Even though my elder son graduated from university, I still have two children in secondary school for whom paying their school fees is a challenge. I hope to improve my farming and increase productivity in the coming year. I plan to sell the surplus from the farm to help pay for school fees and other household expenses. Despite the fact that the drought has been devastating, I am hopeful that when the rain begins, I will be able to plant because my farms are ready.

We did fantastic work in our household thanks to GiveDirectly's transfer, which came with the option to spend it however we saw fit. I am grateful for the unconditional support that lifted many families out of poverty and gave hope to many children who were about to drop out of school. GiveDirectly did everything so well, with lots of information clarity, and never contradicted themselves until the very end.

Before receiving the transfers from GiveDirectly, I was reliant on one lactating dairy cow. I needed an additional cow to increase production as a primary source of income to help pay for school fees and other household expenses. I could not afford a cow with the first transfer, but when I got the second, I spent $300 on a Friesian heifer. I expected it to grow and make a contribution to production, but it died after three months of conception due to an unknown illness. It was unfortunate that the expected goal was cut short, but I was grateful for the other great things I was able to accomplish with both transfers. I used the remaining $230 to pay school fees for my three children, one of whom is a university student and the other two in secondary school. I am pleased and grateful that my son, who was in college, finished and graduated, and that one of the two in secondary school completed his final exams. I am still excited to see them complete other higher levels of education that I believe will help them secure jobs.

I do not know how to read and write and as I was going on with my daily activities, most of my neighbors were so happy while claiming that they had received their promised money from GiveDirectly. I waited patiently till lunch hour when my helper arrived and I requested him to help me check my Mpesa balance and after a few minutes, he confirmed to me that the money was already in my account. My heart was immediately filled with joy as I knew that this money would enable me to accomplish so much including paying school fees for my children.

The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have been able to purchase a dairy cow which is an addition to the one I had. When it reproduces, I will be supplying milk to our nearest cooler plant and use the money that I will be paid at the end of every month to pay school fees for my children. Though I will have to walk for an hour daily taking milk to the cooler plant, I prefer it than selling them to my neighbors who will in turn pay on a daily basis as it would enable me plan well on how to spend them and avoid spending them on unnecessary things.

Upon receiving my transfer, I spent KES 21000 to pay school fees for my son who is in a tertiary institution and gave him KES 3000 to use as transport when going back to school. I settled on this so that he would have a peaceful mind while studying knowing that he would sit for his examinations as his school fees has been cleared. Also, I spent KES 30000 to purchase a dairy cow. I will be selling milk and use the money in meeting our daily needs. Also, I can easily sell an heifer and use the money in paying school fees for my children whenever they are sent back home.