In the coming years, I plan to lease a piece of land to focus on farming, particularly planting maize, as it thrives even during the dry seasons. I believe this will provide a steady source of income and help us sustain our family’s needs. With the profits I make from farming, my priority will be to pay school fees for my children so that they can continue their education without interruption. Additionally, I aim to improve our living conditions further by expanding our home. I want my family to be comfortable and secure in the long term. Farming will be our main source of stability, and I am confident that with hard work, we will succeed.

GiveDirectly did an excellent job in ensuring that their officers were respectful throughout the process. They gave valuable advice on how to avoid household conflicts and emphasized the importance of using the money wisely. I appreciated their guidance, as it helped us focus on making the right decisions for our family's future. Everything about their approach was positive, and I didn’t encounter any issues or problems. The process was smooth, and I felt supported at every step. Overall, I can only say good things about GiveDirectly, and I have no complaints.

The floods completely swept away my home, leaving us living in tents and struggling to survive. All my belongings, including my house, five goats, and six chickens, were destroyed. So, when I received the cash transfer, I knew I had to rebuild. I spent $300 to construct a room with iron sheets and used $30 to build another room made of grass and mud walls. I also spent $50 to construct a proper toilet since we had been using the bushes for a long time. These changes have made a huge difference for my family, and we now feel more secure and comfortable in our new home.In addition to rebuilding, I used $70 to pay school fees for my children. Education is important to me, and despite the hardships, I want to ensure my kids have a better future. My husband is a fisherman, and I work casual jobs, which together used to be enough for basic needs, but the floods took everything, making life difficult. Now, with the help from GiveDirectly, I can focus more on my children’s education without worrying as much about school fees. Although life was hard after the disaster, we are finally recovering, and I am grateful for the improvements. My family of eight now has a safe place to live, and we no longer have to rely on temporary shelters. We feel hopeful for the future, and I can confidently say that our lives have changed for the better.

 I was at home with my husband, busy with my house duties, when I heard a message notification on my phone. I handed the phone to my husband to check, and he confirmed that we had received the transfer from GiveDirectly. We were so happy, but we didn’t rush into spending it. Instead, we decided to sit down the next day and carefully discuss how to use the money wisely.

The spending made a significant difference in our lives. Before the transfer, we faced the challenge of replacing essential household items that were destroyed in the floods. We used part of the transfer to buy a mattress, clothes, and utensils, which helped us regain some comfort and functionality in our new temporary house. In addition, the transfer allowed us to address our food needs. We bought a variety of food, including milk, which was a special treat for our young children. This provided us with essential nutrition and also brought a sense of normalcy to our family.

We have two children in high school, a girl and a boy—one in boarding school and the other in day school. Their fee arrears had accumulated to $160. When we received the transfer, we were delighted to reduce their arrears by $50. We sent them back to school with only $30 between them and promised to pay the remaining balance later, though raising the funds was challenging since I rely on charcoal and my husband on fishing, which limits our income. Additionally, recently floods destroyed our household items, including utensils, clothes, and mattresses. With the transfer, we spent about $70 to buy a mattress, some clothes, and utensils. Relocating to a new temporary house felt like starting life from scratch, and food was no exception. We spent $60 on food, including a variety of items like maize, beans, rice, and others. For our young children, milk, which had been a special treat for them as they rarely get it, was especially enjoyed this time. Thank you, GiveDirectly.