I have a plan to set up a retail shop, the budget for this is about $600. I cannot get such a huge amount at once to start this business. Since I depend on farming doubling up to goat rearing. I plan to buy small goats since at a tender age they are not so costly. And I know they will grow up with time, and give me good returns when they have grown big. that will enable me to get good money to purchase a cow. The cows will only need a short while to mature and thus I will sell the cow each to be sold for $400 which will be enough for me to start the business

I have a deep passion for farming, as it is the main source of livelihood for my family. Additionally, I enjoy rearing goats because they are resilient to many diseases when well taken care of. I engage in these activities to supplement the income I earn from teaching, my profession. With the responsibility of providing for my child and receiving some financial support from close family members, I work diligently to ensure we are well cared for. Upon receiving my recent transfers, I allocated $34 to hire someone to help me till my land during the cultivation season. Investing in farming ensures a good produce that sustains my family until the next harvest, saving us from spending heavily on maize and beans. The remaining amount was used to purchase building materials for a decent, spacious house for my goats. I understand that keeping them in a clean environment maintains their health and promotes faster growth. Consequently, I also bought pesticides to protect them from insect attacks, ensuring their well-being.

My plan has been to set up a retail shop, the budget for this is about $600. I cannot get such a huge amount at once to start this business. Since my work is buying and selling animals my plan was to buy goats when they are kids until I get to ten goats, feed them and allow them grow to maturity where I will sell and afford two cows, the cows will only need a short while to mature to get to each be sold for $400 which will be enough for me starting the business.

I saved the transfers from September and October which went into the purchase of my two goats. The goats each went for $32 and I also paid for my transport to and from the place of purchase. For my November transfers I am yet to use them. My plan is to buy seeds for planting as well buying pesticides to be used once we are done with planting as well as medicine for my goats.

My goal is to accumulate sufficient funds to embark on a business venture. Presently, I am involved in supporting my brother with the sale of food products at his shop, and the knowledge and expertise I have gained through this experience will prove invaluable when I establish my own business. By initiating this enterprise, I aim to attain financial stability and generate a reliable income stream that will enable me to meet my basic needs. The financial assistance I have received has played a crucial role in facilitating a significant improvement in my present circumstances as well as paving the way for a brighter future. I am truly grateful for the support I have been provided, as it has empowered me to forge a path towards a better life. The experience I have acquired while assisting my brother has equipped me with the necessary skills and insights into the food product industry. These invaluable lessons will undoubtedly contribute to the success of my own business endeavor. By venturing into entrepreneurship, I am confident that I can attain a level of financial security that will enable me to lead a more fulfilling and stable life.

I allocated the entirety of my August transfers towards my farming endeavors, focusing on optimizing the yield of my crops. A significant portion of the funds, amounting to $16, was dedicated to the purchase of pesticides, which played a crucial role in safeguarding my crops and ensuring a bountiful harvest. This successful outcome fills me with great joy and satisfaction. Additionally, recognizing the importance of maintaining the well-being of my crops, I hired individuals to assist me in weeding my two-acre maize field. The services provided by these individuals amounted to a total payment of $21.5. Their efforts were instrumental in maintaining the health and productivity of my crops. As September began, I reaped the rewards of my labor, harvesting two bags of maize weighing 90kg each from my farm. This substantial quantity of food will sustain me for the next five months, eliminating the need to purchase expensive maize flour from local stores. This not only ensures my sustenance but also allows me to save money. The financial assistance provided through the transfers has proven to be essential in meeting my needs, especially considering my lack of income as a Madrassa teacher. I am deeply grateful for the support I have received, as it empowers me to take care of myself and address my financial obligations. The transfers have provided me with a sense of stability and independence, for which I am truly thankful.

As I had mentioned earlier selling chicken is my business, I have a local hatchery from where I get the chicken and rear them to adulthood then I resell them for a profit. This was not what I had intended to do with the money I had intended to start a general shop but the expenses seemed to be above me. I have now focused on the chicken business and my hope this year is to scale. I want to be able to rear other animals as well. I believe through this chicken I can get goats which I can sell and get cows that will in turn bring a large turnaround that will go into cash I can use to make purchases such as land purchases.

