I currently own six goats and three cows. My strategy is to focus on investing in goats because they have the advantage of multiplying quickly. This allows me to sell them or trade them for cows in the future. My goal is to exchange mature goats for dairy cows, enabling me to milk the cow and sell the milk to hotels and shops. I plan to use the income from milk sales to improve my future and that of my family.

The rainy season approached, signaling it was time for me, a farmer and livestock raiser, to till my four acres of land and produce food to sell. Using my transfers, I spent $34 to hire someone to till the land. I planted maize, anticipating a harvest that I can sell and use for food. Additionally, I saved $64 with the goal of purchasing a goat. A goat costs around $50, and I plan to continue saving until I can afford two goats. Currently, I already have six goats, and I see investing in goats as a wise decision because they multiply easily and can be sold when needed. With the remaining $4, I had maize grounded into flour for food. This investment in farming and livestock is essential for sustaining my family and generating income for the future.

Investing in livestock has proven to be a valuable asset, with their value increasing over time. Looking ahead, my goal for the coming year and beyond is to further expand my livestock holdings, particularly focusing on acquiring more goats. With the funds provided by the transfers, I can currently afford to make these purchases. My strategy involves eventually trading some of these goats for a dairy cow. By transitioning into dairy farming, I aim to generate income through milk sales, which will significantly contribute to my financial stability. This shift represents a step towards creating sustainable wealth for myself and my family. I'm grateful for the financial support from the transfers, as it has enabled me to stabilize my income and pursue opportunities for wealth creation through livestock investments.

My primary income comes from livestock rearing and providing plowing services on neighboring farms for a fee. However, maintaining my plow, crucial for this work, has been financially challenging due to frequent repairs. Thanks to the financial assistance from Give Directly, I've been able to afford these repairs, allowing me to continue offering my plowing services and earning income. Recently, I allocated $29 to repair the plow, enabling me to capitalize on the rainy season and increase my earnings. Moreover, I invested $34 in purchasing a goat, expanding my livestock holdings. With a total of six goats and three cows, I anticipate their numbers will multiply, providing future opportunities to sell and generate additional income. Additionally, I allocated $19 towards purchasing food, ensuring my family's nutritional needs are met without any shortages. Recognizing the importance of helping family members in need, I also lent $20 to my younger brother to purchase iron sheets for his leaking house. It's satisfying to be in a position to assist loved ones thanks to the financial stability provided by the transfers. Overall, I'm grateful for the support that has alleviated my financial struggles and empowered me to improve my livelihood.

As I said I am an animal herder and I take care of peoples animals in the neighbourhood at a price, between $1 to $5 weekly depending on the number of animals the person has and their financial abilities. This means I make very little. I would want to make more money through other avenues. Our people till their land using ox ploughs, I have two young bulls that I would want to put to work very soon. My goal is to buy the plough which goes for about $6 to $8 which I will use for the bulls and hire them out for people who need their land tilled increasing my sources of income.

I am an animal herder and I double up as a farmer but before the rains started this year I had been off farming for a while. In October the rains were still on here and I felt it was a good time to plant, I spent $30 to prepare the land for planting. However the rains were so heavy we lost a good chunk of what we had planted and hence I repeated the process on in December and I stay hopeful since the intensity of the rain went down that we will harvest off this planting season. The $4 left from both months went into milling maize that had been harvested earlier on. In November I got myself another goat at $36 where I added my own proceeds and now I have three goats of my own.

In the upcoming year, my goal is to expand my goat herd beyond the current eight. This investment holds significant promise as the goats, through reproduction, can not only augment my initial capital but also offer potential sales for meeting my future financial requirements. I am truly grateful for the financial assistance we've received, particularly during the extended period of drought, as it has greatly eased our financial struggles.

I generate income by raising livestock, consisting of eight animals in total, four goats and four cows. My primary source of revenue is the sale of milk from the dairy cows, which amounts to $1. This income has been instrumental in providing for my family of three, covering essential expenses like food. I am deeply appreciative of the financial support I receive through these transfers, as they have greatly assisted me in navigating various challenges. However, the $1 generated from milk sales falls short in meeting our family's needs, which include school fees and additional food expenses. Given our surplus of food following a successful harvest, I decided to allocate my August transfers towards purchasing an additional goat for $30, thereby expanding our livestock holdings. This strategic investment in livestock serves as a safeguard for the future, offering a valuable asset that can be utilized during times of necessity. Furthermore, I utilized the remaining $4 from the transfers to acquire supplementary food provisions for my family.

