I have set a new goal: to buy more goats and raise them at home to support my family, especially my children's education. It's always a struggle to ensure they can attend school because I lack enough livestock to sell, which would help me easily afford their schooling. Therefore, I plan to use part of my earnings from casual jobs and save about $10 from transfers each month to buy a significant number of goats and build a large herd. I believe this is the best way to secure my family's future, especially when this program comes to an end. Additionally, having a herd will provide me with financial security; if one of my children is sent home for unpaid fees, I can sell a goat to send them back to school.

When I received the cash transfers, I used about $30 to pay for my son's school fees, as he is currently in Form 3. It's been a challenge to ensure he gets a good education, especially since I don't have a stable job and often rely on raising cattle for friends in exchange for a small payment, which barely covers our needs. As a result, my son was frequently sent out of class, which was very demotivating for him. However, since GiveDirectly came into my life, I have felt a sense of relief; it's now rare for him to be sent home because I usually send a portion of the transfers each month. Additionally, I spent $20 to buy a goat and $14 on a chicken, but unfortunately, the chicken died from a viral disease. I am hopeful that the goat will reproduce, and soon I will have a larger herd. I believe that with an increased herd size, I will be better able to meet my family's needs. Later, I used $18 to buy an iron sheet to renovate my house, as one part of it was leaking. I was glad to fix it, as this will prevent me from getting wet during the rainy season. I also spent $16 on spare parts to repair my bicycle, which has been incredibly helpful for transporting water from the dams to my home. With the remaining $4, I bought food for my family, which has been essential for us, and I truly appreciate it.

In the coming year and beyond, my dream is to gain more funds so that I can ensure my children receive a good education, even as they transition to higher levels of learning. I believe this is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty that has plagued us for years. Additionally, I aim to buy more iron sheets to complete the renovation of our house, which has been leaking badly and causing us so much discomfort. I am confident that once I achieve these goals, I will no longer worry about these issues, and our living conditions will improve significantly. I hope to accomplish these dreams with the incoming transfers, and I am determined to make the most of this opportunity.

Since I never got a chance to go to school, I have had the urge to see all my children get a quality education because the life I live in is too difficult due to my illiteracy, and I never want any of my children to go through it. Therefore, I have decided to make education a priority, and I will spend a total of $39 to clear the fees for my three children. It's my pleasure and joy to see them in school without missing classes as they used to. Knowing they have the opportunity I missed fills me with pride and hope for their future. I also bought a few iron sheets for the renovation of my house, which has been leaking, and I am grateful for this step, even though I have not renovated the whole house. I am sure that with the incoming transfers, I will renovate the whole roof. The relief of having a dry home during the rainy season is immense, and I eagerly anticipate completing the renovation. Additionally, I bought two chickens that I have been keeping on my homestead, and they are now my assets that I can rely on. With the remaining amount, I bought food for my family, which sustained us for a while. The stability that this support has brought us feels transformative. The assistance from GiveDirectly has not only alleviated immediate burdens but has also paved the way for a more hopeful future for my family.

I've been saving up and planning to get some goats. It might seem like a small step, but it's a big one for me. These goats will serve multiple purposes. Firstly, they'll act as my financial security. I can sell them or exchange them for a cow later on, which will be a significant asset for my family. Secondly, having my own livestock will bring me a sense of ownership ,happiness and pride. It's not just about keeping animals for others; I want to have something that's truly mine. Currently, the little I earn from selling milk only covers the smaller needs of my family. But with goats of my own, I'll have a sustainable source of income that can help us thrive in the long term. It's a simple dream, but one that holds immense importance for me and my loved ones.

This time, I used $55 of the quartely transfer to buy 5 metal sheets for my leaking house, bringing me one step closer to transforming it into a more comfortable home. With determination, I've been steadily working towards this goal, and it feels incredible to see it becoming a reality. Another $20 went towards paying school fees for my 5 children, ensuring they can continue their education without interruption. As for the remaining funds, I allocated them to food expenses, purchasing instant sugar and relish since I already have maize from my harvest. Additionally, I earn around $15 a month from taking care of some cows that were left under my care, which primarily goes towards supporting my children's education. Being the sole provider for my family of 6, with 4 children depending on me, every dollar counts. With these improvements, I'm filled with hope that soon, when the rains come, I won't have to worry about being rained on while sleeping anymore.

Once the construction of my house is completed next month, I intend to invest my future transfers in acquiring livestock. With three children currently attending primary school, this livestock investment will provide a valuable opportunity for me to generate income in the future. If circumstances arise where I am unable to afford their school fees, I can sell some of the livestock to cover the expenses. The possibility of ensuring my children's education fills me with immense happiness and gratitude for the financial support I have received.

