In the coming year and beyond, my primary goal is to finance the education of my five children. I deeply regret not having received the best education during my time, largely because education was not prioritized then. I am determined to change this narrative for my children and ensure they receive the best education possible. I plan to use my future transfers to cover their school fees. Additionally, I aim to invest in livestock, which will multiply and increase my initial investment, making it a valuable asset for the future. This will provide a source of income even after the financial aid period ends. I am truly happy and grateful for the financial support that is helping me work toward these goals.

As the sole provider for my family of seven, I rely on casual jobs in house construction to earn a living. However, these jobs are not consistently available, making it difficult to secure a steady income and meet my family's needs. The financial transfers have been a tremendous help, allowing me to care for my family more easily. We no longer miss meals as frequently due to a lack of funds, and my children are now attending school regularly. I recently saved $30 from the transfers to ensure I can pay their school fees at the start of the new term. I also cleared a previous school fees debt by paying $34, which allowed my children to sit for their exams before the school closed. In addition, I purchased a goat for $48, contributing some extra money to make the purchase. This goat represents a valuable future investment. It will likely multiply, and in the event of an emergency, I can sell it to cover pressing needs. I purchased food worth $4 ensuring that my family had enough to eat.I am truly grateful for the financial support, which has been instrumental in ensuring my children's education is uninterrupted.

My goal this year and beyond is to finance the education of my five children. Currently, they owe a significant amount in school fee balances, which I aim to clear to ensure they can attend their classes without any interruptions. Providing my children with a good education is paramount to securing their future. The financial support from the cash program has been a tremendous help in achieving this goal. I am incredibly appreciative of this assistance, which has allowed me to take concrete steps toward giving my children the best education possible. With continued support, I am confident that I can clear their outstanding school fees and ensure they have uninterrupted access to their education, paving the way for a brighter future for our family.

As a mason and farmer, my livelihood has been deeply affected by the unpredictable climate, making it challenging to cultivate and harvest crops on my 5-acre farm. The situation forced me to sell all my livestock at low prices to avoid losing them to harsh conditions, further reducing my income. The little earnings I made from house construction and selling agricultural produce were insufficient to support my family of seven. Being enrolled in the cash program has significantly alleviated our struggles. With the financial support, I have been able to address some of my family's pressing needs. I spent $60 to pay off the school fee debt for my five children at Ikanga Primary School. This ensured they could resume their studies after being sent home due to unpaid fees. Seeing my children back in school brings me peace of mind and hope for their future. Additionally, I purchased a goat for $34. I am optimistic that within a year, the goat will have multiplied, effectively doubling my investment. This livestock investment gives me confidence that even after the financial transfers end, I will have something reliable to depend on. I also spent $8 on soap and detergent, enabling my children to clean and wash their school uniforms. This has helped maintain their hygiene and ensured they are presentable for school. I am very happy and grateful for the financial support from the transfers, which have made a tremendous difference in my ability to take care of my family.

My top priority is ensuring that all five of my children remain in school, despite my challenging financial circumstances. It's been difficult to provide for my family by relying on unpredictable, low-paying menial jobs. However, I'm grateful that my children's education hasn't been interrupted. Despite the uncertainty of securing casual construction work, I'm optimistic about the future. I have a long-term plan to renovate my currently mud-built house and construct a permanent dwelling using more durable materials like bricks and cement. To achieve this, I plan to set aside a portion of my income each month, gradually accumulating enough funds to purchase the necessary building materials for the reconstruction.

When I received the recent transfers, my five children had just resumed their studies. So, I spent $34 to buy new school uniforms and pay their fees, ensuring they could continue their education. This task would have been challenging for me because I depend on unpredictable and menial construction jobs for my livelihood. I am relieved and content that my children are now comfortable in school because of the transfers. In addition to this, I also invested $35 in buying a goat. Now, I own five goats, and the prospect of their multiplication offers a potential source of income. I can sell them to meet my financial needs and cover my children's school fees in the future, if necessary. This also provides a safety net for my children's education. The recent transfer also allowed me to enjoy quality time with my family during the festive season of Christmas and New Year. I was able to purchase ample foodstuffs and new clothing for my young children and we celebrated together.

Previously, I had concerns about the condition of the land I was farming, as it had been utilized for many years and the soil quality had deteriorated. My goal was to acquire a new parcel of land, approximately five acres in size, which would cost around $2000. Thanks to the previous cash transfers and the income generated from my casual jobs in house construction, I managed to cover a significant portion of this amount. Now, I am left with a remaining balance of $60 to fully acquire the land and commence farming on it. Once I obtain the land, I also intend to invest in reinforcing the foundation of my house by constructing concrete pillars around the mud walls. This enhancement will not only protect the walls from damage caused by adverse weather conditions but also improve the overall durability of the structure.

