At a crucial time when I fell ill, the GiveDirectly cash transfers arrived, enabling me to seek much-needed medical attention. I allocated $34 towards hospital fees, and I am grateful to say that I am now in good health, thanks to the care I received. Recognizing the importance of my children's education, I spent $20 to pay their school fees. This ensures they can continue their studies without interruption, investing in their future. Given the severe drought and hunger affecting our region, our food reserves were depleted. I therefore allocated $24 to purchase food for my family, guaranteeing they would not go hungry during this difficult period. My home also required urgent repairs, as the current roofing was worn out. I used $16 of the transfers to buy iron sheets, ensuring we have a safe and comfortable place to sleep. As a first step towards building a herd of cows, which has long been an aspiration of mine, I bought a chicken for $4. My hope is that the chicken will multiply and increase in number. I then plan to trade the chickens for goats, which will also multiply. Eventually, I will trade the goats for cows. Finally, I spent the remaining $4 to buy soap for cleaning ourselves, maintaining our hygiene and well-being.

As a small business owner, I previously operated a kiosk selling sugar and sardines. However, when I fell ill, the business suffered due to a lack of responsible management in my absence. Upon my return, I found the kiosk on the verge of collapse. While I am still running the kiosk, my focus has now shifted towards a new goal - becoming a livestock farmer. To achieve this, I plan to strategically use my GiveDirectly cash transfers to purchase goats. My strategy is to allow the goats to multiply and increase in number and value over time. Once I have built up a substantial herd, I will then trade the goats for cows. These cows, in turn, will be able to multiply, providing me with a reliable source of milk, offspring, and income when sold. By transitioning towards livestock farming, I am diversifying my income streams and building a more sustainable livelihood. The cows, in particular, will serve as a valuable asset that can be leveraged when needed, offering a safety net for my family

I heavily rely on my husband to take care of our family's needs. We have a big family with 11 members, which is a big challenge for him. Whenever I get money, I help him out, especially with paying our children's school fees. I paid $40 for my five children's school fees. Matano Kenga, the eldest, who attends Mnazimumwenga Secondary School, got $30, while the other four children in primary school got $10 each. I'm happy they can continue their education smoothly. I put $17 into savings. Next month in April, I plan to start a local hotel business, and this money will help me reach that goal. I bought 2 hens for $5, which is an investment for the future since they can multiply and increase my initial investment. When I got sick, I spent $34 on medical care, but I'm glad my health has significantly improved. Finally, I spent $6 on buying detergents and a kilogram of sugar. I'm very thankful for the financial support I've received from the transfers.

Recognizing the difficulties my husband encounters while caring for our family, I aim to utilize the transfers to establish my own business and assist him with our family expenses. His role as a charcoal broker is unpredictable; while there are times he earns well, there are also periods of financial strain due to slow sales. Starting my hotel business is intended to provide support during these tough times in his business. I am deeply thankful for the financial assistance that is paving the way towards stability.

My husband is the primary provider, and he sells chickens during open-air market days. However, his earnings are inconsistent, and there are days when he returns home without any income. The cash transfers have been a significant help in providing for our children's education and putting food on the table for our family. From the recent cash transfers, I used $20 to pay the school fees for my three children in primary school and $35 for the one in secondary school. There were outstanding debts from previous months, and they were frequently sent home from school. I'm delighted that by clearing these balances, they could continue their education without any interruptions. I also allocated $20 to buy a goat. I'm pleased to say that I now have two goats, and I'm confident they will reproduce in the future. I can sell them to generate funds for my children's education. Additionally, I spent $10 to purchase a piece of iron sheet. With this acquisition, I now have five iron sheets, and my goal is to accumulate enough to build a new house. The remaining money from the transfers was used to buy food. The cash transfers have been instrumental in supporting my children's education and allowing me to obtain goats, and I couldn't be more grateful.

In the upcoming year and beyond, I aspire to build a new house and continue supporting the education of my four children through livestock rearing. Our current house is in poor condition, with a corroded roof that leaks during rainy weather. I aim to construct a three-room house with mud walls and a tin roof to provide decent shelter for my family. I also want to ensure that I can sustain my children's education even when the cash transfers come to an end. Most of them have a long way to go in their educational journey, and they will need my financial support.

