My goal for the coming year and beyond is to own a dairy cow. I plan to achieve this by gradually building my livestock herd, starting with purchasing more goats and sheep, which are more affordable. As they multiply and my herd grows larger, I will have the opportunity to exchange the goats for a dairy cow. Owning a dairy cow would bring financial stability to my family, as I could earn money by selling milk. Additionally, in times of need, I could sell a calf and use the money to take care of urgent expenses. I am very appreciative of the financial support from the transfers, as they have uplifted my life and enabled me to work toward achieving these goals. The transfers have been a tremendous help in supporting my family's needs and giving me hope for a brighter and more secure future.

Living in the village with my husband, we primarily depend on selling charcoal to earn a living. We also own a three-acre farm, but due to the harsh climatic conditions, we cannot grow crops on it, making farming impossible. This has greatly contributed to our financial struggles, as we are unable to generate enough income. During particularly difficult times, we turn to our children, who work as casual laborers, for financial assistance. However, since receiving financial support from GiveDirectly, our financial struggles have significantly reduced, allowing us to better meet our basic needs. I spent $55 from my transfers to pay school fees for my youngest son, ensuring that he could start his third term without any challenges. I’m very happy and relieved, knowing that he is back in school, which I believe will secure him a bright and prosperous future. With the remaining $47, I purchased food supplies, including 12 packs of 2 kg maize flour, wheat flour, tea leaves, beans, and sugar. This has ensured that we have enough food in the house, and we no longer skip meals. Despite the unfavorable weather conditions that prevent us from farming, the financial support has been a tremendous help in enabling us to purchase food. I am truly grateful for the assistance, which has greatly improved our ability to meet our basic needs.

My goal for this year is to buy a cow. I plan to use the monthly transfers to buy goats, and once they multiply, I will exchange them for a cow. Having a cow means I will have a steady supply of milk for personal use and for sale. If the cow has calves, I can sell them if a pressing need arises. I am truly happy with the positive changes in my life. The transfers have given me hope and a way to improve my family's situation. I look forward to achieving my goals and continuing to make life better for us.

I engage in farming and raising livestock while my husband operates a motorcycle taxi to support our family of eight. Life was extremely difficult before, as we relied on digging out tree stumps to earn a living. We did not have enough money to send our children to school or even buy food for our family. I am truly glad that our circumstances have changed. Now, we can afford to buy food comfortably, pay school fees, and purchase clothes without straining. Life is so much better thanks to GiveDirectly. From the transfers I received, I used $25 to pay school fees for my son in secondary school, enabling him to continue with his studies. I then used $19 to buy a goat to add to my existing stock, with plans to exchange it later for a cow. I used the remaining $58 to buy maize flour, beans, and sugar for my family, as we had run out of the food we had previously harvested. I feel very happy receiving these transfers as they have been a source of hope for my family. May God bless this organization.

My aim for the year is to ensure that my two sons who are still in school receive a good education, as I strongly believe in the importance of education for a prosperous life. However, given the high costs of school fees, I plan to rear goats, which will serve as an additional source of income to help cover their educational expenses. I will also utilize upcoming transfers to accomplish this goal. I am confident that through education, my sons will acquire essential skills that will pave the way for promising job opportunities in the future. I am sincerely grateful to this organization for the invaluable assistance they have provided me, enabling me to educate my children comfortably.

To provide for my family of eight, I rely on farming and raising chickens. Previously, buying food and paying school fees for my children was challenging due to financial constraints. However, thanks to this organization, life has become more manageable. I have invested in poultry, purchased clothes, and ensured my children go to school without worry. With the transfers received, I allocated $34 to purchase a duck and food for our Christmas celebrations, bringing joy to our family. Furthermore, I used $59 to settle my son's college fees, which were pending, and the remaining amount was dedicated to paying school fees for my other son in secondary school. Participating in this project brings me great happiness as it has made a significant difference in my life and that of my family.

During the rainy season, I relied on subsistence farming, and when I wasn't tending to the crops, I took on casual jobs. Throughout this period, my primary objective was to establish a sustainable source of income that would liberate me from the uncertainty of casual employment. To realize this ambition, I've initiated a livestock project, primarily centered on goats and chickens. At this point, I've successfully acquired four goats and four chickens, which I am currently raising. My plan is to further expand and develop this venture by procuring additional goats and chickens. These animals serve as valuable assets that I can depend on to meet my financial obligations. Given the unpredictable nature of the casual work my husband and I engage in, owning livestock acts as a safety net in case of unforeseen financial needs. This project provides a level of security that casual employment may not always guarantee.

