly grateful for the financial support that has given me the independence to take care of my needs. This support has made a significant difference in my life, and I’m very happy with the progress I have made.

I struggle with mental instability and rely on my brother for financial support. He makes a living as a subsistence farmer, but the harsh climatic conditions have made farming difficult, affecting his ability to earn. To help him take care of our family, I spent $68 on food, ensuring we had enough to eat after the rains failed us this season. I also purchased a new phone to improve my communication with family members, as my previous one was broken, making it hard to receive calls. Additionally, I bought three small trees to plant in our home compound. These trees will not only beautify our surroundings but also help combat the high temperatures. I am very grateful for the financial transfers, which have allowed me to meet my basic needs and ease the burden on my family. Being able to contribute and take care of myself, even in small ways, has brought me a great sense of happiness.

The final step in completing the construction of my house is to install the roof, which will require 14 pieces of iron sheets. I intend to utilize my upcoming transfers to gradually purchase these iron sheets, acquiring them bit by bit until I reach the necessary quantity. I am immensely grateful for the financial support provided by the transfers, as it plays a pivotal role in enabling me to achieve my goal of homeownership. With each step forward, I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to turn my dream into a reality, and I remain determined to see this project through to its completion.

Since last year, I have been diligently purchasing building poles with the funds from the transfers, accumulating a total of $92. This progress has brought me closer to realizing my dream of owning a house. I have already constructed the skeleton of the house using the poles I acquired, and now only the roofing remains to be completed. Previously, I felt uncomfortable relying on accommodation from my uncle, as it infringed on their privacy and left me without a sense of independence. Additionally, my mental health condition has made me heavily reliant on my brother, who is a subsistence farmer. While I occasionally take on casual farming jobs for extra income, these opportunities are scarce and provide minimal pay, particularly during the rainy season. Despite these challenges, I am grateful for the progress I have made in achieving my goal of homeownership, thanks to the financial support from GiveDirectly. Furthermore, I allocated $10 towards purchasing food, ensuring that I never went without meals. This assistance has instilled in me a sense of optimism, and I am confident that with continued perseverance, I will soon realize my dream of owning my own house.

Looking ahead, my plan is to utilize my subsequent transfers to complete the construction of my house. This includes installing a door and ensuring the safety of my property. Words cannot adequately express the immense gratitude I feel towards the support I have received from the transfers, as it has significantly improved the quality of my life. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to achieve my dreams and for the positive impact it has had on me.

A significant portion of my transfers, amounting to $92, was allocated towards the construction of a house. In previous years, I relied on the hospitality of close relatives for accommodation. However, the financial boost from the transfers inspired me to think beyond my limitations and start saving towards owning my own house. I am delighted to share that I have taken a substantial step towards achieving this long-held goal, as construction is currently underway for a one-roomed house. I am optimistic that by next month, I will joyfully be residing in my own home. The financial assistance from the transfers has played a pivotal role in realizing this long-term dream, which was previously hindered by a lack of funds. Additionally, I utilized a portion of the transfers to purchase new clothes, and I feel confident and sharp in my new attire.

Currently, I reside in the house of my older brother. However, I have long harbored a dream of having a place of my own, a home where I can experience comfort and privacy. To realize this aspiration, I am determined to save up sufficient funds specifically designated for acquiring essential building materials such as iron sheets, building poles, cement, nails, and sisal ropes. The prospect of owning my own house fills me with great joy, and I firmly believe that through these transfers, my dream will become a reality.

I have been battling a prolonged illness, accompanied by a growth between my legs that has significantly impacted my quality of life. Unfortunately, the cost of obtaining proper treatment from a specialized hospital is beyond the means of my family, as it requires a substantial amount of funds. Currently unemployed, I rely on my brother, who earns a meager income from livestock farming. It is a constant struggle for him to support both me and my bedridden mother, who suffered a stroke. I am incredibly grateful for the financial assistance provided by Give Directly. With their support, I was able to allocate a significant portion, amounting to $29, towards purchasing food. This food supply lasted us close to three weeks, providing much-needed sustenance. Additionally, I used a portion of the transfer to purchase a new pair of shoes. My previous pair had become worn out and torn, making walking a challenge. Thanks to the transfers from Give Directly, I now have comfortable footwear that enables me to move around with ease.

I had hoped to utilize the funds this year to expand my farm by investing in the purchase of a few farm animals, ideally goats and poultry. They could always help me out if I'm having money difficulties. Additionally, because I'm unemployed and care for my sick mother and on top of that, I'll utilize the money this year for feeding needs as well. Finally, since the majority of my clothing is outdated and worn out, I will purchase a few items for myself.

I was quite relieved the moment I realized the transaction had been sent up by the organization. This is because at the time I barely had any money on me and it was the festive season yet I had no idea what my family was going to have or even if they would be able to celebrate. That is why I proceeded to spend the money on nourishment by buying a bag of maize flour which cost me about KES 2,400. Then I used a balance of a KES 1,000 on purchasing about four packets of wheat flour and sugar.

I was overwhelmed with so much happiness when I realized the organization and sent out the funds, especially because I was genuinely looking forward to it. The reason behind my excitement was due to the fact that I planned on investing in poultry farming for commercial benefit. Therefore I ended up spending KES 800 for two hens. I then proceeded to buy a brand new bed sheet because the one I had was torn and worn out, and it cost me KES 1,000. Due to drought and poor harvest I decided to use the remaining balance of KES 1,200 on nutrition. I ended up purchasing six packets of maize flour so that me and my family could eat.

GiveDirectly has done well by providing us with funds. I am advantaged because before the funds,I had nothing and without the rains, I might starve to death. I am grateful they visited our area. However, I wish I would receive the funds as a lump sum in order to buy the motorbike and live my dream of owning a motorcycle for business.

The biggest challenge I have faced is drought. Agriculture, the mainstay of the economy, is almost entirely rain-fed. We derive water for human consumption and other uses from rivers whose recharge depends on rainfall. The prolonged drought situation has caused a famine which amplified the effects of parasites and diseases that killed all my twenty cows. I live with my brother and my mother because I am not married and I don’t have children. Being born with speech issues and not literate has been my major hindrance to securing a normal job and so have lived all my life working as a livestock farmer. I used my transfer of KES 500 as my share of contribution to buy food, KES 250 to buy six jerricans of water which would last for four days, and KES 160 to buy “Pareo”(African fabric worn by Giriama men as an attire). The remaining cash of KES 2080 is my pocket money for buying food in the nearest whenever I am left at home without ready-made food.

It was around 8.30 am, I was had gone to tether my two goats so they can graze. I receive two consecutive message notifications on my phone. I continued with work until the end before I could return home for my helper to verify my phone. I felt very happy when learned that I had after receiving my transfer.

The biggest difference in my daily life is that I am currently able to afford to meet my needs, especially food without much struggling. This has reduced the number of days that I was missing my essential needs like food. I can now comfortable have two meals per day.

I spent my recent transfer to purchase adequate foodstuffs for myself. This is because I am not able to work due to my deteriorating health conditions. The transfer was my only hope to support our needs, given that there is a prolonged drought and famine in our area.