My house was in a state of disrepair, covered in overgrown grass. As a casual laborer heavily reliant on subsistence farming, my income is limited, making it impossible for me to afford house repairs. However, I am currently filled with joy because I have utilized my transfers to purchase iron sheets. I have already used a portion of these sheets to cover the roof of my house. So far, I have spent the entire $102 on purchasing the necessary iron sheets. My house now looks remarkable, with only a small section remaining to be fixed, which I plan to complete at the end of this month. Thanks to the transfers, even with today's rainfall, my house will remain protected from leaking.

My focus is to complete the renovation of the leaking roof of my house. The uncomfortable state during rainy times has deprived me of my peace of mind. Currently, I have replaced six iron sheets and hopefully, by December of this year, I will have fully replaced the old iron sheets. As per my projection, if all conditions remain constant, I will be living in a comfortable house by the month of December this year courtesy of the transfers.

I bought two iron sheets for $18 as per my commitment after receiving the most recent transfer. The aim is to renovate the roofing of my house since the current iron sheets are worn-out and leaking excessively as the rainy season has just started. This forces me to replace two old iron sheets with new ones every month after getting the transfer. I could have completed the renovation if the whole amount could be used for the same project but hunger could not allow me to invest every coin on the iron sheets. For the remaining $16 I bought some maize flour so that I could take a break from the tiring charcoal-burning business which has been the only source of income though insufficient to cater for the basic needs.

By the end of the year, I wish to have repaired my roof whose iron sheets have rusted over time, which makes water leak in whenever it rains. The plan is to secure 22 pieces of iron sheets and other roofing materials first, then hire a builder to take on the exercise. Having already acquired four pieces through the cash transfers and my savings, I plan to continue saving enough for the rest. 

My wife and four children solely count on me to provide for their needs, such as food and school fees. To raise money for these essentials, I make and sell charcoal, a practice that hardly puts regular meals on the table. Gratefully, the cash transfers have played a significant role not only in keeping my children in school and providing food but also in improving our living standards as my house now uses solar energy for lighting. Last year, I acquired a solar energy system on credit, and I have been repaying the debt monthly; this is how I spent $10 from the recent transfer. I bought two hens for $15 to let them breed and grow the flock as I could sell them to raise funds whenever am stuck. I used the remaining $9 to buy food to boost the little that was left in stock. In December, I paid $10 to the solar company, bought two pieces of iron sheets for $17 to repair the corroded ones on my roof, and spent the rest on food. In November, I spent the entire transfer to settle tuition debts for my children so that they could be allowed to take their end-of-year examinations. 

Giving us unconditional transfers to improve our living standards is what GiveDirectly does well. We have had many organisations coming to help but we never felt a direct impact like GiveDirectly's cash program. Through the transfers, we have been able to meet our needs with ease, be it fees for our children or buying adequate food for our families. I do not see anything that GiveDirectly does not do well.

My main source of livelihood has been burning and selling charcoal for years. The earnings from it were however not enough to take care of my family's basic needs like food and water, which I have to buy every day. My living house also required an immediate renovation since its roof is old and dilapidated. I was not able to meet the cost of buying new iron sheets to replace the roof. Getting the support helped me take care of my immediate needs like food and fees for my children using the first transfer. I am happy that my children were allowed to continue with their studies without interruptions on fees. I am also grateful because I am now able to save some money every month to buy the iron sheets I need. My goal is to buy a total of 22 pieces and to start with, I purchased 3 pieces using the second transfer.

I was at home, unwinding in my room, thinking about ways to make money to cover my daughter's school fees. I instantly checked my phone after a short while when I noticed a message notification. I was shocked to learn that I had received my first transfer. In delight, I jumped up and down as I exited my home and entered the compound to inform my wife the good news. In celebration of that pleasant event, we both started dancing. Knowing that the transfer will be important in assisting my kid in continuing her education made me delighted.

The fact that I was unable to obtain the necessary funds to keep my daughter in school caused me a great deal of worry. I couldn't afford to let her down by failing to pay the school fees on time since I know how meticulous she is. I'm delighted that the transfer had a significant influence on keeping her in school and allowing her to take her midterm test at my most challenging financial period.

I have always pushed my children to study hard and do well in school so they may have a promising future. My oldest child is currently in class 8, where she is preparing for her last primary school exam before moving on to secondary school. She has continued to put in more effort in class despite frequently being sent home for not paying her school fees. This has inspired me to put in additional effort at work so that I can pay her tuition on time. I now sell charcoal, but my business hasn't been performing well since clients prefer to utilize firewood, which is a cheap and accessible fuel source. When I got my transfer, I used it all to cover my daughter's tuition so she could stay in school and complete her education with the least amount of disruption possible. I'm happy that my daughter was able to take the midterm exams thanks to the transfer and was not sent home.