My current priority is the education of my grandchild. He is an orphan, so I decided to take the initiative to care for him until he can support himself. I want to make sure he receives a top-notch education that will help him secure a happy future. I will be delighted once he succeeds since he will be able to take care of and rely on himself.

The nicest thing that could have happened to our entire hamlet was receiving free cash transfers. This meant having the discretion to allocate our funds in accordance with the pressing issues we wished to solve. Given that everyone in the village underwent the same interview process and was admitted to the program, I am thankful to have been a part of a program that was run so fairly. Later, we were given the same sum of money that had transformed our level of living.

After receiving the second transfer, I decided to finish various projects around my house. I started doing this because I intended to use GiveDirectly to get a decent house. As a result, I spent $200 total, including labor, for plastering and flooring supplies like cement. Because I live in a beautiful house now, I feel content and self-assured. To add to the livestock investment I started with the first transfer, I also purchased a cow for $180 and three goats for $105. The investment enables me to provide for the requirements of my family because the goats may easily be sold for money if necessary. I first relied exclusively on charcoal burning, which was not dependable. Up to two days a week could pass without meals for us. As of right now, ever since I received the payments from GiveDirectly, we have had access to enough food.

I was sorting the green leafy vegetables I had picked on the farm in the late afternoon while sitting outside my tiny kitchen building. My focused attention was drawn to my buzzing phone, which was a text message notification. Being illiterate, I asked my helper, who was seated next to me, to read and verify the message's contents. She broke the good news that I had gotten my transfer with a big smile on her face. I initially found it hard to believe that I had finally received my money. I ululated at the top of my lungs while jumping up and down in ecstasy. This was the best evening of my life after a long while.

I am happy to report that, when compared to the time before I received my transfers, my life has significantly improved. My family was used to sleeping on an empty stomach two days a week. I didn't make enough money through my business of selling charcoal to provide for my family's needs. Looking at my body, I can say with confidence that I have put on a little weight as a result of my improved diet thanks to the money from the transfers. Because there is food available in plenty, my family members are no longer depressed.

I am thankful for my first transfers because they significantly lessened the struggles I was going through. I provide all of the household income for my family of five, which consists of one son, four grandchildren, and me. After their mother died, I took the initiative to care for my grandchildren. Given that my primary source of income burning charcoal for sale earns me very little, taking care of my family has not been easy. When I got my transfers, I paid $150 in past-due school fee balances for my son, who finished his secondary education in April of the previous year. His certificates were being withheld by the school administration until he paid the outstanding balance on his tuition. I'm glad that he can now make good academic progress and that he has obtained his education credentials. In addition, I made improvements to my house for a total cost of $20.8, which includes labor expenses. The nice plastering on the walls of my house gives it a nice appearance right now. I spent $72 on three bales of twelve packets of 2 kg maize flour and $33 on a sack of maize to make sure my family never goes hungry. I know that with all of this food, my family will never go hungry. Finally, I decided to set aside the balance of $27 for potential future emergencies.