I used my previous transfers and ventured into turkey farming, and my plan is to continue using my transfers to grow this venture. Currently, I have 22 turkeys, and my hope is that they continue multiplying and grow in number and value so that I may be able to sell them in the future. I have already identified a market for them, and when I sell some of them, I plan to use the proceeds to buy goats. It is my hope that these goats too will multiply and increase in number, and I will trade some of them in the future for milk cows and use the milk for my family's consumption. These cows, too, I hope, will multiply and increase in number so that I may be able to sell some in the future. I want to have a variety of livestock on my farm so that I may sell some and start a kiosk where I will be selling non-perishable goods and have a daily income-generating source for daily sustenance for my family. Thereafter, I plan to build a rental house in the future to have a consistent income-generating project. To build this house, I will use the proceeds I will make from selling some of my livestock. Since we consider livestock our banks, leveraging the transfers to invest in livestock is a proactive step to creating a reliable and growing asset base that can provide for my family's needs even after the transfers come to an end.

The transfers came in at a time when we were preparing our farms, getting ready for the rainy season to do planting, hence have some food security. I therefore spent $15 of my recent transfers to prepare my farm, all excited about the bountiful harvest that I would get. Unfortunately, there were no rains, but a lot of very strong winds instead, which destroyed all our farms in our region, exposing us to drought and hunger. Now, due to the drought and hunger that befell us, I had to spend another $58 to buy food for my family, ensuring that we wouldn't go hungry. Additionally, I had invested my previous transfers in turkey farming, and to make sure that my turkeys grew healthy, I spent $4 to buy some medicine and food for them. Finally, I spent the remaining $25 to pay school fees for my children, ensuring that they won't get returned home but stay in school and concentrate on their studies. Maintaining children's education during times of crisis is essential for their long-term development and well-being

I plan to use my upcoming transfers to further expand my livestock holdings. In addition to rearing turkeys, I aim to invest in goats initially and eventually move on to purchasing cows. By diversifying my livestock, I hope to create multiple streams of income that will support my family's needs. The financial support from Give Directly has been instrumental in transforming our lives. With the assistance received, I have been able to overcome the financial challenges that once burdened my family. Now, I no longer struggle to provide for my loved ones, and I am grateful for the stability and security that the transfers have brought into our lives.

Before joining the Give Directly cash program, financial hardships were a constant challenge in my life. As a farmer, my income from selling produce and livestock was insufficient to meet my family's needs, including food and education for my four children. However, since enrolling in the program, I have experienced a significant improvement in our circumstances. I allocated $65 from my recent transfers to pay school fees for all four of my children, ensuring that their education continues uninterrupted. With one in university, another in college, one in secondary school, and the youngest in primary school, education costs were a significant concern, but the transfers have eased this burden. Recognizing the need for diversification, I invested $22 in purchasing animal feed for the turkeys I now rear. This decision stemmed from the realization that poultry farming posed fewer risks of disease compared to raising hens. Currently, I have 13 turkeys, and I am optimistic about their potential to multiply and generate income for my family through sales in the future. To meet our immediate needs, I allocated $16 for food purchases, ensuring that my family has an adequate supply of nourishment. The financial stability afforded by the transfers has brought relief and security to our household, enabling us to navigate life's challenges more comfortably. I am truly grateful for the support provided by Give Directly, which has had a transformative impact on our lives.

I am involved in a small-scale poultry enterprise, where I raise and sell hens. The current chicken coop is quite limited in size, constraining the number of hens I can accommodate. My aim is to accumulate sufficient funds to construct a larger coop, allowing for the expansion of my poultry stock. This expansion will significantly boost my income through increased hen sales. I am delighted that the transfer funds have supported diversifying my income streams, addressing my family's necessities.

From my transfers, I managed to save $68 with the specific intention of covering my son's school fees as he enters his final year of secondary education. The school, situated in Busia, requires a payment of $300 at the start of the term. To secure his education, I prioritized saving this amount, supplementing it with income from other sources. Additionally, last October, I allocated $25 to facilitate my son's transportation home when the schools closed for the holidays. With the remaining $14, I purchased food to partake in joyful festivities with my family during the holiday season. I am deeply grateful for the invaluable financial assistance from Give Directly, which has played a crucial role in ensuring my son's access to quality education.

I am currently aiming to further develop my thriving poultry venture. My primary goal is to establish a strong financial foundation beyond the five-year period of financial support. I am genuinely pleased that the funds have played a pivotal role in alleviating the significant burden on my shoulders in terms of providing for my family's needs.

