Looking ahead, my goal is to save more money through the savings group. Currently, I am saving $15 each month, but I plan to increase it to $20. This will allow me to save a larger amount, which I can use to buy more livestock, like hens. Once they multiply, I’ll sell some for profit, and the income will help me take care of my family’s needs. I also plan to use the savings to build a proper cooking place, which will make cooking more convenient and enjoyable. I am deeply appreciative of the support from GiveDirectly, which is helping me work towards these goals.

I recently joined a savings group made up of nine members, where each of us contributes $15 every month. The collected money is given to one member each month to help them improve their life. Joining this group was a great decision for me, as it allows me to save money and better my life, despite not being able to work on heavy tasks due to my chest problems. My husband, the main breadwinner, works as a casual laborer, but his income is very small. When things get difficult, we sometimes rely on our sons, who also work as casual laborers in town doing construction jobs. I am grateful that the financial transfers have allowed me to save money in the savings group, helping me plan for a better future. So far, I’ve saved $45, and I plan to use this money to buy livestock and build a proper cooking place for my family. I bought four hens for $13, but unfortunately, they died from a strange disease. I am hoping to buy more hens with my next transfers. Additionally, I spent $23 on school fees for my three children, ensuring they stayed in school without being sent home. I also used $21 to purchase food, which ensured my family had enough to eat and we didn’t face any food shortages. I am truly thankful for the financial support from the transfers, which have made a significant difference in my family's life.

Receiving funds from GiveDirectly has transformed my life. With their support, I have a clear vision for the coming year and beyond. My main goal is to buy some goats to raise, as they will serve as a vital investment for my future. Each month, I diligently save a portion of my transfers in a local savings group, carefully putting aside money to make this dream a reality. These goats will not only provide a steady source of income through the sale of offspring, but they will also offer a safety net during tough times. I am passionate about creating a sustainable future for my family, and with each step I take, I get closer to this goal. I am determined to see my plans through, knowing that with persistence and support from GiveDirectly, I can accomplish great things.

I am a mother of six children, and providing for my family is a daily struggle. My husband is too old to work, so I work casual jobs to make ends meet. Occasionally, my elder son helps out with his earnings from similar work. With the most recent three transfers totaling $102, I paid $26 in school fees for my four primary school children. Education is important to me, and I want to give my children a chance for a better future. With the poor rains affecting our harvest, I spent $27 on food to ensure my family could eat. Thinking about the future, I invested nine chicks for $27. Raising these chicks will eventually provide us with eggs and potentially more income if we sell some of them. This investment is crucial for our long-term sustainability. Finally, I saved $22 for any unforeseen circumstances. Having a small savings cushion gives me peace of mind, knowing that I have a backup plan in case of emergencies.

I could have spent the transfers on food, but what happens when the transfers end? I may not have something to fall back on for provision. Besides, my husband, who is the sole provider, is advancing in age, and it will be challenging for him to engage in work in the future. This is why I plan on rearing livestock, such as goats. I believe that they will equip me with enough wealth to support the education of my children even past the transfer period.

Three of my children needed new school uniforms as their old ones had become tattered from repetitive use. So, I used $18 to buy them new school attire. I also saved $60 through a merry-go-round savings club. When it is my turn to receive the lump sum, I plan to invest in livestock, like goats for rearing. These goats will serve as a financial resource during times of struggle, as I can sell them in the future, such as when paying school fees for my children. Furthermore, I will allocate some of these funds to buy three iron sheets to repair my roof. A severe wind blew off a part of it, leaving a huge hole that had been letting in cold air and rainwater. I also reduced their school fee debt by $6. The remaining amount was spent on food. The last farming season did not yield well for us, so we have been relying on buying food. My husband, as the provider, has been struggling to put food on the table due to his advanced age and inability to actively work to provide for us. Therefore, cash transfers have proved to be extremely useful in keeping our children in school and providing meals.

Owning livestock stands as my most significant achievement. This livestock represents a valuable possession that I anticipate maintaining for an extended duration due to its capacity for reproduction. The income generated from these animals will play a pivotal role in covering my children's educational expenses and fulfilling essential requirements like sustenance. Moreover, alongside my livestock venture, I aspire to establish a kiosk, thereby creating an additional source of income to further support both my family and myself.

My health has been declining over the past few months. I experience persistent chest discomfort. After a recent consultation with a doctor, it was advised that I refrain from participating in physically demanding tasks like my previous occupation of charcoal vending. My husband is elderly and incapable of working any longer. To meet my basic necessities, I mainly rely on my sons. They work as occasional laborers in the city, although their earnings are limited. This occasionally results in challenges in caring for my four school-going children. During July, a portion of the funds I received was allocated to settling an outstanding school fee. This allowed my children to successfully complete their second-term examinations. Apart from addressing the school fees, I also procured food after enduring two days without meals due to financial constraints. I am content that these funds alleviated our situation, preventing us from going hungry. The remaining $10 was saved within a savings group, intended for the eventual acquisition of livestock. This is a prudent investment plan as it offers the prospect of growth through reproduction and subsequent sales, providing resources to support both my family and me in the future.

