Receiving $450 from GiveDirectly was a blessing during a time of great sorrow. The recent floods had caused severe destruction, sweeping away my household items and farm, leaving me with nothing. This money brought a smile to my face after all the hardship I had endured. Before receiving help from GiveDirectly, I had secured land elsewhere, but I lacked the funds to build a home. With $420 of the money, I built a nice home for me and my two kids on higher, safer ground. This ended the risk of future floods for us. Additionally, we had no food to eat after fleeing our home due to the floods. I used $20 to buy food for my family. I am deeply thankful for the change GiveDirectly has brought to my life. I can now smile without fear of future flood trauma.

GiveDirectly has done very well here in Baringo, especially in agriculture. People have used their unconditional cash to invest in farming, which helps solve the food problem. The surplus can be sold to meet various needs. What stood out for me is the respectful nature of GiveDirectly officers. They explain their program in detail and in simple language so everyone can understand. All I want is to see them continue with cash transfers and not change their approach.

My goal for this year and the years to come is to make my farming endeavor sustainable. Thanks to GiveDirectly's support, I am now able to cultivate a two-acre farm. Before GiveDirectly, I could only manage one acre, but now I can comfortably farm two acres. Farming is sometimes risky because of floods and droughts, but there is water in the river now, so I can irrigate when needed. I plan to use the last transfer from GiveDirectly to make this endeavor a success. My plan is to use the harvest to ensure food security at home, making sure we have enough to eat. I will sell the surplus to pay school fees for my two kids and maybe buy some more goats. The thought of this fills me with joy and gratitude.

Life on my side hasn't been easy; struggling to meet our basic needs has been tough. I have two kids, my daughter, and my grandchild. My husband is very old and sick; he's been suffering from tuberculosis for a long time and his eyesight is poor. But even though he can't see well, he helps by collecting charcoal and taking care of our grandchildren when I'm away doing casual jobs.When I received my transfer, I paid $30 for my kids' school fees—both my daughter's and my daughter-in-law's because she's also in school. Usually, I rely on farming to pay for their fees, but this year we didn't harvest anything due to the prolonged drought.After that, I used $50 to buy iron sheets. I decided to buy them in pieces because the money wasn't enough. When I get the second transfer, I'll buy more iron sheets and build a new house. The one we're living in now is made of mud and grass. When it rains, it leaks from the roof, and it's almost falling apart.Additionally, I spent $50 on food for my kids so we'd have enough to eat and I wouldn't have to work so hard burning charcoal. Finally, I bought one goat with the remaining money because I already had one, and I thought it would be a good idea for them to graze together.We're really grateful to GiveDirectly for helping us. Life used to be very hard, but now I can see some changes and improvements. We hope that by the end of the transfers, we'll be living a much better life.

Since I got my first transfer, my life has improved a lot. I never imagined I'd live in a house made of iron sheets. I've always lived in a house made of grass and mud since I was born, even before I got married. I've already bought iron sheets, and I'm sure when I get my second transfer, I'll build a really nice house and live comfortably, sleeping well. Thank you so much, GiveDirectly, for changing my life.

When I got my first payment, I was at home doing chores. But I didn't see it for two days because my phone was off. I used to take it far away to charge. After two days, I went to get my phone. I gave it to my helper to check if the money had arrived because I can't read messages. I never went to school, so reading is hard for me. When he checked, the money was there. I was so happy because I got the money just in time. My kids were sent home from school because I hadn't paid their fees. So, the first thing I did was pay their fees so they could go back to school right away.