I currently live in a house built of mud which is not very stable and the building poles are showing signs of weakness. It poses a risk of collapsing and compromising the entire structure. To avoid potential consequences, I have decided to rebuild my house using cement and bricks to ensure a more permanent and sturdy structure. Renovation is extremely important for me as it guarantees resilience, even during heavy rainfall. My strategy is to purchase building materials such as cement, sand, and bricks gradually. I plan to accumulate these materials incrementally until I have enough to commence the reconstruction process. I believe that rebuilding my house will ensure a more secure and durable home.

I have recently used my transfers to cover the educational expenses of my five children. My husband, who is the primary breadwinner, was struggling to meet all our financial needs with his carpentry income alone. Therefore, these transfers provided much-needed relief for our family. The funds were crucial in ensuring that our children's educational requirements were adequately addressed. One of my sons performed exceptionally well in his national examinations and earned a spot in a national school with a scholarship. During his admission, I spent $50 from the recent transfers to purchase school uniforms and all the necessary stationery. Additionally, I have another son in high school who had accumulated some fee arrears that could have led to his dismissal. To prevent any disruption in his studies, I utilized $30 of the funds, allowing him to continue his education without interruption. In a proactive effort, I've been saving $4 monthly in our local savings group, aiming to build a financial safety net for potential emergencies. During the festive season, I also spent $10 on purchasing foodstuffs and new clothes for my younger children. Lastly, I used the remaining funds to pay the fees for my three children at lower academic levels.

My primary goal is to build a new house. My husband, as the main provider, has numerous financial obligations, especially concerning our seven children's school fees. With his income from carpentry, most of it goes towards education and food expenses, leaving nothing for other needs such as building a better house. Our current dwelling structure is in poor condition, with decaying tree poles at the foundation, posing a risk of collapse. I intend to build a new mud-walled house with an iron-sheet roof. To achieve this goal, I plan to accumulate wealth through goat farming. Currently, I have six goats acquired through the cash transfers, and the herd has grown to 10 due to successful breeding. I aim to sell some of these goats and use the proceeds for building the new house. The cash transfers will also play a vital role in realizing this goal, providing the necessary financial support for construction.

Upon receiving the recent cash transfers, my top priority was supporting my children's education, particularly if they had outstanding tuition balances. I wanted to ensure that they didn't miss any classes due to unpaid fees. I allocated $20 to settle one such tuition balance and set aside $4 to purchase books for their education. Additionally, I used $25 to buy a goat, which increased my herd to 10 goats. I'm delighted that six of these goats were acquired through the cash transfers, and some of them even gave birth to four kids, further expanding the herd. I also used $10 to buy three hens for rearing. Furthermore, I spent $18 on clothing for three of my children. At the time, their old clothes were tattered and worn out, but due to previous financial constraints, I couldn't afford to buy them new clothing. However, with the recent harvest of food, I got a chance to spend some of the cash transfers on their clothing. I also paid $10 in rent for my son, who is in secondary school and resides in a rented space near his school. This rental arrangement requires a payment of $5 every week, so I covered his expenses for two months. I used the remaining amount to buy foodstuffs like sugar and cooking oil. I'm grateful that the cash transfers have allowed me to contribute to our household needs and alleviate some of the financial burden on my husband, who works as a carpenter to provide for our seven children, all of whom are in school.

As the household's breadwinner, my husband works as a carpenter to provide for our six children and me. Even though his earnings have been able to put food on the table for most days, it has been challenging to cover other needs beyond the food. To date, owning a more spacious and stable house is still a dream that my husband and I wish to accomplish in the coming years. Our current dwelling is in poor condition, with a worn-out tin roof. I aspire to help build a more solid structure to provide better shelter for my family.

Ever since I started receiving the cash transfers, I began saving $10 monthly through a merry-go-round club operating in my home compound. I was careful to set aside the same amount from the previous funds. Next month, I anticipate receiving a lump sum from my savings. With this amount, I plan to purchase two goats to add to my livestock and pay school fees for my six children. By the time I received the money, there was a debt at school, and my two children were sent home until the fees would be settled. Thankfully, I used $10 to cover the debt, and my children happily resumed their studies. I am relieved that this term's tuition has been taken care of, allowing them to study without disruptions. I obtained chickens with the remaining amount to continue my rearing venture, which am sure will prove useful in building a source of funds. 

In a close-by market square, I run a food store. My primary source of income has been the $6 earnings I make each day from it, but it is insufficient to meet the requirements of the eight people in my household. Three of our six kids have finished their secondary school, while the other three have not. Being a part of the program was the best decision. I spent $92 on two goats and six chickens to raise over the past three months in an effort to increase our household's livelihood. In the future, once they have multiplied, I plan to sell some of them to generate income for our household expenses. I also spent $10 on food for our household. I also spent $10 on food for our household. We are appreciative of the organization's assistance, and in a year, I think our level of life will rise.

GiveDirectly diligently enrolled everyone in the village without favoritism, providing a clear explanation of the project's requirements. Because they were eager to ensure that we understood every aspect of the program, the friendly nature of their staff made us feel at ease to ask questions and get clarification at any time. No one in the village objects to the approach, but we are grateful for the equal transfers that hit our accounts every month.

A year ago, I had six children in school who would keep me awake at night trying to figure out where their school fees were coming from. I was relieved when three of them completed their final exams, leaving the other three to continue. When GiveDirectly came in to help with the cash transfer, the burden of paying their school fees was further sliced in half. When I received the second transfer, I spent $20 on paying tuition for the three children who were then allowed to attend all classes without interruption until the end of the term. I also spent $7.5 on three chickens at $2.5 each, which I am currently rearing in the hopes of benefiting from their products in the future. I already had six other chickens, some with chicks, totaling 29 birds. Despite the fact that I have been earning money from the sale of their eggs, my current priority is to allow them to reproduce and then sell them and use the proceeds to purchase goats in the future. I used the remaining $2.5 to buy groceries for my family of eight.

I rarely receive any messages late in the evening and when I got a message notification at around 8 pm, I wondered what it was for. Upon checking, I got so excited when I confirmed that Give Directly had sent me the transfer as they had promised. I thanked God for the gift and prayed to Him that he bless GiveDirectly so that they can support more people. I was happy because I knew I would finally clear my children's school fees arrears.

The biggest difference in my daily life is having been able to clear the school fees balance for my children. Usually, the school term would end while I still owed the school some arrears because of our low income. We depend on my spouse as the main income earner but his business is seasonal and since it is not well-established, he does not get a surplus for savings. I am glad that I was able to clear the fee balance early in the term.

I had a school fees arrears of KES 600 for my two primary school-going children. When I received the transfer, immediately used part of the transfer to clear the fee balance. I am glad I do not owe the school any balance for this term. I was also able to buy two additional chickens worth KES 500 for rearing to add to the few that I already had hoping to sell them in the future for an income. We usually depend on my spouse who works as a carpenter for food and other necessities but due to the election environment, there was little work to do. Therefore, I am glad the transfers came in handy when we needed them most.