My primary emphasis this year centers around prioritizing education, with the primary goal of ensuring my children receive the utmost quality in their academic pursuits. Achieving this objective necessitates financial support to fund their educational needs. Simultaneously, another priority is addressing the structural issues in my dwelling. Currently, my house has a grass-thatched roof that is severely leaking. To rectify this, I intend to invest in iron sheets to replace the existing grass-thatched roof, thereby ensuring a secure and habitable living space. The financial support received through transfers has played a pivotal role in enabling me to pursue these goals, and I am genuinely grateful for the assistance provided.

Upon successful completion of his primary education, my son earned exceptional results in the national examinations, securing him a coveted spot at St. George's Secondary School. As a proud and joy-filled parent, I decided to allocate the savings from my two months' worth of transfers, totaling $68, to purchase essential items for his initiation into secondary school life. Additionally, I am responsible for six more children who are students at Ikanga Primary School. Allocating $34, I covered the school fees for all six of them. Despite earning a modest income from my casual job selling charcoal, I find immense satisfaction in ensuring that all my children have access to education. Unlike in the past, my children are no longer at risk of being sent home due to hefty school fee balances. I am genuinely grateful for the financial support that has made this possible and has contributed to my family's overall well-being

We currently live in a dilapidated grass-thatched house that is also too small to comfortably accommodate my large family which consists of 9 children, 7 of whom are still under our care. The house leaks which makes rainy seasons the most dreadful time for my family as we have to be strategic and creative to keep ourselves and our valuable items dry. Besides this, we have to sleep in the same room with 3 of the children while the older ones have to sleep in a borrowed house at the neighbor's. It is risky for them to walk each night to the neighbour's compound, but even more embarrassing. The status of the house is also not very appealing and comes with its own kind of shame as it is not many that still live in grass-thatched houses in this century, so moving to new status by constructing an iron-roofed house would be a great achievement for my family. We are working together with my spouse who is also a Give Directly beneficiary to achieve this goal as soon as possible by bringing together our monthly transfers and purchasing construction materials in bits as we are not able to raise enough money for a one time purchase. If we save the money, we may be forced to spend it in times of an emergency hence the reason we opt to purchase the materials.

The past 3 months, we were at the climax of a famine period that lasted over a year due to failed rains for three consecutive seasons. During this period, my transfers played a massive role in keeping my huge family afloat and away from hunger. If we were to rely on my charcoal making and selling business alone, my family would have seen the worst of the dreadful season. These transfers were instrumental in providing basic needs for the family, taking care of my children's school needs hence ensuring they consistently stayed in school and also helping to purchase quality farm inputs and hiring labour. It is through these transfers that we were able to realize a bumper harvest as we were able to cultivate a bigger portion of land that we could have managed on our own. This month of September however, I purchased a goat to fulfil a promise I made to ensure a year does not end without me investing part of the transfer in any project, preferably long term.

In the coming years, I would like to obtain a new house in place of the current one, which is currently damaged. During the rainy season, the space becomes damp and uninhabitable. My priority is to construct another structure. Although I would ideally prefer a brick house, given my financial situation, I plan to build a mud-walled structure with an iron sheet roof. This will provide a safer and more comfortable living environment for my family that the current shelter.

Typically, I rely on burning charcoal as a means to support my family, but the income barely covers the essential needs. Receiving the cash transfer brought great relief and joy to me. It enabled me to address some pressing issues that were affecting my family. One of them was the unpaid tuition fees for my seven children, which had resulted in their absence from school for three days. With the cash transfer, I was able to allocate $20 to settle the debt, allowing my children to happily resume their classes. Another issue was the lack of food in our household. We had gone without food for two days, and the cash transfer came just in time. I used the remaining amount to purchase food, which has sustained my family up to this point. It was a tremendous help in ensuring that my children had enough to eat. However, with the onset of the rainy season, I have shifted my focus to farm work. Farming provides an alternative source of income and sustenance for my family. I understand the importance of adapting to different circumstances to meet our needs.  

The two biggest issues I'm now facing and hope to resolve by the end of the year are food insecurity and a nicer home. I live in a one-room, mud-walled house with grass thatch roof. Due to the current drought, there is a current shortage of grass, and the few that are available are exceedingly expensive, just like food. I used to be able to sell charcoal for less money because it was my only source of income. I won't be eager to sell them now that I have the monthly funds as extra income. I'll be transporting them out from the village to other markets where the prices are good and burning them in large quantities instead. While the monthly transfers will mostly be used to pay for food and school expenditures, the earnings I will receive from the charcoal will be utilized to support the construction of a new house.

We have experienced food insecurity as a result of the protracted drought, and prior to the transfers, we could only afford one meal each day. Due to the majority of individuals doing it, the charcoal I burn for sale is not now profitable. In addition, few individuals can afford charcoal in the current time of economic crisis, as a result, it is difficult for me to pay for enough food for my family and my children's school expenses. I spent $68 of the transfers from the previous three months on food to address the food shortage, leaving the kids with a $34 school arrears balance. I cleared the arrears with my most recent move, and I'm relieved that they didn't start the current academic year with any debts that were carried over from the prior one.

As a beneficiary of GiveDirectly's transfer, I bear testimony that it is effective in all manner of its operation. Through the unconditional cash transfer, I have been able to acquire food as well as pay my children's school fees. It is because We are not restricted on how to spend my transfer. It gives money that has been helpful to all who were enrolled in the program from my community. Consequently, the challenges that we previously had has drastically gone down. So far, I have not witnessed what it does not do well.

I had debts before receiving my most recent transfer. There were fee arrears at school that needed payment. Furthermore, due to a lack of a casual job to supplement my income, I borrowed some food from the shop and found it hard to repay. This is because I am the sole breadwinner in a family of eleven. As a result, I used $10 from the transfer to pay for my two school-aged children's school fees. I also paid off a $10 debt and used the remainder to buy food for my family. We had no food, and my children were at home because they had been sent to collect fees.

Immediately I realized that I had received my transfer, and unexplained joy filled my heart. At first, I thought I was daydreaming because I least expected any money at that point. I was only hoping to sell the charcoal I had to raise money for buying food for my children. However, confirming that receipt then, restored my hope that all is well with me. I could gladly be able to buy food for my children.

From the time I received my transfer, the biggest difference in my life is being in a position to pay school fees for my children. I feel delighted to see them focus on their studies with minimal disturbances. It has therefore given me an easier time concentrating on raising money for food. It has brought a positive change in my life and I am appreciative of GiveDirectly.

Before the transfer, I had no money for buying food as well as paying school fees for my two school-going children. As soon as I received my recent transfer, I spent KES 500 on paying school fees for my two children. I am so happy that they can proceed well with their studies. In addition, I used KES 700 on buying a family for my family of 4 members. Since then, life has been a little bit better because the little cash I can raise from the selling of charcoal greatly helps me in acquiring food for the family.