I am grateful to be a part of GiveDirectly's program, which has changed my life so far through the monthly transfers. I had previously faced some difficulties, such as paying fees for my five children late because I was unable to raise the required amount on time. My only source of livelihood was burning and selling charcoal, and the most I could make from it was just $8. With this amount, I was only able to provide food for a few days. My husband is employed by a neighbor to care for his animals, but his earnings are insufficient to meet all our needs. As a result, it was difficult for us to pay fees and buy adequate food for the family. The fee arrears had accumulated to such an extent that if it were not for the support, my five children could be at home now. I am relieved that I have cleared the fee arrears after committing approximately $25 per month to my children's fees. With the remaining funds, I purchased enough foodstuffs, such as maize flour and other cereals, to ensure that my children had enough to eat.

In the coming year and beyond, I intend to purchase 31 pieces of iron sheets and timber in order to renovate my house's rooftop, which is old, dilapidated, and in poor condition. It also leaks uncontrollably when it rains, which is the most concerning situation right now. In the event of heavy rain, I may be forced to seek shelter elsewhere. To accomplish this goal, I intend to set aside a portion of my monthly transfer to purchase iron sheets. I will also purchase some goats, raise them, allow them to reproduce, and then sell them when I am ready to begin the renovation. As a result, by selling them, I will generate extra funds to help with the house renovation.

The cash transfers have alleviated more suffering in my family than the little my husband and I make through our casual jobs. Our four children are no longer pulled out of classes to collect school fees, and the household rarely runs out of food as it used to before. Additionally, I own two goats courtesy of the transfer, which upon selling, will generate funds for my children’s education. Here is a breakdown of how I spent the recent three cash transfers. Recently I spent $19 on my children’s school fees debt, which accrued from the previous year. Also, that afternoon, my household ran out of maize flour, forcing my family to take porridge for lunch. So, I spent the remaining $15 on food. In January, I bought a goat worth $18 for rearing and bought food worth $16. With the Christmas celebrations in December, I spent $24 on buying celebratory food stuff and new attire for my children for them to enjoy. I saved the remaining $10 through a merry-go-round club, which I plan on withdrawing later to build a new house. 

In the next year, I wish to have built a new house with at least two rooms. My current house is in a poor state and I am afraid it may collapse from the winds. To accomplish this, I hope to save some amount from my future transfers through a merry-go-round club. Since the aim is to construct a mud-walled and tin roof structure, I intend to start by buying the building materials like building poles and iron sheets. After that, I will hire a constructor to complete the exercise. Next, I aim to buy two more beds for my four children who currently share one bed, which is growing tiny for them. 

After I got the chance to withdraw the funds I went to ahead to pay KES 1,000 in tuition for four of my children because they'd been out of school for two days. I then proceeded to deposit another KES 1,000 in my savings account because I had plans of letting the money accumulate so that I could buy a new bed and mattress because for a while now my kids and myself have been sleeping on the ground. Lastly I spent the remaining balance of KES 1,000 on purchasing five packets of maize flour because there was barely any food in the house.

I am really grateful for the generosity that GiveDirectly has shown us back in the village especially because we can clearly see the transition in our day to day lives. At the moment with the finances that I received each month I am able to cater for the nutrition of my family and also the education of my children which is quite important to me and them as well.

We are blessed with four children, three have joined the school and one is still young. I burn charcoal for sale while my husband, who is the main income earner, is a rancher but on a small scale. Due to the prolonged droughts, he usually does not get much output from it hence he strains to sustain our needs. The children had stayed back at home for two days due to the tuition arrears of KES 500 which I cleared with part of the first transfer. The remaining KES 650 I spent on a few foodstuffs for the family. I am proud of having been able to support my husband in meeting our household needs.

The ease with which I was able to pay for my children’s school fees makes me proud. I still can not believe that for the first time in my life I was able to clear my children’s school fees arrears. With our meager income, a whole day’s meal is unheard-of and so owing the school tuition arrears was the norm. Thanks to GiveDirectly for making it easy. With the additional income, we shall be clearing the school fees on time and I believe my children’s performance will improve because they will have ample time for their studies.

We are from a humble background and at times affording a meal is a challenge. On this fateful day, I had settled for porridge as our dinner because we only had a little corn flour left. In the process, I received a confirmation message of the receipt of the first transfer. This was one of the happiest moments of my life. I was very excited, informed my spouse about the news, and we both celebrated.