In the upcoming months, my aim is to invest in livestock, particularly goats. I am optimistic that they will breed and provide a sustainable source of income for me in the future, even after the financial aid ends. I am pleased with the positive changes in my life that have been facilitated by the transfers. I no longer face the significant challenges I did before, and I am grateful for the progress I've achieved.

I used to rely on labor-intensive jobs like cutting tree stumps for charcoal and working on farms, which took a toll on my health. However, due to declining health, I had to stop these jobs and now depend on my daughter, who sells palm wine, for support. Three months ago, my traditional sisal twine bed collapsed, leaving me with uncomfortable nights sleeping on the cold floor, only separated by a sack. Determined to improve my sleeping conditions, I decided to invest in a modern wooden bed and mattress. I allocated my three months' worth of transfers, totaling $102, to purchase a new bed for $70 and a mattress for $60. I covered the remaining $28 with my own savings. Now, I am delighted to have comfortable and restful nights on my new bed. This change has significantly improved my quality of life, especially considering the hardships I faced with my previous low-paying jobs. I am grateful for the financial assistance, which has played a crucial role in helping me live more comfortably.

In the coming year, my primary objective is to construct a new house, considering that the current residence is owned by my son. The need for a more spacious and adequate living space is evident, as the current one is small and insufficient for our family. To fund this endeavor, I plan to utilize the savings from the transfers I have received. The prospect of providing my son with a larger and more secure living space brings me immense joy and peace of mind. I express sincere gratitude for the assistance extended to us, as it plays a crucial role in realizing our aspiration for a better and more comfortable home.

In the past, I struggled with an unstable source of income, relying on manual farming jobs for survival, making life in the village unbearable. Following the passing of my husband many years ago, I turned to selling charcoal to support my family of six. Thanks to the financial assistance from GiveDirectly, my life has undergone a positive transformation. I decided to stop engaging in strenuous and health-compromising menial jobs. With the received transfers, I prioritized improving the living conditions of my differently-abled son by purchasing a $50 mattress, ensuring he had a proper place to sleep. A portion of the funds, $34, was allocated to acquiring essential food and clothing for my son, considering the dire situation we were in. The remaining funds were directed towards settling the school fees for my youngest child, who had accumulated a debt as the school term came to an end. Truly, GiveDirectly has been a lifeline, providing crucial support for my family during these challenging financial times.

After a long period of drought that paralyzed our farming activities in my region, I recently returned to subsistence farming. The weather recently improved, so I was able to plough and cultivate my entire acreage, and I am confident of a bountiful harvest. This will solve the problem of food scarcity in my household, and I will redirect my transfers to another project. I intend to build a new house because I do not own one. My house collapsed a few years ago, and my son offered me his house, where I have remained to this day. I would like to start purchasing at least two iron sheets per month. I intend to buy a total of 20 iron sheets before purchasing the remaining materials, such as building poles. So far, building a house is the primary goal I hope to achieve in the coming year and beyond.

I spent a larger portion of my recent transfers on food for my family, such as maize flour. My children and I were forced to skip meals in order to save money for the next day due to frequent food shortages in my household. I was relying on subsistence farming to ensure food availability, but our farms were no longer productive after a long period of drought. Purchasing food on a daily basis was my only option; however, due to financial constraints, I was unable to do so. Without the money, the current difficult economic situation, which has raised the prices of necessities such as food, would have been unbearable. In addition to food, I spent some of the money on my son's school fees. By paying for him on time, he was able to stay in school and continue his studies comfortably. I am at ease because I have plenty of time to save up enough money and plan for the next term. I also spent $10 on two chickens, which I am currently keeping and have increased their number to ten. I hope to have a poultry project that will provide me with income.

In the next year and beyond, I would love to have gained financial stability, where I can support the education of my three children without straining. Keeping livestock is the surest way I could develop myself and accumulate future wealth. By the end of the year, I intend to have bought at least four goats, which I can later exchange for a cow when they multiply. 

Being a widow, I take on the responsibility of providing for my three children, and sometimes, my six grandchildren whose parents are both unemployed. Making charcoal is the only activity I can rely on to fend for my family. Sadly, the earnings I make can barely put daily meals on the table. This makes me prioritize basic needs like food, whenever I receive my cash transfers. From the most recent one, I deducted $14 to secure maize flour as the household had run out of food the previous night. Additionally, I used 410 to top up some savings and acquired a mattress for my son, who is physically impaired. Given his condition, I used to carry him to bed, which took a serious toll on my physicality. At least, he can comfortably move around by himself from the mattress on the floor. I bought two chickens with the remaining funds, just like I had spent $10 from each of January’s and December’s transfers. The remaining cash from the two months mostly went towards the purchase of food. Am extremely grateful for the far the financial aid has taken my family. 

I applaud the organization for assisting the village's most vulnerable residents. The unconditional transfers provide us with a significant financial boost in these challenging economic times. Some of the needs that were difficult to meet before receiving the funds can now be met. The organization is succeeding, and I implore them to continue helping the less fortunate members of society in the same way.

I spent a significant portion of my transfer on buying $15 worth of food. I provide for my family's needs solely through the sale of charcoal. Given that I have many needs to meet, the income from my source of income is hardly enough for me to survive. Due to the challenging economy, the business has not been doing well in recent months. Along with purchasing food, I partially covered my son's delinquent school fees after he was ejected. He was able to return to school as a result and continue his education. I finally decided to save the last $10 so I could buy iron sheets and build a new house. My old, dilapidated home finally gave way a month ago after a nighttime windstorm passed by. I was sound asleep when it happened, fortunately, so I was unharmed. Because of this, I was forced to move into my son's home, where I am now live while I gather funds to construct a new home. Sand, cement, and iron sheets are among the building supplies I intend to purchase once I have enough money saved.

I had just returned home from digging tree stumps for charcoal and was sweeping the floor of my house around 4 p.m. when my phone rang with a message notification. I asked my sixth-grade son, who was home because he had missed school owing to unpaid school fees, to assist me to understand the message's contents. When he confirmed that Give Directly had transferred some funds, a wave of relief washed over me. At least, the money would save us from the hunger we had been experiencing since the previous night. I immediately sent my helper to the mobile money outlet to collect the transfer.

Previously, the household would frequently run out of food, forcing me often acquire maize flour on credit from the shop while I waited for my charcoal to process. However, after receiving the cash transfer, I purchased enough food to last us nine days. During that period, I also took a break from the physical rigors of charcoal burning and restored my bodily strength. The major difference is that I never begged the shopkeeper for credit food for the remainder of the month. Thank you Give Directly!

There is nothing else I can rely on to make a livelihood besides charcoal burning. The venture hardly generates enough money to feed my family of four members for a week. As a result, hunger is prevalent in my household. The day before I received the cash transfer, the house had run out of food, forcing us to sleep on empty stomachs. I was relieved to get money from Give Directly since it would assist to put a meal on the table. Most of it, KES 1000, was spent on corn flour. Although the food did not keep us going until the end of the month, I am grateful that it lasted nine days. I utilized the remaining funds to pay my son's July school fees, as he had missed a day of class owing to an overdue tuition debt. He was excited to go back to school the following week and has never skipped learning since.