My once small family has now grown tremendously. I now have 7 children. I have two small one room houses. I would want to build a new house so that we can have another house to hold this big family. I would like to save for the next couple of months so I can be able to afford iron sheets as well. I would like a new house for my family and my people. This will bring me much joy.

I gave birth to my last child in May. This money has been of much help to me. I needed to travel to the hospital with my mother in-law who was supporting me with the process. I spent $34 to pay the transport by motorcycle, I bought clothes for my child and other utilities for me and the baby for use after I gave birth. I was also able to replace my old worn out mattress at $40 as it had become impossible to sleep with the baby on the old one. The cash was also helpful in buying food as well paying school and buying chicken at $14, $20, and $20respectively.

My husband and I dream of building a large, sturdy house for our family of eight because our current home, made from small metal sheets, is too cramped. We are committed to saving money and pooling our resources to achieve this goal. We plan to build a beautiful stone house with spacious rooms that will comfortably accommodate our whole family. Filled with optimism and dedication, we are eager to start this project in the coming year and work towards making our dream a reality.

I can't express how happy I am! We've been sleeping on the floor for so long as a family, and finally, with these transfers, I decided to change that. We really needed a bed, so I used some of the money to buy one since we didn't have any. After getting the bed, I had $8 left, which I used to buy some flour. Having a comfortable place to sleep is really important to us, and now we can also make meals at home without worrying about running out of ingredients. It feels like a big step forward for our family!

Looking ahead, I pray for continued grace to receive cash transfers, as my goal is to use the funds to build a new house. Currently, our house is one-roomed, too small for my family of six children and me, and it's aging, dating back over two years. I aim to construct another one-room house, providing enough space and privacy for everyone when completed. The children will occupy the old house while my husband and I will move into the new one. 

During the ongoing festive season, I usually hold a tradition of buying new clothes for my six children to wear on Christmas day, bringing them joy. However, our ability to do this largely depends on the opportunities my husband and I have. As the main provider, my husband sells water in Mombasa town, but his earnings primarily cover basic needs like food. Thanks to the cash transfers, I seized the opportunity to buy new clothes for my children in preparation for the Christmas celebrations. I allocated $59 for this purpose, ensuring that everyone is ready for the festive day. Additionally, I spent $10 to plow one acre of my land since the planting season had begun, and I needed assistance with ox plowing. Also, my phone was damaged at the battery slot and deemed unfixable, prompting me to invest $12 in a new one, which now serves me well. The remaining amount from the cash transfers was used to purchase more food for my family, ensuring that my children have daily meals. I am grateful for the ability to afford items like clothes through cash transfers, which was challenging before.

United in our dream, my husband and I aspire to build a spacious and stable home for our family of eight. With our current small metal sheet house no longer meeting our needs, we are determined to save and contribute towards our shared goal. Through careful financial planning and pooling our resources, we envision constructing a beautiful stone house that will provide the space and comfort our family deserves. Filled with hope and dedication, we embark on this journey to create a haven where our family can thrive and create cherished memories.

In the face of adversity, when my children were unjustly expelled from school, I resolved to take action. Armed with a mere $15, I embarked on a mission to secure their future. With unwavering determination, I carefully strategized how to allocate these precious funds.Sensing an opportunity to sow the seeds of prosperity, I invested $5 in acquiring a chicken; a wise venture that would yield future returns when the need arose. This astute decision was a testament to my foresight and determination to overcome challenges.Understanding the significance of dignity and self-esteem, I dedicated $10 to purchase new clothes and shoes for my beloved children. Their worn and tattered attire was replaced, allowing them to stand tall with renewed confidence on their educational journey. Mindful of our immediate sustenance, I judiciously set aside the remaining $4 to procure essential nourishment. With this humble sum, I ensured that our hunger would be appeased, rejuvenating our spirits and energizing our pursuit of a brighter tomorrow.

My greatest goal is to start a chicken-rearing project. I would like to have as many chicken as possible so that in the near future, I would no longer have challenges when it comes to getting food and paying school fees for my children because the sales from the chicken would be a great income. I plan to buy 2 chicken every month worth $10 with the transfers that I’ll still be receiving and at the end of a certain period, I would have attained my target of the number of poultry I plan to have.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly is doing great in terms of offering financial support to the needy like us because we currently can afford to pay school fees for our children and also to put food on the table for our family and I believe they should continue doing so even to the rest and there is nothing to improve on.

I was in dire need of money when I received the transfers. Two of my children had been given a notice of school fees payment and I did not know where I was going to get the money from. I also lacked food in the house to an extent of skipping some meals in the course of the day, but when I received the money, I was so relieved, I managed to pay school fees for my children, each $5 and also bought food for my family worth $10. With the remaining transfers, I bought 2 chicken worth $10 for rearing because I also wanted to start such a project and spent $4 on buying clothes for my youngest child. It was a great relief to me since I am no longer stressed as I was a few weeks back.

I switched on my phone at around 5 p.m. and it immediately vibrated with a message notification. Due to my inability to read, I asked my son to check what the message was all about. My heart was filled with joy when he confirmed that Give Directly had sent my first cash transfer. I was excited to finally pay school fees for my two children who had missed school for two days. 

The greatest difference in my life right now is seeing my children study without interruptions. Paying their school fees allowed them to resume their studies after staying home for two days. Ever since they have never been pulled out of class to collect pending school fees. Am happy and excited that staying in school will reflect in better grades at the end of the term. 

By the time I received the cash transfer, two of my children had stayed home for two days following an overdue school fee balance. My husband and I had not made enough money from our casual jobs of selling water and burning charcoal to cover the balances.  I was glad to settle the $10 debt and see them resume their studies. Am more relieved now because they have never missed a day of learning since then. Next, I spent $2 to buy a chicken. At least when it reproduces and grows the flock, I can easily sell the chickens to fund the education of my six children. Finally, I spent the rest on food as the household had none and we had survived the entire afternoon on porridge.