My health condition remains a central part of my life, and I plan to keep managing it carefully. In the coming year and beyond, I intend to continue using a portion of my GiveDirectly transfers to support my health needs so I can lead a better life. Additionally, with my house having collapsed, I am now in the process of building a new one. I plan to keep allocating part of my transfers toward purchasing building materials to complete my two-roomed house. Once it is finished and my health is stable, I will finally have a home to return to, rather than depending on my brother, who has been helping me manage my condition. Thereafter, my next goal is to use part of the transfers to buy a goats, hoping they will multiply over time increasing in number and value. I am optimistic that this small investment will provide a reliable source of support for me, especially when this program eventually comes to an end. I am deeply grateful for these transfers, which have not only helped me manage my health but also allowed me to work towards having a home of my own.

I had to leave my home some time ago to stay with my younger brother due to my health condition. While I was away, my house collapsed, leaving me without a place of my own. This pushed me to start investing my GiveDirectly transfers in building a new two-roomed house so that, once my health improves, I will have a place to return to. Recently, I used $60 of the transfers I received to buy building materials, and I am happy to have my house now taking shape. In addition, my health still requires ongoing care, with monthly medication refills and check-ups to help me manage my condition. I used the remaining $42 of my transfers to cover these health expenses, which has made a significant difference in helping me feel better. I am incredibly grateful for the support from GiveDirectly because I honestly do not know how I would manage, especially with my health, without it.

Due to my health issues and advanced age, securing basic needs like a good home has been a significant challenge. However, I am currently making progress, which gives me hope. My next goal is to build a better house for myself and my grandchildren, as the one we live in is very old and small, and I'm worried it might collapse at any moment. To achieve this, I have started saving each month through the Merry-Go-Round initiative using the transfers I receive. My goal is to construct a safer and more comfortable home. Once I succeed in building a new house, I will feel proud, happy, and relieved from the constant worry about security issues or harsh weather. This new home will not only provide a secure shelter but also bring peace of mind, knowing that my family and I are safe. 

I have been struggling with a chest issue for years, and since my husband couldn't afford to take me to the hospital due to his old age and joblessness, I have been living in a lot of pain. Since joining this program, I have been using part of the $10 for clinic visits and medical checkups, and things are improving. While I haven't completely healed, I'm better than before. Additionally, I invested $55 in purchasing two goats, which will be beneficial in the future. Given my old age and inability to work due to my illness, these goats will serve as a financial safety net, allowing me to sell them if I run out of cash and need to cover my bills. Moreover, I saved $20 in a merry-go-round initiative to accumulate enough money to build a new house, as my current one is weak and old, posing a risk of collapsing at any time. To ensure I had enough food while undergoing medication, I spent $14 on buying food to maintain a healthy diet. Good nutrition is essential for my recovery, and having enough food gives me peace of mind as I work on improving my health.

Right now, my main priority is finding the right medication to help me get back to good health. Once I'm feeling better, my dream is to renovate my small, cramped house. It's seen better days, especially when my grandchildren come to visit. I envision transforming it into a spacious and inviting space for them, where they can feel truly at home and comfortable. It's not just about fixing up the physical structure; it's about creating a warm and welcoming environment where we can make cherished memories together. I can't wait to see the smiles on their faces when they walk into their newly renovated home-away-from-home.

The quarterly transfers from GiveDirectly have been a lifeline for me, especially as an elderly mother battling asthma. With $20 of the January transfers, I was able to seek medical attention as well as buy vital medicines to keep my condition in check, ensuring I could breathe a little easier each day. Another $14 went towards putting food on the table, easing the worry of going hungry. Looking towards the future, I invested $33 of the February transfer in purchasing a goat, hoping it would not only provide milk for us but also serve as a source of income down the line. However, when March brought harsher asthma symptoms, requiring urgent medical attention, I used the entire transfer of $34 to seek medical treatment. These funds have been a Godsend, considering I solely depend on my lastborn son's earnings from casual labor to get by. Without GiveDirectly's support, managing my health and daily needs would be an even steeper uphill battle.

My health has been the primary obstacle in reaching my established objectives. I intend to invest in acquiring more hens, which will serve as a wise income-generating venture for the future. Alongside acquiring hens, I aspire to construct a new house, as the current one is in a state of disrepair. Achieving a new house has long been a cherished goal of mine, and it would signify a significant accomplishment. I am grateful for the financial backing provided by GiveDirectly.

