My life is currently different because the money has enabled me to buy livestock, which include a heifer, and pair of oxen that I am currently keeping in my homestead. I would not have achieved to buy these at my cost. It would have taken me years to have them. Besides these livestock being assets to me, they will also help me in my farming. I have also been able to clear school fees for my children on time and they have been allowed to school to continue with their studies without any interruptions.

What GiveDirectly does well is improving the lives of many. Before then, we were in total poverty with no hopes at all of upgrading our own lives. As at now, the money has greatly brought a huge impact, since we have managed to build new houses, we have been able to educate our children without much struggle as well fending for ourselves has never been a challenge. I do not see anything that GiveDirectly does not do well.

I had always desired to have effective tools that would help me in my farming. Thus to improve on farming, I took KES 40000 of my second transfer on purchasing a pair of oxen. I am glad that having this pair will greatly help me do my farming timely. I also purchased an ox plough at KES 8500. In addition to this, I also spent a portion of the money to pay for my children's school fees. My joy is to see them continuing with their studies without any interruptions. Lastly, I spent the remaining to buy foodstuffs and other household items as well as paying for other expenses.

Providing food and other basic necessities for my family was difficult for me considering the little money that I was getting from burning charcoal. At times we would skip meals and go without food, and the transfer came at such difficult moments we were going through. Since I received the transfer, my family was getting a balanced diet which had been just a dream to us, we have never run out of food supply since then. To me, this is the biggest daily difference in my life.

I received the notification early in the morning. On checking to confirm, the message was from GiveDirectly that my first transfer had been sent. I could not believe it when I thought of the days that we had gone without food for some nights and skipped meals due to lack of money. I was greatly overjoyed and happy that I would manage to buy food for my family.

I spent my first transfer on buying two calves which I am hoping that they will reproduce in the future and also be getting milk for my family and to also to sell so as to get an income. I also live in a house that is grass thatched and in cases of rains it was leaking and it was trouble to me during such times for I had to seek shelter elsewhere. Through the transfer, I bought Iron sheets and building posts and other materials for constructing a new house for which soon it will be complete. I also had a pair of oxen but we did not have an ox-plough, which we were only hiring from neighbours. On receiving the transfer, I bought one for my pair which will help in farming when the season for cultivation and planting comes. I spent the remaining amount of money to buy enough food for my family since it was also a problem for us. We to skip meals several times and also going without food. The little money we were getting through burning charcoal and selling was not adequate for daily and continuous provisions for my family. ,