My four children, who are currently enrolled in school, have been able to attend classes without any instances of fee-related absences as a result of the consistent transfers. Despite my limited financial resources, my unwavering goal as a parent is to see their educational goals realized. My plan remains consistent in ensuring that they stay in school by always paying their fees on time, protecting them from being forced to leave due to fee arrears. Furthermore, I have been setting aside a minimum of $10, which I intend to use to purchase livestock, specifically goats. My expectation is that these goats will reproduce and multiply, and I can easily sell them to cater for my financial needs. This includes contributing to my children's education and securing their educational journey.

Each month, upon receiving a transfer, my foremost commitment is to cover the educational expenses of my four children, ensuring they remain in school without any interruptions. Nurturing their academic journey has proven to be a daunting task, as in the past, they frequently faced the risk of being sent home, sometimes even missing their exams due to my inability to pay for them on time. The arrival of these funds has significantly simplified the process for both my husband and me, allowing us to plan well for our children's schooling, as he also benefits from this support. Apart from school fees, I also spent $24 to hire oxen to plough my two acres of land in preparation for cultivation. As my livelihood relies solely on subsistence farming, a bountiful harvest carries immense significance. It not only solves the problem of food scarcity but also opens avenues for investing surplus funds into other projects, including acquiring livestock. I also took $10 and put it in our local savings group, hoping to accumulate enough money to buy more goats. Livestock are the only assets I can easily manage, and I believe that once they multiply, I will be able to sell them and educate my children.

Since my husband is advanced in age, he cannot actively work to make a living and provide for us. I have adopted charcoal-making as a source of income, which sadly does not produce enough to put daily meals on the table. Consequently, this made my spouse and I hugely depend on our three sons, who cut and sell chewing sticks. Ideally, everyone in my household just stumbles on earnings on a lucky day. To break this cycle, I plan on raising goats as a way of personal investment. As they mature and reproduce, so does my wealth increase. Also, I plan to construct a one-room, mud-walled, and tin-roofed kitchen structure as I have been using my son’s house as a cooking spot, which is unhealthy. 

My son Bahati joined the junior high school last month with fewer student materials than what was required by the school. I did not have money to secure everything that was on the checklist as my casual job of charcoal making was not making me as much. When I received the cash transfer, I was intentional about obtaining him the extra pair of uniforms and the books he lacked. I spent around $12 to buy these things, which am sure is rendering him a better learning experience as we speak. Next, I saved $11 through a self-help group, which I joined a few months ago. I want to accumulate enough savings to purchase two goats to kickstart my passion for goat rearing. I directed the remaining amount towards the purchase of food, as the household had run out of corn flour that morning. 

In my opinion, sending money is the greatest job done by Give Directly. The cash alleviated hunger in my household, saw my son through his national exams, and allowed me to cultivate on the quarter-acre of land I had prepared. I am glad that the seeds have started sprouting, thanks to the rains, and I cannot wait to harvest them for food in a few months. I admire the charity extended by Give Directly and I cannot tie any wrong to them. Right now, am excited about receiving the next transfer. 

I was happy to receive the transfer especially after surviving three consecutive days without food. It had been weeks since I earned anything from my charcoal-burning hustle. To say the truth, finding a customer for charcoal is tough considering the high supply of the product at the market. Besides, the most I can make after waiting for at least a week is $12, which barely provides food to last my seven children and me until the next week. That is why I rushed to the shop to buy maize flour worth $12 after Give Directly sent the money. At least, this guaranteed us decent meals for that week. Next, I saved $12 through a self-help group in my community. Am confident that such savings will back me up in the wake of financial difficulties and allow me to accumulate enough for securing goats as an investment. I channeled $6 toward my son’s school fees debt to ensure he sat for his national examinations without interruptions, which he did courtesy of the transfer. I supported my other son with $2 transport to Mariakani where he would sell the chewing sticks he had made. Finally, I spent the rest on maize seeds for planting since the rains had just started. 

I vividly remember that day, it was on a Thursday around 7 pm and I was with my children waiting for supper to be served. I received a message alert on my phone which was unusual for me to receive a message at that hour. My children are the ones who normally read the messages for me and upon receiving the alert, I gave them the phone to check who could have sent the message. I saw them smiling as we shared the food, on asking what was the contents of the message, I was greatly overwhelmed with joy when they disclosed to me that I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I thanked God for using GiveDirectly to help us in our hour of need.

My husband usually receives support from the government for the elderly. Sometimes it comes early but this time round, the money was delayed for weeks. My children had been sent home for lack of fees and I could not raise the money as required. I was hoping my husband's money would be disbursed on time to pay for them. When I received the transfer from GiveDirectly, I was greatly relieved because I was able to pay the fees for my children and were allowed to continue with their studies. I am at peace now since I have ample time to prepare for the next payment and this makes it to be the biggest difference in my daily life.

I received the transfer at a time when my children had been sent home from school for failing to pay their fees. I could not pay for them on time and they were forced to stay at home until I had the money to pay. Through the transfer, I was able to clear the fee arrears and also paid for their examinations. I am grateful to GiveDirectly because had I not received the transfer, it would have taken weeks to raise the fees. I also spent a portion of the transfer on buying foodstuffs and other household items that I lacked.