Upon receiving the cash transfers, my immediate priority was to address the school fees of my five children, as there were outstanding debts since the beginning of the academic term. I had not generated sufficient income from my house construction casual jobs to cover these fees. Thankfully, the school was aware of the cash transfers, which allowed me to assure the administration that I would settle the debts once the transfers arrived. This assurance meant that my children did not miss any classes during that term. I allocated $30 to fulfill this promise, ensuring my children's continued education without interruption. I used the remaining $4 to purchase additional food for our household.

Ensuring a peaceful environment for my children to learn well is my ultimate goal, not only for this year but also for the future. To achieve this, I prioritize timely payment of school fees and providing the essential stationery items necessary for their proper education. By utilizing the monthly stipends, I can guarantee my children receive the best education possible, enabling them to pursue their desired careers later in life. In addition to supporting my children's education, I am also keen on continuing my investment in livestock, which will serve as a future source of income for me.

My wife and I are both peasants and farmers, but the past six years have been challenging for us in terms of engaging in farming. As a result, we have faced significant hardships and lost our sole source of income. Meeting our basic needs has been a struggle, particularly when it comes to paying our children's school fees. We only earn a meager income from sporadic casual jobs, earning just $2 per day. In May, I allocated $18 from my transfers to cover the school fees of my six children who are studying at Ikanga Primary School. Fortunately, the monthly stipends we receive have helped ensure that our children can remain in school without being frequently sent home for unpaid fees. This stability allows them to study with minimal disruptions. To diversify our income streams, I decided to invest in rearing goats. Livestock, such as goats, are valuable assets that appreciate over time. Whenever I encounter financial difficulties, I can sell them to meet urgent needs. Moreover, as the goats multiply and their numbers increase, they become a source of quick wealth. With the support of the monthly stipend from the organization, I am optimistic about accumulating considerable wealth through my livestock investments.

My main priority is making sure my children can continue their education, especially since they frequently get kicked out of school when I don't pay the fees. That is why I intend to use this year's transfers to try and pay off the remaining sum on the fees my children will owe. Additionally, using the money I continue to get from the organization, I have so far been able to purchase three goats. So I'll be purchasing a few more. Atop my list of priorities is finding nutrition, especially now that starvation has been caused by  bad harvest due to a drought.

My primary objective when I received the money was to make sure that my children could continue their education since  it was right around the time that the schools had reopened. Because of this, I wound up paying the tuition for six of my children out of my total transfer KES of 3,400. Regarding the transfers prior to that, I used the funds to purchase a goat and pay off a tuition debt I had at the time.

Givedirectly is helping a lot of people in our village and I can notice everyone is jovial most of the time, some of the life pressure has been lifted and everyone is getting the basic need which is food. Everyone is happy.

My name is Gona Ruwa Jilo, born in Mudzimure village. I did not go to school because of the lack of school fees. I have seven children but unfortunately, I cannot remember their ages the firstborn is in grade 7, and the rest are in grades 6, 3,1,4,5, and 2 respectively. I have a business in that I buy goats and chicken, rear them and sell them at a profit. I buy the goat at $30 and sell it at $35 and I also buy chicken at $3 and sell it at $ 4. The business is too slow and with the current drought am struggling to find food for my livestock.. Receiving this money has eased the burden of paying school fees for my seven children. They are in a government school where I pay $ 12.5 per term which accumulates to $87.5 a term. It has not been easier since my wife is a stay-at-home mum. The money has helped me pay up for the debt that had accumulated from 2021 and the current standing debt is $65 which I am hopeful I will clear.

It was around 2.00 p.m. while I was attending to my cattle when I heard a message alert. When I checked and found that I had received money from GiveDirectly, I felt so happy.

Paying school fees helped reduce my financial burdens. I had a balance of KES 6360, and repaying part of it enabled my kids to study smoothly without the disruption of being sent home to collect money for school fees. I thank God for the financial support.

I am a father of six selling cattle as a source of my livelihood. My wife supports me in paying fees for our six school-going children. Paying school fees has always been a big challenge because I have an unreliable income. Using all my transfers and part of my wife’s transfer from GiveDirectly, I paid KES 1500 for my kids. Managing to pay school fees helped reduce my financial burdens making me enjoy great peace of mind.