A significant milestone for me in the upcoming year involves directing a substantial portion of my transfers towards the acquisition of livestock, focusing on both cows and goats. The dairy cow represents a promising source of revenue, particularly through the sale of milk. Furthermore, as the herd expands, I foresee additional opportunities to generate income by selling some of the cattle in the market at favorable prices. The invaluable financial support I have received is profoundly shaping my journey towards a more promising future, transcending the constraints of poverty.

Since February of last year, I have diligently set aside $10 each month with the specific goal of acquiring a dairy cow. Recently, I allocated $30 from my latest transfers to further bolster this endeavor. In November, coinciding with the onset of heavy rains, I expended $15 to plow half an acre of my land, and more recently, I utilized $10 to cover labor costs associated with harvesting maize from the farm. Notably, with the commencement of the new school term, I dedicated $10 towards aiding my sister-in-law with school fees. During the festive holidays, I allocated $10 towards procuring new dresses for my daughter and an additional $5 for her medical expenses following an illness during the same period. Furthermore, I invested $5 in having my hair styled, enhancing my overall appearance. The ongoing financial support from Give Directly has been instrumental, and I am deeply appreciative of it.

I have had a long term dream of owning goats as they seem to thrive better around here and also require very minimal care. They are also a good investment as they can easily be sold in times of need and can also fetch a decent amount compared to other easy to rare livestock such as chicken. For this reason, I have been saving part of my monthly transfers($10) in a local savings groups since the beginning of the year and when I finally receive my share at the end of the year, I believe I am finally going to achieve my dream. Having these goats will be a sure way of cushioning me against any financial emergencies especially now that I do not have a job. I as previously teaching at local private school, but when I went my maternity leave, I was replaced an has not succeeded in securing another job. The little amount I earn from the small business I do is not enough help much in serious situations where huge amounts of money is required fast.

I have had a long term dream of owning goats but due to low income, it has been quite difficult achieving this dream. When the year began, I made a bold decision to be saving part of my monthly transfers ($10) and in order to stay true to this course, I joined a local savings group comprising of 15 other recipients where one is free to save what they are comfortable with. As always, I deposited the amount in the savings kitty then used some of the money ($10) to hire a maize shredding machine to help hasten the job. We were lucky to have a bumper harvest after a long drought and a prolonged famine season, so everyone was in a hurry to harvest their produce and store them safely away from the farms where they are prone to destruction by elephants from the nearby park. I then took advantage of the availability of the machine to ensure my harvest was quickly taken care of and safely kept. The rest of the money was spent of foodstuff and other household requirements.

From my business, I often realize a low profit that is not sufficient to sustain my family. To supplement my household income, I hope to initiate a project of raising goats. So far, I do not have any except for a poultry farm that is running. I began poultry farming last year once I began receiving my transfer. I am happy I have so far acquired three hens. As my flock grows, I will prioritize selling some fowls to raise money for my family's upkeep. I also aim to divert some transfers toward acquiring goats.

I am a mother of one child because I do not have a formal job, I resorted to running a business. I am often at home because my business is not very engaging. He is a clinical officer, although he does not have a job other than running his clinic. As a result, we never have enough money to cover our family expenses. I used $11 of the funds to purchase 6-2 kilogram packets of maize flour. I also set aside $12 for future family needs. Finally, I paid the $5 hospital cost for my daughter Gift's prescription drugs. She was ill, and because we had no money, she got treatment on credit. I am glad she is progressing well amidst the challenge we continue to witness as a result of the drought.

I am looking forward to investing on my farm this year. I was hoping to use the money I receive from GiveDirectly to buy a couple of goats and chickens with the intention of gaining financially down the line. I also have intentions of opening up a grocery store business with the money in order to help my husband cater for the day to day needs of our family.

My husband, the breadwinner, was having financial difficulties at the time the transactions were being made. I chose to use KES 1,100 of the money to buy 6 packets of maize flour because we were also short on food. I then added KES 1,000 to my savings account in the hopes that I would soon be able to utilize it to purchase a couple of goats. Since my husband and I take care of my sister-in-law, I also used KES 500 to cover her tuition. I then spent another KES 500 on my newborn's necessities, which included milk, fruits, and pampers. I eventually bought a hen with the remaining KES 300

The majority of the people in the villages have been able to pay school fees for their children. While others have been able to provide food and other basic needs of the family which was not easy before. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.

I spent KES 2,000 on purchasing food, clothes, and household items that I was missing at that particular time. Due to prolonged drought in our area, there has been a shortage of food and other basic necessities like water. I was able to provide all this and ensure that my family get this. The remaining amount of money I saved. I am saving to purchase a goat when the money is enough. investing in goat rearing is good since the goats reproduce twice per year. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has enabled us to provide for the basic needs of our family.

In my life, I had never received such kind of support as the one offered to me by GiveDirectly. On that day I was just at home at around 7 pm. I was having a good time with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. At that moment, I felt so happy when I received my recent transfer. I felt more optimistic because I had a strong hope that I would use it to start up a business and other ventures that can help me raise some income. As a result, I shall also be of support to my husband, this will enable us to develop together as a family.

I did not have enough food for my family when I received my transfer because my husband was struggling financially. As a result, I used some of it to buy food for my family. It has indeed kept us, and we are grateful for such prompt assistance. As a result, my husband gained peace of mind. He felt some relief from the burden of providing for the family for the past week. Furthermore, as a result of the transfer, I was able to purchase a brand new dress for my child. It has left an indelible mark on my life because I had no thought it would turn out this way.

I have been a housewife since I married, despite being a trained ECD teacher. Even though I am actively looking for work, I have yet to find one. As a result, my husband has been the sole breadwinner for our family. He does not, however, have a steady source of income. I spent KES 1,000 on food for my three-person family as soon as I received my transfer. Because I only have one child, I also spent KES 450 on a new outfit for her. The remainder of the transfer went into my savings, which I hope to use later to start a family.