A few years ago, my house collapsed, and since then, I’ve been staying at a relative’s place. I now have a new goal: to build a house of my own. I feel uncomfortable relying on others for shelter every day, and sometimes this leads to sleepless nights. To achieve this, I plan to save around $2,000 each month from the transfers and the small profit I earn from my business. I’m confident that once the house is completed, it will restore my self-esteem and give me hope, as I often feel lonely and hopeless. Additionally, having my own home will make me proud and allow me to host relatives who come to visit, which is challenging at the moment.

My house collapsed some time ago, and I have been borrowing shelter at my relative's house. I haven’t found comfort there, and I have always wanted to own my own home. As a single woman with no children, life has never been easy for me due to my loneliness, compounded by my housing issue. I’ve now come up with a plan to save $20 from the transfer to start buying building materials for a decent house of my own. Additionally, I saved about $54 specifically to purchase new bedding, including a bed and mattress, which I have longed for. Currently, I am sleeping on the floor, and the experience has been very uncomfortable and painful. I believe that once I have proper bedding, it will relieve me of this stress and pain. I also used $10 to boost my business, which involves selling potatoes and fish in the village. The business is doing well now, and I can at least get something to eat at the end of the day, which was not the case before. With $18, I have been buying food that has been sustaining me for quite a while, and I am very thankful for this support. I never take it for granted.

In the coming year and beyond, I hope to accomplish a few important goals that will improve my life and bring me peace of mind. After completing the roofing agenda and buying a bed, my next focus is on building pillars and adding skating around the base of my house. These additions will make my house stronger and more stable, able to withstand the strong winds we face each year. By reinforcing my house this way, I will feel more secure and safe, knowing that my family and I have a solid, protected place to live. This sense of security will allow me to sleep better at night and live each day with less worry, giving me peace of mind.

For a while, the roofing of my house was missing six pieces of iron sheets. My small cafeteria business couldn't support both my family and the completion of the roof. It was a constant worry, especially during the rainy season. Thankfully, the last three recent transfers came just in time. With the $57, I bought the six iron sheets needed to finish the roofing. It was a huge relief to finally cover the house properly. Now, I sleep comfortably, even when it rains cats and dogs, unlike before when I had to worry about leaks and damage. With the roof finally fixed, I turned my attention to another pressing issue. I had been sleeping on a very small, uncomfortable bed. So, I used $40 from the transfers to buy a medium-sized bed. It made a world of difference to my sleep quality. The remaining $5 was spent on personal effects and detergents, things I had been putting off buying for a while. This small sum went a long way in improving my daily comfort and hygiene. Thanks to these transfers, my living conditions have significantly improved, and I feel more secure and at peace.

My primary goal is to finalize the construction of my house and transition into it at the earliest opportunity. This move will effectively eliminate the recurring $20 monthly rental fee, allowing me to redirect the savings towards the expansion of my vegetable-selling business. The financial assistance from the transfers has been instrumental in improving my quality of life, especially since I live independently with no one else to rely on. I am grateful for the positive impact it has had on my journey towards self-sufficiency.

My dwelling had collapsed long before I began receiving financial assistance from Give Directly, compelling me to rent a house at a monthly cost of $20. Upon joining the program, I made the decision to construct a new house for myself. Each month, I invest in building materials to progress with the construction. Recently, I acquired building poles for $30, five iron sheets for $50, and provided a $10 down payment to the mason overseeing the construction. The construction is advancing well, and I anticipate moving into the new house by the end of February. In addition to acquiring building materials, I allocated $12 for food and personal essentials for use at home. The financial support I have received is making significant strides in realizing my long-term dream of owning my own house, and for this, I am profoundly grateful.

Currently, my primary focus is on acquiring all the necessary materials to complete the construction of my two-room house. This new home will provide ample space to accommodate my family of three. Additionally, once the house is built, one of my goals is to purchase a bed and a mattress to furnish it. The prospect of achieving these objectives fills me with immense excitement and gratitude. The financial support I have received has been instrumental in helping me realize some of my dreams, such as regaining the ownership of a new house. I am truly thankful for the assistance that has made this progress possible.

