I do not have any new goal at the moment except to continue pursuing the goals that we had. Recently we were able to purchase a plot with the help of a loan that we took. We are focused on paying back this loan before we can top it up and start construction in it. My husband is a security officer and our plan is to top up his loan and use the money to start the construction work.

In my opinion GiveDirectly did very well by giving us support in form of cash. This was a game changer to most people. The money that we received gave us a sense of pride and instilled a great sense of responsibility in us. We would not be more proud than we were as at the time we received the money from GiveDirectly. On the other hand, I felt that GiveDirectly criteria sgoujd be adjusted to include the single women who have children to take care of and are still under the same roof, sharing the same cooking point with their parents rather than enrolling men who are single and living independently. This to be will bring more positive impact.

We used KES 40000 to clear a loan that we had earlier taken to build our new house and for which we had defaulted on. The loan was hindering us from continuing with the project since we did not have access to other loans having been listed in CRB. It came at a time we were so much concerned about this loan a d how we would be able to clear it and borrow another loan. We are so grateful and excited to have received the money since it gave us an opportunity to borrow another loan that has seen us complete construction of our new house and payment of school fees. The greatest joy though is in the fact that we have been cleared from Credit Reference Bureau.

I felt a mix of emotion when I first saw the message on my phone, notifying me that I had received the GiveDirectly funds as promised. Happiness, relief, vindication - since I was skeptical at first, but chose to believe that the prospect of GiveDirectly sending me free money was real, were all emotions I was experiencing on that evening. It was around 6. 20pm, and I was alone at home, relaxing after a hard day up and about. The funds felt like a refreshing balm all over me, knowing that I could cater for my needs for a while without wondering where the funds to do the same were coming from.

In one sentence, I would say the main difference since I received the GiveDirectly transfers is that I feel more in control of my life. Before the funds, I didn't have a cow, meaning I didn't have the milk selling business as an extra revenue stream for me and my household. The cow also served as a saving mechanism, seeing as I no longer have to buy milk. We sell a litre for Kes. 35 per day, and on a good milking morning, make a decent chunk of change from the sales. Further to this, the funds allowed to reset, if you will, back to where I was prior to losing my other dairy cow two years ago from sickness, leaving us will loans to pay and no way to bring in money. The modifications to the house and buying of new furniture also elevated our social standing and our quality of life all together. We are eternally thankful to GiveDirectly and all its partners as a household and more so, as an individual, for the positive change they have brought in our lives.

I thought long and hard about how I could best utilise the funds sent to me to ensure that they made a lasting difference to both mine and my daughters life moving forward. Firstly, Kes. 35, 000 went to buying a dairy cow, to ensure a constant and steady supply of income from selling her milk, for as long as she's calving. Kes. 5, 000 went to paying school fees for my child who is in PP1 at Great Wall Academy, while Kes. 7, 000 went to buying ceramic tiles for my home and Kes. 3, 000 was allocated towards stocking up on food stuff in the house to last us for a while. The balance went to buying abed and a mattress, which had been a long overdue upgrade to the home.