Life took a challenging turn following the loss of my job in 2016. In response, I focused my efforts on tending to my livestock, yet the persistence of drought resulted in the unfortunate loss of most animals, leaving me with just three cows. The milk yield from these cows was meager due to the scarcity of nourishing pastures. At a crucial juncture, Give Directly intervened by providing monthly cash stipends, which I allocated toward initiating a poultry venture. My current endeavor involves the nurturing of twenty hens. Once these hens mature, their market value ranges from $5 to $15, dependent on size and weight. This development has brought me contentment as it offers a newfound source of income that supports both my livelihood and my family's needs. In the recent allocation of my July transfers, $10 was dedicated to constructing a spacious, well-designed enclosure for the hens. This effort aims to bolster their production rates, subsequently amplifying the profits generated. The remaining $24 was directed towards purchasing food for my family after our provisions ran low. The steady assistance from these transfers is a source of profound satisfaction for me.

My target is to make poultry farming my principal source of income. Because they are in more demand than any other animal, I feel they will make it easier for me to raise funds in the future to meet my family's requirements. I currently possess about 50 hens, the majority of which I obtained from prior cash transfers. I intend to procure more chickens in the future to grow the flock. Also, as their number increases, they will require a larger shed. This is why I want to build a more spacious cage to accommodate the chickens as they breed and multiply. 

Although hunger is a major issue in my household, I usually try not to spend all the money I get on food. I still have three children in school who solely count on me to pay their school fees and support their education. After I received the transfer, I spent $10 on buying books for my son who had recently joined junior high school. At the time of his admission, I did not have enough money to acquire the necessary study materials. Am glad to have bridged that gap, courtesy of the cash transfers. Also I sent $5 as pocket money to my son who is in college and paid $5 school fees for the one in primary school. I doubt if all this would have been possible without the transfer. Also, I spent the remaining $14 on food. Not only are my children studying happily, but also my household has a regular supply of meals, thanks to Give Directly. 

When I started receiving cash transfers, I began a project of rearing poultry as an investment. As of now, the flock has around 30 chickens, which requires a larger shed than the space I set aside to occupy the birds in my corridor. Were it not for financial obligations like providing food and school fees for my children, I would have built the shelter before buying the chickens. Gratefully, all is not lost as I hope to use the upcoming cash transfers to construct the shed for my poultry. I hope it is accomplished by December.

In a family of six, I am the sole breadwinner. Unfortunately, I do not have a consistent source of income other than caring for my three cows and occasionally working a casual job to supplement my family's needs. The most recent transfer was made when I was in financial difficulty. We never had enough food as a family the previous two days. With my most recent transfer, I spent $20 on food and the rest on chicken feed because I own a poultry farm. Furthermore, we rely on rainfed agriculture, which has struggled in recent years due to prolonged drought. With the transfer, I managed to provide for my six-member family, which gave me a sense of relief. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for their prompt assistance.

I was highly disappointed with the harvest I made from this season which led to nutrition being one of our biggest challenges. That is why as soon as I noticed the arrival of the funds I decided to spend KES 2,000 by purchasing a bag of maize flour which contained a dozen packets. I was left with a balance of KES 1,000 which I ended up using on treatment because I fell sick with malaria.

What GiveDirectly does well is supporting the most poor communities through monthly transfers. Through this, we are able to empower ourselves and support our families.

Before this severe drought struck our land, I was a great livestock keeper and I used to support my family through selling milk and some of the livestock. Unfortunately, all my livestock died last year after the whole land became dry and there was nothing I could give them. This is not the first or the second time this was happening to me as we are used to drought seasons but this was the most severe one. This got me thinking of venturing into another business that can survive drought and I came up with an idea of poultry farming. Since I didn't have start up capital, I decided to commit myself to saving KES 1000 per month out of the monthly transfers towards the project. I will be therefore spend the balance to buy food and pay school fees for my children.I saved KES 1000 out of the recent transfer and spend the balance to buy maize floor which can last my family (wife and four children) for a month.

That day, I was in the forest grazing and I heard a message notification but assumed it was the normal promotions messages from my network provider. When I went back home, I overheard people talking about receiving the transfers and checked my messages. I found out that I had received the transfers and I was so happy. I'm grateful for the support.

Far away from home, I'm not worried about what my family will have for breakfast or supper because I already bought them enough food.

I was a livestock keeper and that's what I fully depended on to provide for my family ( wife and four children). All my livestock died during the severe drought last year and I was left with nothing to depend on. Since I had a family to provide for, I had to look for job and my uncle offered me a job as a herdsman. He has been paying me a monthly salary of KES 3000 per month and he also allowed me to be selling milk whereby I earn KES 100 per day. When I was enrolled into the program, my goal was to start a poultry farming business. I spend KES 1000 that I received as my first transfer to buy four small sized chicken and KES 2000 to buy food which can last us for a month. I'm looking forward to spend my second transfer to build a chicken house which can accommodate them as I plan to add some more others as the yes progress.