Joining a driving school has always been a dream of mine, as I know the skills that I am going to gain will be invaluable for my future because I believe that they will open opportunities for me. To bring this dream to life, I have been diligently saving a portion of my transfers, with the hope of enrolling early next year. My initial plan was to join this year, but life had other plans. I fell ill and had to prioritize my health, using the money I had saved to cover my hospital bills. Although it was a setback, I am deeply thankful to have regained my health, and I am now more determined than ever to pursue this goal. Looking ahead, I am filled with hope and excitement at the thought of finally enrolling in driving school next year. Once I complete the course, I plan to continue saving a portion of my transfers to start a small kiosk selling fast-moving consumer goods. This business will provide a means to support my family while I seek opportunities to put my new skills to use. I am profoundly grateful for the support I have received, as it has not only helped me through challenging times but also reignited my hope for a brighter future. This assistance is truly a stepping stone toward a better life, and I am committed to making the most of it.

Our region has been severely impacted by a devastating drought and widespread hunger. This has forced us to go extreme distances in search of water since there is none nearby. Everything has dried up. This situation has been very challenging, and securing basic necessities like water has become an expensive and overwhelming burden. However, I am deeply grateful for the support I have received from GiveDirectly, which has truly been a lifeline during this difficult time. I, therefore, used $55 from my recent transfers to purchase food and water for my family, ensuring we could get through these trying times. While the cost of water continues to strain our pockets, this assistance has brought immense relief, and I cannot imagine how we would have managed without it. With a strong desire to build a brighter future, I saved $15 of my transfers, hoping to enroll in driving school next year. I believe this skill will open doors to new opportunities and enable me to develop myself further. Finally, I spent the remaining $14 to buy clothes as a gift to myself, allowing me to feel confident and look presentable. It brought me a sense of joy and dignity, which means a great deal to me. I am incredibly thankful for the support and optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead.

I currently work on a construction site and am also building my own one-room house. Having lived with my parents, I long for the privacy and comfort of my own space. I began construction in June and hope to complete it within three months.Once my house is finished, my next goal is to enroll in driving school. I believe obtaining a driving license will open up opportunities for me to find driving work, such as driving matatus, to support my family and meet our needs.

I am excited to be in the midst of building my own home, starting with a single room. Having lived with my parents, I am looking forward to the privacy and comfort of my own space. I began this journey in June and hope to complete the house within three months. With the recent transfer, I invested $99 in essential building materials, such as metal nails and sand. The remaining $3 was used to buy food for my family, ensuring we have enough to sustain us for the week.

I don't have any goals for the coming year and beyond, as I'm solely focused on building my own house. I don't have a house yet, and I really want to have one before I get married. I've put all my energy into this project, and I've already started purchasing building materials. In fact, I'm almost done with it. Once that's done, I'll start saving a portion of my income every month to accumulate enough money for the builder. Building this house properly will give me peace of mind and I'll be proud to own a house. It will also enable me to focus on the next steps. Additionally, it will remind me of the support I received from Give Directly once it comes to an end. I am truly grateful for Give Directly for their support.

I don't have a house, so currently, I sleep at my brother's house, who lives far away. But when he's around, he needs his privacy because he has friends over to chat. For this reason, I also need my privacy, which is why I'm working extra hard to ensure I build my own house. Therefore, when I received my most recent transfer, I allocated the whole $102 to buy poles since I had bought some iron sheets. I will continue to buy the required building materials, set them down, and then call the builder after saving the money to pay the builder. I'm grateful because if it weren't for GiveDirectly, it would have taken me so long to buy these items, so I am very thankful.

I have several goals on my agenda that I'm eager to accomplish in the near future. Firstly, I aim to have my house finished by the end of April. This milestone will mark the perfect timing for me to transition into my own residence and lay the groundwork for my family's future. Following the completion of my home, I intend to enroll in a driving course. Acquiring driving skills will not only broaden my horizons but also enhance my employment prospects, potentially leading to better-paying job opportunities. I'm deeply appreciative of the support provided by Give Directly, which has played a crucial role in realizing some of my aspirations.

I've been residing at my brother's place while considering my future plans to start a family. Recognizing the importance of saving for my own home, I've begun setting aside my monthly transfers. Over the course of three months, I managed to accumulate $102, which I then utilized to acquire 16 new iron sheets, a step toward realizing my goal of constructing a new residence. My occupation as a casual laborer brings occasional uncertainties in income. However, the consistent monthly transfers provided by Give Directly offer me assurance in achieving my housing aspirations. Additionally, these transfers have enabled me to make strategic investments, such as purchasing five hens and three goats. These livestock acquisitions represent a promising venture for the future, as they hold the potential to multiply and enhance my initial investment. I am sincerely appreciative of the ongoing support extended to me by Give Directly.

I finished college last year, but I have not been fortunate to find a job. Currently, I earn a living as a laborer on construction sites, but the work is typically temporary and does not offer substantial payment . My primary goal for this year is to enroll in a driving school and obtain a driver's license. I plan to allocate a portion of my transfers to make this dream a reality, and I aim to complete my training by the end of the year. Obtaining a driver's license will open up opportunities for higher paying driving jobs, which I believe will be a significant improvement over my current employment situation. I am immensely thankful to Give Directly for their support, which has been a beacon of hope in my life, inspiring me to strive for a better tomorrow.