Ensuring a high-quality education for my children has been my foremost priority ever since I became part of this program. Financial strain has been a constant companion, given the nature of the work my husband and I engage in. To meet our children's educational and basic needs, I have primarily relied on doing casual jobs. One of my sources of income was burning and selling charcoal, though I had to halt this venture for a while due to a period of drought. I have two children attending school, one in college and the other in high school. I am elated that my children have achieved the academic milestones they have, largely thanks to the financial assistance I've received. I've directed a significant portion of these funds towards their school fees while grappling to meet other essential expenses. Additionally, I used $40 from the most recent financial support to acquire livestock, which includes one goat and two chickens. My primary goal is to nurture and breed these animals, as I believe they will become a reliable source of income to address my financial obligations. Currently, I own four goats and four chickens, which I consider assets. I spent the remaining amount on purchasing essential food items for my family, such as sugar, beans, and various vegetables, ensuring that my family never went hungry. I also managed to acquire some household necessities, including toiletries, which were lacking in our home.

My primary goal right now is to ensure the academic success of my two children, one in high school and the other in college. My sons' achievement of that level has not been easy; it has been a struggle. To make ends meet, I usually burn and sell charcoal, which can only be used to feed my family. This leaves some other expenses unmet, such as fees for my two children. As a result, they were sometimes sent home and allowed to stay for several weeks because I was unable to raise their fees on time. I do not want my children's education to be disrupted by fees now that I am certain of receiving a transfer. I want to make certain that I pay for them on time and that they are able to achieve their educational goals in the near future.

I received the transfers when my two sons, one in college and the other in high school, were on the verge of being discontinued due to fees. I could not afford to pay for them on time, and even if I could, it would take me a month to raise the required fee. I am glad that the transfer allowed me to pay for them and that they returned to school. Aside from the fees, I used some of the money to hire laborers to weed my maize crops on my three acres of land. This has allowed me to fully utilize my acreage, and I am hopeful for a successful harvest that will ensure food security in my household. Finally, I used some of the funds to buy food for my family. I was able to purchase a bale of maize flour and some cereals, which ensured that my family was well fed. We always had enough food to last several weeks.

We have been experiencing a great drought in our area which makes access to food very difficult. I would like to start a business that can sustain us now that my husband is out of work and food prices have been very high. I want to start a grocery business where I will sell groceries and dried fish to make some money to allow us access food now that my husband is out of work. The price of starting the business will be dependent on how much I will get the products for. I also want to buy more goats which I am planning to breed and when they get young ones I will sell them to sort out needs when they come up at home.

I received this transfers at a time of a big need for me. My husband was our breadwinner and his work was mainly motorcycle work, he got into an accident which fractured his arm and he has been out of work for some while now. I make charcoal from tree stumps but it does not pay much. I welcomed the new year in style courtesy of the Givedirectly transfers. I spent my December transfers went into buying food for the new year such as maize flour, wheat flour, beans, oil, sugar and tea leaves. My January transfers came in when my child was going back to school, she had passed her class eight exams and was joining form one since she joined a boarding school, this money facilitated her trip to school located in Mombasa town. She was also able to buy books and uniform. My February transfers were all directed to buying goats. I sold of some of the chicken I had and left three and added to the 3 dollars from my transfers and used it for buying two goats.

I am so grateful to GiveDirectly for the enrollment in its program. Previously, I had a lot of struggles because I had no regular source of income. I am glad that with the unconditional transfer, there is a positive change in our way of life. GiveDirectly does well in ensuring that every recipient receives the transfer regularly and also does constant follow-ups. Through this, we can meet our needs, medication, and education fees. There is nothing that GiveDirectly does not do well.

When I got my second transfer, I spent $30 on buying a goat. I previously had four, but because I would like to increase the herd of goats, I opted to buy one more. I enjoy raising goats because they always help me quickly raise school fees when I have no other option. I am hopeful that they will assist me in paying the school fees for my two children, Harrison and Masha. They are very bright and will advance with their education when they get adequate support. I chose this because I do not have a job other than making charcoal and selling firewood.

I had just finished cooking tea for my son and husband when I received a text message on my phone. For a few minutes, I was flying high as emotions took the better part of me. I teared up as I broke the good news to my family. We all were thrilled because we had nothing to eat for supper, only tea to survive on.

The transfer made a tremendous impact on my life when my husband was struggling to provide for the family due to low income. I bought food for the family after lacking something to eat for over two days.

I am a subsistence farmer, and I earn a living by farming. For three years, we have battled a serious drought, making it impossible to grow crops on the farm. I lost my source of income and now depend fully on my husband who is a motorcycle taxi “Boda Boda”. His job has seriously been affected by the rise in fuel, making him lose customers who prefer cheaper public transport. This makes him earn very little (KES 300 per day) compared to the beginning of the year (KES 1000 per day). The big difference in his income is a challenge towards providing fully for the family. When I received my first transfer, I spent it all on buying food. I bought three packets of maize flour at KES 600, 2 kg of beans at KES 240, a packet of tea leaves, and ½ kg of sugar at KES 150.