I am financially struggling to support my family without a stable source of income. Every penny I earn from my casual jobs or charcoal burning goes toward food and basic needs, leaving me with little opportunity to build a better home for my family of five. However, with the support from GiveDirectly, I am hopeful for a better future. I plan to use $450 of the transfer to build a spacious two-room house, which will help lift the shame of living in a grass-thatched house. I plan to invest $400 of the transfers in livestock farming, purchasing two cows and five goats. This investment will help increase our family’s income and provide a more reliable source of income, reducing the financial strain we currently face.

For the past six months, our area has experienced an unusual period of peace and stability. This is a welcome change, as we were once plagued by cattle rustling and banditry, which made life incredibly difficult. I am grateful for the calm we now have, and it motivates me to work even harder to provide for my family of five and ensure there is food on our table.

Life in our community has become unbearable. The land is dry and infertile, making it impossible to grow our own food. We are forced to rely on the market to feed our family, which has made our cost of living incredibly high. It is disheartening to see food prices soaring, especially when I do not have a stable source of income. I work as a casual laborer and, at times, I burn charcoal to sell, just to support my family of five. Although our area is favorable in rearing goats, insecurity is the biggest setback. Most of us fear venturing into livestock farming due to banditry and cattle rustling.