I started a chicken-rearing business last year due to a lack of finances to start my dream general shop. I have about 50 chicks and 30 hens. Chicken rearing requires that one take cautionary action such as ensuring the animals have been vaccinated. I used my January transfer to buy the medicine for the chicken at $3 for vaccination. I also bought chicken feed worth $10. In January my chicken business had not made me money enough to take care of food at home so I used my entire $34 transfer to buy flour for the family. In March I found someone selling a goat at $18 and so I sent the money for this purchase and am waiting for the goat to be delivered. I have kept the rest of the transfers to get me through this month's needs as they arise.

I have plans to finally start a business this year because the cost of living has gone extremely high, yet I have a family to look after. Therefore, I will try to keep a small amount of the money that I receive each time so that when I finally have enough, I can finally open a store and start selling items that will assist me in looking after my family. I have also so far been able to purchase two goats, six hens, and two turkeys with the funds that I have been receiving. Therefore, I plan to acquire more farm animals, which can be quite beneficial when I'm struggling financially.

Lack of a stable source of income is my greatest challenge, given that my wife and son solely count on me for provision. While volunteering as a Madrasa teacher at the mosque, sometimes well-wishers support me through food or monetary allowances. Since such gestures rarely come by, there are times I sell chickens during market days to at least put food on the table. Honestly, my worst fear is seeing my family suffering from hunger. So I mostly prioritize restocking food every time I get funds and this is what I did with the transfer. Though there was still little maize flour in stock, I channeled the entire amount toward boosting the flour. Am grateful the food has served us to date and will probably last a few more weeks. This has relieved the pressure and allowed me to actively focus on raising cash for other household needs.  

My goats appeared to be sick the week I received my transfer. I was terrified because I had lost several goats to an unknown illness the previous year. Immediately after I received my transfer, I opted to look for veterinary services. As a result, I spent KES 2,000 on the same. The remaining KES 1,000 aided me in transportation. I am overjoyed that they all appear to be in good health right now. I am afraid I would have lost all of my goats if it had not been for the timely transfer.

Offering financial support to the community living in abject poverty is what GiveDirectly does so well. It does not discriminate against anyone based on their economic and religious background. As a result, many beneficiaries have been able to benefit from its program hence they can easily buy food from the transfer. Consequently, the majority of the beneficiaries can comfortably support their families irrespective of the inflation in food prices. However, there is nothing that GiveDirectly does not do well.

I do not have a job and only raise chicken for sale. A business that does not generate more income because I do it on a low scale. Most of the time, I have a lot of free time which I spend on offering voluntary teaching Koran in my nearby mosque. Immediately, after I received my recent transfer, I planned to save it in order to raise capital for starting up a shop. Running a shop will not only keep me engaged but also provide an avenue through which I shall be able to raise some income. Therefore, I will be able to supplement my income from selling chicken with the proceeds from the shop.

It was in the morning after doing my prayers as I was feeding my chicken,I decided to make a call which I didn't make because I was distracted by the mpesa message. I was overly excited and decided to share with my brother the good news. My brother had also received his share and he was equally happy for both of us.

My separation from my wife and my only child is quite a difficult time and it has been weighing me down most of the times.My wife has been having a difficult time due to her health situation and she found it best to be with her family.I have tried to negotiate my way with the elders to have her back home but it's been void.The difference in my daily life since I started receiving this funds is am close to achieving my goal and atleast having financial capability to sustain my family yet they are not here with me to celebrate and enjoy as a family .I have plans to support my child and hope that my wife will agree to come back home.

I have always wanted to start my own business (shop) but due to capital have not been able to achieve my goal.Currently have been keeping chicken which is the main source of my income.I plan to save my next five months transfer in order to achieve a capital of KES 15000.My plan is pay rent of KES 3000 and buy stock of KES 12000,in my anticipation to save atleast 150 in a day.I will be able to sustain my needs and that of my family of three members.