Undeterred by last year's farming setbacks, I remain determined to cultivate maize on my land again. I am optimistic that with perseverance, I will achieve a successful harvest, ensuring an ample food supply. I am genuinely appreciative of the ongoing support from Give Directly, which has played a pivotal role in improving my livelihood.

During January and February, I allocated $64 of my transfers towards savings within a familial savings group. My primary objective by year-end is to acquire some goats. Earlier this year, I invested in hens; unfortunately, an outbreak of Newcastle disease resulted in the loss of all poultry. This setback has strengthened my resolve to venture into livestock ownership further, aiming for a sustainable income stream even after the unconditional transfers cease. The remaining $46 was utilized for purchasing food. Despite facing adversity such as the destruction of my maize crop due to heavy rains, resulting in no harvest and subsequent financial strain, I am grateful for the assistance provided by Give Directly, which has enabled me to meet my basic needs.

In the upcoming month, I am hopeful that I will have the opportunity to repair my house. To accomplish this, I have a few essential tasks ahead of me. Firstly, I need to acquire additional building poles, and secondly, I must pay the skilled mason who will be responsible for fixing the walls. Once these steps are completed, I will experience a sense of happiness and security knowing that my house is restored to a proper condition. The financial support I have received has been instrumental in enabling me to undertake this crucial project. Without it, I would have been unable to address the necessary repairs, which would have left me without a home. I am immensely grateful for the assistance I have received, as it has had a significant impact on my well-being and peace of mind.

As an elderly widow living independently, I bear the responsibility of meeting my daily needs. During the rainy season, I engage in subsistence farming, hoping for a bountiful harvest that will provide me with ample food for an extended period. In preparation for the rains that arrived in June this year, I allocated $44 towards purchasing food, patiently awaiting the harvest two months later. I am grateful that I now have an abundant food supply to sustain me for the remaining months of this year. Unfortunately, the walls of my mud house collapsed after a heavy downpour. To address this, I invested in new building poles to repair the walls, ensuring that I can stay warm during chilly nights. Additionally, in the month of September, I experienced the loss of two of my relatives. To pay my last respects, I incurred transportation costs of over $20. It was important for me to honor their memory and bid them farewell. The financial support I have received has played a crucial role in enabling me to lead a more dignified life. It empowers me to fulfill some of my needs independently, such as purchasing food. I am deeply grateful for this assistance, as it has brought about positive changes and improved my overall well-being.

My modest, grass-thatched "Makuti" house is currently in a state of disrepair. The mud walls have absorbed water and are deteriorating, while large openings in the walls allow cold air to enter. Furthermore, the supporting poles have weakened, causing the house to lean to one side. Looking ahead to the end of this year and beyond, my objective is to have my house thoroughly repaired, making it a safe and comfortable place to live once again.

In June, I used all my transfers to purchase food since I live alone in a small house as a widower. The poor state of the economy has significantly impacted me due to the increased prices of essential food items. Being a peasant farmer, my survival heavily relies on farming. Unfortunately, until last month, we experienced minimal rainfall, which compelled me to buy most of my food from shops at inflated prices. However, I am hopeful for a plentiful harvest in the upcoming months, which would enable me to allocate my monthly transfers towards other income-generating projects. I am sincerely grateful for the monthly transfers as they provided me with sustenance, ensuring I never went to bed hungry.

My house is currently in dire need of repair, especially on one wall that collapsed and left a huge hole in it. I wish to seal the opening as it lets in cold during the night. To accomplish this, I plan on saving some of the cash transfer money to fund the renovation. Hopefully, I wish to have completed the exercise before the year ends. 

First, I am grateful for the cash, as it has enabled me to fend for myself and reduce my over-reliance on my sons. Since I stay alone in the household, my concern is mostly getting enough food and ensuring am properly clothed. From the recent three cash transfers, I have spent a total of $86 on food. At least this has ensured I have enough daily food and have never slept hungry. I used $10 to acquire building poles, which I plan to use when renovating a hole in my house’s wall. Lastly, I secured a khanga worth $6 over the Christmas period. 

I love that GiveDirectly sends us cash directly into our Mpesa accounts. This is very essential in ensuaring that the funds reach the intended person. Cash aid is also helpful in proper planning according to the most pressing needs.

Upon receiving my transfer, I spent $7 on repaying a debt to my friend. I could no longer receive any services from my simcard. This necessitated the need to go and register afresh. I had no money so my asked my friend for aloan which she did assist me. I am happy that the problem was solved and I can now receive all their services. I spent the remaining amount on buying food. I fully depend on my grandson for financial support. When he is unable to help, i am forced to sleep on an empty stomach. I purchased seven packets of maize flour, a kilogram of sugar, beans and 500 grams of tea leaves.

My neighbor and I were chatting while I sat outside my house, as he was heading to the shop. She told me that she had just gotten her transfer and was on her way to the store to get her money. I offered her my phone to see whether she had gotten mine after getting quite worried. She joyfully informed me that I had gotten my transfer. Hearing it made me really delighted, and I grinned widely.

The transfer has significantly improved my life by allowing me to purchase enormous quantities of food. I frequently went to bed without eating since I lacked the funds to provide it. I sometimes have to make do with what little I have since my grandson, on whom I rely greatly, would not send me money. I am quite appreciative that I was able to purchase enough food through the use of the transfers to ensure that I wouldn't go to bed hungry.

I've been living by myself in the village since my spouse passed away 25 years ago. I've been struggling for the last three years to provide for my basic needs, including putting food on the table. I relied primarily on farming to make a living, but since the drought engulfed our village, this is no longer the case. Currently. My grandson, who works in a quarry, is entirely responsible for taking care of me because I have no job. He encounters significant obstacles at work, such as late payments and little payments. I frequently don't have enough money to buy food, so I have to go to bed without eating. When I run out of food, I occasionally purchase food from the shop on credit, which results in debt. I used my first transfer to pay off a debt of KES 360 that I had incurred by using credit to buy two packets of maize flour while I was short on cash. Along with paying off the bill, I purchased food to my home's dwindling supply with the remaining KES 840. I am really delighted because with the transfer, I have enough food to eat for close to two weeks.