Because I do not have an alternative source of income except to rely on my cows. I have a goal of increasing my herd. I had suffered a big blow by losing over ten cows to drought. I have been using oxen to help me to plow so that I can earn a little income. I also obtain free milk from my cows. For the rest of this year, I hope to buy more goats that I will sell later to buy additional cows. Newly acquired livestock will add to the current three that have survived the prolonged drought in our area. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for its cash transfer that has made me resilient to the dry spell witnessed in our region.

Currently, I do not have any formal job. I have been keeping livestock as my primary source of livelihood. I used to have a large herd of cattle, 15 cows. However, due to drought, I lost 12 cows and three left. I am glad as a result of the monthly transfers, I have acquired additional six goats. My wife over-rely on subsistence farming that does not yield adequate food for the family due to back-to-drought. From my recent transfer, I spent $34 on a goat. I opted to invest in livestock because they are live assets that can be of help in the future. I am hopeful that with this venture, my family will experience some improvement in our living condition.

I intend on investing on my farm this year by buying a couple of farm animals. Ideally, I would have loved to buy a couple of cows, but unfortunately they are quite expensive in the market, and with the money I receive, I cannot afford one. Therefore, I came up with a plan that I would purchase goats, and then eventually, when I had enough, I would go ahead and sell them so that I could buy livestock. I have so far managed to buy four goats, which I'm quite happy about. Apart from that, I will also ensure that I look into your tuition for the family, especially since we're experiencing quite severe climate changes that do not support any farming.

My herd of cattle died because of the previous year's prolonged drought. This situation stressed me out because I was overly reliant on livestock and subsistence farming. As a result, I experienced a sudden negative change in my way of life, which interfered with the way of life of my family. I began purchasing goats to restore my fortune as soon as I was enrolled in GiveDirectly's program. I had a single cow that survived the drought and had given me hope that I can be able to start raising more livestock. I spent $36 on a lactating goat during the recent transfer. I'm glad it's gradually improved my way of life. I had resolved to continue purchasing additional goats to help my three-person family.

I constructed a house with the last three months' transfers but I ran out of funds to purchase a door. I since then improvised one using a papyrus reed mat. When I received my fourth transfer I spent KES 1000 on a new door. I am happy the construction is now complete and I now think of purchasing seats since the house is more secure. Besides, we had been struggling to live each day with at least a meal a day due to the drastic increase in food commodities, especially corn. I, therefore, spent KES 3500 on 16 kilograms of corn flour for our family consumption. I also bought a goat at KES 2500 intending to sell them when they get to 10 in number to raise money for purchasing a cow for paying my wife's dowry. It was devastating to witness my wife and children being taken away by her family because I could not afford her dowry. I need my family back and I believe with the help of the transfers I will be able to raise enough money to clear her dowry. I still have KES 2000 saved.

The lesser communities have been uplifted and given a chance to hope for a better future as the unconditional transfers ensure better planning and great investments among the people.

The lack of adequate funds to sustain a family is a major setback and being self-employed comes with its own fair share of challenges. I live with my mum and siblings and as the breadwinner, a lot of responsibilities follow. I had been married to one wife and together we were blessed with two children; though we separated for a while as I was not able to pay up the dowry amount. On a daily basis, I sell milk to a nearby hotel after milking the livestock I rare. The KES 3000 received really impacted me positively, as I was able to purchase maize seedlings at KES 500 to at least offer the hope of fresh food produce from the farm in the near future. The remaining KES 2500, I saved up whereby I would use KES 500 to buy food supplements and the remainder KES 2000 use it to purchase other farm produce such as fertilizers and pay the labour cost for ploughing.

Being a livestock farmer, I usually graze my cow in the nearby field on a daily basis. I received the MPESA text message while in the field and was so happy. I withdrew the funds the same day and put to good use by buying food.

The major impact on receiving the funds has been that I have been able to stock up food supplements in the house since what was there was already finished.

Being the breadwinner of the family and having separated with my wife, I have been trying to make ends meet by all means to provide for my two kids who are schooling. I have no constant job which I receive a monthly income hence finances have been a major issue. I am a livestock farmer but due to drought, several of my cows died and was left with one which I milk and sell the milk to a nearby hotel with the proceeds buying food for my family. The KES 1200 received from GiveDirectly played a major role in adding to the food supplements of the household hence no sleeping without eating.