For a prolonged period, my declining health has been a significant challenge. I frequently suffer from a persistent cough, resulting in breathlessness. Over the past month, I have made numerous visits to the hospital for treatment parting with $17 in hospital bills. Fortunately, I am now experiencing improved health and overall well-being. In an effort to bolster my health, I purchased food, including fresh fruits and vegetables, amounting to $33, to enhance my immunity. Additionally, I invested in purchasing livestock, which will serve as a financial resource in the event of an emergency in the future. I am deeply appreciative of the financial support that has enabled me to seek medical attention for my persistent health issues, and I am thankful for my current improved state of health.

My main goals right now are to buy more goats and improve the condition of my house. The current state of my structure is very concerning to me, as it is in poor condition and does not provide any sense of security or peace. I fear that it may even collapse at some point. Therefore, one of my priorities is to invest in building a new and sturdy house that will provide a safe and comfortable living space for my family. Currently, I have four goats, and I believe my herd would have been even larger if it were not for the medical expenses I have had to incur. Despite this, I am extremely grateful for the cash transfers I receive and I believe that they will enable me to expand my herd.

Recently, I decided to relocate from my home to my maternal home, as it is more conveniently located near the hospital where I receive medical care. Here, my nephew can provide me with support and assistance during my visits to the hospital. Other than that, finances have been a challenge. I am truly thankful for the cash transfers from Give Directly, as they provide me with the opportunity to acquire things I have always wanted. The support I receive from Give Directly is the first form of aid I have ever received, and it has been incredibly helpful. The transfers have allowed me to prioritize my health, as I have chest complications that require frequent medical attention. I usually visit the hospital two to three times a month. From the recent transfer, $10 was used to cover my medical expenses. With the remaining amount, I contributed towards buying food for myself and my family.

The financial program will not be here in the long –run. Even after it ends, I want to have something that could easily raise funds to cover my medication needs and food. To accomplish this, I wish to own more goats than the four that I previously obtained through cash transfers. I believe that if I acquire more goats, they will increase my sources of wealth.

There are no words to express my gratitude to Give Directly for the cash transfers that have mostly helped manage my asthmatic condition. Before, I used to count on my son Mudhengi to secure medication. Due to his low-income job of charcoal making, it was challenging to raise enough money for his family's needs as well as for containing my illness. The lack of regular medication caused severe complications that sometimes made me cry from the pain. Ever since I started receiving the cash transfers, I have been getting proper medication that has controlled my condition. Every month I spend $17 on medical expenses. Not only am I happy to be recovering, but am also relieved to have lifted some weight off my son’s shoulders. I used the remaining $17 to buy food. This ensures that am properly fed, which also improved my health.

Nutrition was one of my biggest challenges at the time and occasionally I would go for days without knowing when my next meal would be. Meanwhile the situation with a drought did not make things much easier. Therefore, I ended up using most of my funds on food purposes. I spent KES 2,400 on purchasing six packets of maize flour, one packet of wheat flour, two kilograms of sugar and tea leaves. The balance left is KES 1,000 which I haven't yet put it into use, but I purposely think that I'm going to spend it on purchasing a couple of hens for poultry farming

Before getting enrolled I relied mostly on my children to look after me especially because I am quite old and can barely work. But at the moment I am glad that I receive money which helps me take care of my day to day needs without burdening my children who have their own families to look after. Therefore I am grateful and I have nothing to complain about.

For almost about eight years now I have suffered from terrible asthma attacks and just recently I was again gravely ill and had to seek medical attention. At the time I was stressed out because I had no idea how I was going to settle paying for the medical bill but luckily tithe organization sent the funds at the perfect moment when I was still in hospital. Therefore after seeing the doctors I ended up paying KES 500 for my bill. Afterwards I used KES 1,500 out of the balance I was left with and used it on meals since I barely had any left in my house and on most occasions my sons used to look after me. I still have KES 1,000 left in my savings and I plan to leave it there for when I really need the money.

I received the text message in the morning after waking up. I asked my son to check the contents of the message. He happily informed me I had received my first transfer from Give Directly. For a minute, I remained speechless as a mixture of emotions run through my mind. Tears of joy flowed freely over my chubby cheeks. I was thrilled.

The major challenge I have faced is a lack of food. I am glad that the transfer I received made a big difference in my life by helping me buy enough food to last me over two weeks. Previously, I would spend over three days eating nothing.

I am old and can no longer work to feed myself. I fully depend on my lastborn son to take care of me. He works as a casual laborer, building people’s houses and making charcoal for sale. As a casual laborer, he earns very less, which is not enough to take care of all my personal needs (food, clothing, and medical attention). Sometimes I am forced to sleep hungry due to a lack of food. This often happens when he cannot get a job. The scarcity of jobs in our village is at a high rate and has proven to be a challenge for him to get a permanent job. When I received my transfer, I spent the entire amount of KES 1150 on buying food. Buying the food eased the heavy burden on my son, who unsuccessfully hunted for a job but could not get one, meaning he could not buy food either.