With the recurring and unpredictable droughts threatening our land, diversifying our livelihood has become a necessity. To counter this challenge, my plan is to venture into crop farming along the riverbanks, utilizing irrigation to secure our harvest. The first step towards this endeavor is to sell our goats and chickens to finance the lease of land from our neighbors. The ultimate goal is to ensure that my family of seven never goes hungry and that we can weather the droughts with a more reliable source of sustenance.

It is exciting to see how the environment and lifestyles in our community have evolved. The construction of houses and the acquisition of livestock signify progress and resilience. These changes have not only improved living conditions but have also lessened the strain on our community, particularly during challenging times like droughts. It is a positive transformation that brings a sense of security and stability to our neighborhood, and I am grateful to Givedirectly for the collective efforts that have contributed to this change.

My family of seven depends on goat rearing for a living. However, we have been affected by an adverse drought that rendered most of my goats dead, therefore running into losses and sometimes not meeting my family's needs. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for the assistance it offered me, as this was a source of inspiration and a financial breakthrough for my family. When I received the transfers, I used $70 to pay school fees for my daughter in grade 10 and $55 to purchase maize for the family. I am now happy that my daughter has uninterrupted school sessions and my family is food secure. Additionally, I repaid $65 of the monthly loan that I took from the Kenya Women Trust Fund to purchase a water tank and construct my house. In an effort to secure our future income, I bought two goats for $100 and spent the rest on household goods.

My current main goal is to launch a new business that will engage in salon activities. It will be a lot simpler for me because I already have the necessary skills. I will thus begin saving money to give the funds that are required to effectively begin it. Once I will succeed, I will have enough money to meet any future financial challenges.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well by accepting everyone without discriminating against them regardless of their skin colour, tribe, religion, or even age. We were all treated equally and fairly. There is absolutely nothing that needs to be reviewed for now since all went well.

My wife and I sat down and decided that we should buy a water tank that would be utilized to store water primarily for home needs and to allow us to practice the irrigation plan due to the protracted drought that we have been experiencing. So, after receiving the money, we bought the tank and a hosepipe for about $200. We are currently waiting for the rains to begin so that we can finish starting this assignment. I believe it will be a relief because our farm output will increase and I won't have to trek as far in quest of water as I did in previous years. Additionally, one of my sons is in form two and had been at home for nearly two weeks. Because I have always wanted him to succeed in the future, I paid the outstanding balance and had him resume his studies with his friends. He is no longer burdened by late payments. Making ends meet was a constant challenge for me as the family's sole provider for seven members. Later on, I was able to expand my kiosk business, which allowed me to eventually become financially independent.

Deep gratitude filled my heart when the money arrived, and I couldn't help but thank God for this much-needed blessing. Life had been incredibly challenging, making the receipt of such an amount an immense honor for us. The moment I received the message and confirmed its authenticity from GiveDirectly, I immediately reached out to my husband, who was working hard at a casual labor job in the nearby town. His excitement matched mine, and we both expressed great gratitude that the plans we had been longing to fulfill would finally come to fruition. Although we had to wait patiently for two more days, we eagerly anticipated collecting the money, ready to embark on the next chapter of our journey.

Ever since GiveDirectly stepped in, our daily lives have undergone a significant transformation. With the limited resources we had, it was a constant struggle to meet our obligations in this challenging economic time. However, I am truly grateful that, with the financial support we received, I didn't have to sell any of my precious goats. Instead, I utilized the funds to cover their expenses, ensuring their well-being. Additionally, I was able to manage school fees for my children and purchase ample food for our family. This newfound stability in meeting these essential needs has brought about the biggest difference in our daily lives, filling us with hope and gratitude.

As soon as I received the first transfer, my priority was to replenish our food supplies, which had been dwindling. It was a moment of relief when I spent $65 on purchasing enough food to sustain my family of six for an entire month. Another matter that had been weighing on our minds was our motorcycle, which had been out of service for the past two months due to engine problems. This motorcycle played a crucial role in water collection and served as a means of transportation for my spouse's taxi business. Unfortunately, we couldn't afford the repairs at the time due to financial constraints. However, thanks to the support from GiveDirectly, we were able to fix it for $60, and we're now overjoyed that it's up and running again. In addition to these expenses, I used $40 to clear my son's tuition arrears from the previous term, ensuring his education continued without interruption. To enhance the security around our home, I invested $25 in purchasing wire mesh to complete a section of the compound fence that I had previously left unfinished. Lastly, I spent $3 on labor support during the fencing project and the remaining $7 on various household goods, including sugar, toiletries, and other essential items.