I currently have a son who graduated from high school last year. Before 2023 comes to an end, I want to enroll him in the college of his choice. By doing this, I will encourage his young brothers who are still in secondary school to put in a lot of effort. I am confident that I will succeed despite my small savings from my casual labor salary since willpower knows no bounds.

Direct cash transfers to individual accounts were the greatest method since it allowed everyone to spend on the specific objectives they had agreed upon with their families. The assistance brought about some significant adjustments in a number of homes, including mine. Most of us were used to community projects or help that is given to a group of people based on their particular needs, but for this approach from GiveDirectly, everyone in the village has never received it, making the initiative unique.

Approximately two weeks before receiving the second transfer, my two sons who are in secondary school were sent home for fees. I tried to lobby with the teachers so that they could be retained in school as I find ways of paying their school fees but my effort was futile. This gave me sleepless nights and deprived me of my peace of mind because seeing your children stranded at home every morning with little help to offer them is not an easy thing. Upon receiving the second transfer, the priority was the school fees for my children. I saw it prudent to pay for the whole year so that they could settle and focus on their studies. Therefore, I paid $360 for them; that is $180 each. By so doing, I felt so happy and relieved because their faces were brightened by the fact that they were going to resume classes. Their happiness gave me peace of mind. Thereafter, I opted to use the remaining amount of money for the family's expenses.

As I very was exhausted, struggling in cutting logs to make charcoals when my phone vibrated. Upon checking it was the first transfer promise we were told by the GiveDirectly staff that we were going to receive. This message was too heavy for my heart to carry. Getting KES 55000.00 at once at a time when you are struggling to get at least KES 150.00 to take home for some food was not easy. I dropped my panga, took a step backward, and sat on the ground thanking God for bringing GiveDirectly to me. I was filled with joy knowing that the hardship my children and I were passing through has got a solution.

Initially, my children had neither house nor a proper place to shelter themselves at night. Most times, the elder ones used to sleep on the verandah while during cold days I used to offer them my bed and I sleep outside. It was a pathetic situation but thanks to GiveDirectly who saw us through this state through the transfer they sent to me. Currently, my children are happily living in a good house and sleeping on a standard bed not like before when they were sleeping on the floor.

When I got home, I drafted a guiding plan on how I was going to use the money instead of spending it blindly. The priority was my son who is in secondary school and apart from the fees required by then, he had some arrears. Upon withdrawing the money, I opted to clear all the fee arrears and also pay the fees of the current term which amounted to KES 25000.00. Having settled that, I decided to complete the roof of my children's house which I had started building before the transfers. The total cost of the roof including the iron sheets, nails, and labour was KES 20000.00. I also bought abed for them for KES 5000.00 and used the remaining amount for food.