After heavy rains in May last year, my house collapsed, leaving me and my two children in need of alternative accommodation. Thankfully, my elder brother offered us a place to stay temporarily. To support my family, I operate a small business selling cooked foods like chapatis and beans. Although the income from this business is modest, it covers our daily needs. To rebuild my life, a significant portion of the financial support I received was allocated towards purchasing building materials. I acquired nine pieces of iron sheets at a total cost of $67.5, and I also bought building poles for $15. Gradually, I am accumulating the necessary materials to construct a new two-room house where my children and I can live comfortably. In addition to the building materials, I made another investment by purchasing two hens. I see them as a potential source of income in the future. As they multiply, I can sell some of them and utilize the proceeds to further support myself and my family. To meet immediate needs, I allocated $8 towards food purchases and detergent for cleaning clothes. The financial support I have received has been crucial in helping me achieve my goal of building a new house. Without this assistance, such progress would not have been possible, and I am incredibly grateful for the support I have received.

This year, I want to construct a house. I'm pleased to report that I have purchased eleven iron sheets and have money set up for five more. There will be no need for a larger residence because I live alone. Once I have the required sixteen pieces of iron sheets, I will go out and buy wood, nails, and construction labor. In order to make the house more stable than a mud house, I will later plaster it. I'll be proud and feel independent once my ambition is realized.

I had two kids, but they all passed away a while back. My spouse and I later divorced, and since then, I have been living alone. My house collapsed, but I lacked the resources to build a replacement and could not afford to do so. Later, I found work in the village as a restaurant server, where I make $15 per month. Fortunately, the employer gave me a house where I have been living. I was delighted when I learned I enrolled in the program because I thought at last my dream of owning a home would come true. I thus purchased eleven pieces of iron sheeting for $95 using the transfers from the previous three months in order to build a dwelling. I bought food for seven dollars.

I had 2 children but unfortunately they all passed away. I move up and down to make ends meet so as to sustain myself as there is no one that depends on me. I make a living by selling chips, chapati, mangoes and in the process make a profit of $2 a day and at times I even go home without selling anything. I want to save enough so as to be able to expand my business and increase my profit. I am really grateful to GiveDirectly for the transfer that they give without any strings attached to it.

I have started a project of building my own house and right now I have bought 10 metal sheets costing $95 each. Every time I receive a transfer, I make sure to save aside $10 to buy some metal sheets and wood. I have a plan of completing my house and ensuring that the house is in a good state. I spent $6 on food because we had nothing to eat.The effect of the drought has been severe and food is quite expensive. The remaining amount of $19 I was able to add to my existing business.

Givedirectly is doing a great job helping us, right now we are in a drought season and livestock are dying due to lack of food and water. Most of the villagers are using the money to buy food which we are grateful for.

I was born in Mnazimumwenga village in Kilifi county in 1973, my parents did not have money to take me to school. I would help my mother with chores such as washing clothes, going to the market, and fetching water for the family. My mother passed on years later and I was left with my father who took care of me with my five siblings, three sisters, and two brothers. Years later I got married but unfortunately, we separated from my husband after the death of my two children who succumbed to illness. I moved out of my matrimonial house and rented a place where I sell fast food snacks such as tea, fried potatoes, and porridge. I started the business with $ 50 and since then I have been making a profit of $3 a day on a good day and $2 on a bad day. Since I started receiving this money, I have been stocking up my fast food business. In the last transfer that I got in September, I used the money to stock up the business which cost bought cooking oil at $3, potatoes at 8.5, and flour at $6, The rest of the money was used to buy iron sheet at $6.5 that I used to rebuild a section that was leaking at the restaurant, $4 for buying chicken that I would sell them for a profit and maize flour for $2 for my consumption. Since I increased my stock I have been accumulating a profit of $5 a day where now I save for runny days

I was sitting outside my house resting after a long day of work at 4 pm. While resting I received a message notification on my phone. Upon checking it out, I realized I had received my first transfer. Emotions took the better part of me and I rose from my chair and jumped up and down in ecstasy. I wore a bright smile as I walked towards the Mpesa to draw the money.

The money from my transfer has made a huge difference in my life. I have always wanted to have a business shop of my own but due to financial constraints that have not been possible. Once the shop is ready my profit margin will rise significantly which will help me pay my bills with ease.

I run a small fast food business where I sell fries, chapati, and fried fish. I rented the business premises and the rent I pay is huge, which decreases my profit significantly. Being the sole breadwinner of my family (five children), I must provide for the essential basic needs such as food and school fees with the little I earn. When I was enrolled in the program, I was thrilled because I knew the funds would help me build my shop where I would set up a business and save on rent. Therefore, when I received my first transfer, I bought one piece of an iron sheet which I will use to build the shop in the future. I bought a chicken with the remaining KES 200 since it has been my dream to own poultry birds for a long time.