Receiving these transfers has profoundly transformed my life for the better. Previously, life was a struggle, and affording even the most basic necessities seemed like a challenge. Thanks to the support provided by Give Directly, I was able to not only meet my immediate needs but also take meaningful steps toward securing a brighter future. With the transfers received, I wisely allocated $22 to purchase essential iron roofing sheets, laying the foundation for the construction of my own house. In addition to addressing my shelter needs, I spent $34 from the transfers to purchase food. This was a critical lifeline, as I had been struggling to put food on the table before this assistance arrived. The relief of knowing I could now provide nourishment for myself and my family was immeasurable. Furthermore, I decided to invest $30 in acquiring a goat to expand my existing brood. With careful nurturing, I intend to rear these goats to maturity, eventually selling them at a profit. This endeavor holds the promise of a sustainable source of income, further improving my financial stability. I used the remaining $16 to cover my daily needs. This ensured that I could continue to meet the everyday expenses required to maintain a decent standard of living. These transfers have not only alleviated immediate hardships but have also set me on a path toward self-sufficiency and a more secure future.

Currently, I am planning to take a driving course as it will enable me to acquire some new skills. Despite this, I will be able to attend classes and still look for some work to do when I am free. Having a valid drivers license is important as one can easily get a job even if it is for a few hours. At the moment, I do not have money that I will use in facilitating this since I recently used the savings that I had to purchase some goats as an investment. I work at a grocery store and I am planning to start saving part of my daily earnings for this purpose while I use a fraction of what will remain to cater for my daily needs.

I was down financially, living in a rented house and had KES 400 that I was saving for food. At this time, I was so sick but I had no money to spare for medication. Upon receiving the recent transfer, I spent KES 2500 from it on my medication and KES 400 as transport to and from the hospital. I glad that am recuperating well and for the last two days, I have at least been able to engage on some work. Using the remaining amount, I bought food to last for some days since I knew that it would take me some days before resuming work fully and I did not want to reach a point where I did not have food in the house.

I have always wanted to invest in poultry farming but have never been able to do so due to financial constraints. In the next two months, I plan to venture into this business to rescue myself from the tiresome casual labor which does not pay me much. I plan to save at least $15 per month from my casual jobs which I will top up with my subsequent transfers to raise $50 for a start. I will then use the income from this poultry project to enroll in a college course.

I spent my most recent transfers on buying enough foodstuffs for my family and new clothes. The past few months have really been tough, due to the increase in the prices of the most important basic need for me especially food. Doing subsistence farming that could have ensured that food is enough is no longer possible due to the prevailing effects of drought. I do not have a stable source of income as I mainly rely on casual construction jobs which at times are not available. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for the transfers because, despite the challenges of failing to secure a casual job, I am assured of receiving money every month. This is a great relief for me and gives me peace of mind, knowing that my basic needs will be fulfilled with ease, even when I fail to get a job.

We had previously seen other organizations provide assistance to a specific group of people, and when we first heard about GiveDirectly, we expected the same approach. The initial meeting was eye-opening in that it informed us about how the program will work and that everyone had the opportunity to receive the free cash transfer with no strings attached. This was exciting news that everyone anticipated, and I am glad we weren't disappointed. All promises were kept, and we hope to enjoy the transfer receipt for the next five months. We are grateful for GiveDirectly's hard work and hope that all other villages will benefit from it as well.

Drought has been devastating in recent months, rendering all of our farming activities ineffective. This has resulted in widespread hunger not only for my family but also for the entire village. Getting a daily meal has been difficult, particularly for my large family of 13, because we could not always afford enough food. I was relieved when four of my family members received the transfer and we had to pool our resources to purchase enough food and other household items. I spent $28 from my most recent transfer on a bag of maize flour that we had been using in our household. Other family members who received the same transfer used their contribution to pay school fees and other household bills. I also used the remaining $2 to purchase two chicks, which I intend to rear and multiply in the future. Even though we are enjoying the transfer, I am still working hard to earn money from the casual labor I was doing.

I had an irregular source of income, which caused us to struggle most of the time, particularly during the campaigning period. We missed meals on several occasions, which was upsetting to me. When I received my transfer, I felt so fortunate. My heart rejoiced, and the sense of relief I felt at the time was indescribable. That was a special day for me, and I will remember it for the rest of my life. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for considering our village for program implementation.

After I lost my previous flock of domestic fowl, I had no other venture or source of income other than over-reliance on casual jobs. That means that if I had an emergency, I would only be able to borrow money from my neighbors. However, I have noticed a positive change in my life since receiving my transfer: I have re-invested in keeping domestic fowl. Though I cannot see the benefit right now, I am optimistic that in three months, my three chicks will have begun laying eggs, increasing their number. It will be extremely beneficial to us shortly.

I spent KES 600 of my KES 1,200 transfer on buying three chicks. Previously, I was breeding local domestic fowls, but they died due to an outbreak of unknown diseases. As a result, I've been aiming to start over, but I didn't have the capital to do so. With a greater number of domestic fowl, I will be able to supplement my income. The remainder assisted in purchasing food because we did not have some. I do not have a source of income and would struggle to support my family.