My goal in the coming year and beyond is to purchase two bulls that will help me plow my land. Each time the rainy season approaches, I have to spend a significant amount of money to hire people to prepare my land for farming. To solve this challenge, I want to buy the two bulls. These bulls will not only help me plow my own land but also provide an opportunity to earn additional income by offering plowing services to other people in the community. To achieve this goal, I plan to save at least $10 from my subsequent transfers, gradually accumulating enough to purchase the bulls. I am very appreciative of the financial support, which is helping me meet my needs and work towards achieving my goals.

As a widow and the sole breadwinner for my family of six, I have faced many challenges. My primary source of income comes from uprooting tree stumps to make charcoal, which I sell to earn a living. Unfortunately, this job provides very little income, barely enough to meet all my family's needs. However, our struggles have significantly eased since I was enrolled in the cash program. I spent $23 on food, ensuring that my family had enough to eat, and we no longer miss meals as we did before when we would go days without food. I also spent $25 to facilitate my children's return to school as they commenced their third term. I am relieved and happy to see them all back in school, continuing their education. Additionally, I spent $54 on a new mattress. Before this, I had been sleeping on an uncomfortable sisal twine bed, which caused serious back pains. I am hopeful that this new mattress will provide the comfort I need and reduce my back pain. I also saved $10 with the intention of purchasing two bulls to help plow my farm during the rainy season. This will greatly reduce the cost of preparing my farm, making it easier and more affordable for me. I am very happy and appreciative of the financial support I have received, which has helped me take care of my family's needs despite having a job that doesn't pay well.

In the coming year and beyond, my goal is to get two plowing bulls. These bulls will enable me to transform my farm and secure a better future for my family. I will use them to plow my farm efficiently, increasing the crop yields. Additionally, I plan to lease them out to my neighbors for a small fee, thus providing an income. To make this dream a reality, I have devised a careful savings plan. Each month, I set aside $15 from the money I received from GiveDirectly. Considering that a small bull costs $100, I will be able to buy my first bull in just over six months and the second one shortly after. This disciplined approach will not only bring me closer to my immediate goal but will also pave the way for long-term prosperity and stability.

I do casual jobs of charcoal burning to sustain my family of five. My firstborn son also assists me in providing for the family through casual jobs. With the most recent transfers amounting to $102, I prioritize my daughter's education. She was joining junior secondary school, so I bought her a school bag for $10 to carry her items, twelve writing books for $11, and school shoes for $5. Ensuring she had what she needed for school was important to me. I also used $11 to buy some foodstuff for my family, making sure we had enough to eat. Additionally, I paid a debt of $20 to a shopkeeper from whom I had taken a mattress on credit. Clearing this debt made me happy, and I am now comfortable sleeping on a proper mattress instead of empty sacks as before which were uncomfortable. Afterward, I saw it prudent to add to my herd of goats, purchasing one for $31, and increasing my herd to nine goats. This will help in the long run with sustaining my family. Lastly, I saved the remaining $14 for any emergencies that may occur. This way, I feel a bit more secure knowing I have something set aside for unforeseen situations.

My youngest son has recently enrolled in junior high school, and my primary objective is to ensure that his education is not disrupted due to a lack of fees. As a single parent with no external support, my livelihood depends on charcoal burning, which does not yield a significant income. I am committed to using the financial transfers I receive to support my child's education, ensuring that he not only completes but also achieves his educational goals.

I am immensely grateful for the support I've received from GiveDirectly, which has truly transformed my life. Previously, I had been using used sacks and worn-out mats for sleeping, providing little comfort. However, with the recent financial assistance, I was able to purchase a new mattress for $40, replaced the old bedding, and now I am enjoying a much more comfortable sleep. Additionally, I used part of the funds to invest in livestock, acquiring five chickens and one goat. My plan is to allow these animals to multiply, and in times of financial need, I can sell them to generate income. This becomes especially crucial as my youngest child has recently enrolled in junior high school. With no current source of income, the livestock will serve as a financial cushion, helping me cover school fees when faced with difficulties. I spent the remaining portion on paying school fees and shopping for my child, who was starting junior high school. I was able to purchase new school uniforms and essential books, and I'm pleased to share that the admission fee was paid, allowing my child to begin high school.

My focus within the next year is to purchase a new mattress for my bed. A while ago, I had to dispose of my old mattress, which had become tattered and uncomfortable to sleep on and started using makeshift bedding from pieces of boxes. Currently, the cost of a new mattress that matches the size of the one I got rid of is approximately $60. I am looking forward to enjoying peaceful and restful nights, which boxes cannot provide. Following that, I have a more long-term goal in mind. I aspire to acquire two bulls, which I plan to train for various farming activities, particularly plowing for the upcoming planting seasons. My motivation for this is to avoid a situation similar to what I experienced during the recent planting season when I had to hire a tractor to prepare my land. Unfortunately, at that time, I lacked sufficient funds to settle the debt for the tractor service until the recent cash transfers came to my rescue. By having my bulls and plow, I will be self-sufficient in these agricultural tasks, eliminating the need to hire external services. Additionally, I can even consider renting out the bulls to assist other farmers, thereby generating extra income for myself.

The cash transfers have been a crucial support for both me and my family. During recent months when we were grappling with food scarcity and our crops had not yet been harvested, these transfers came as a much-needed relief. I allocated $43 from the transfers to purchase food, ensuring that our family did not have to endure hunger. Moreover, I used $30 to settle a debt I had accrued when I hired a tractor to prepare my two acres of land for planting. This repayment not only helped me clear the debt but also prevented any additional financial burden on those who had assisted in my farming activities during the planting season. In addition, I set aside $27 to acquire new clothing. My previous garments were worn out and in a state of disrepair, so this presented an opportunity to refresh my attire with much-needed replacements like a new dress and a pair of khanga. Am glad that this was particularly possible because the harvest from our crops reduced our food expenses, allowing me to divert funds towards fulfilling my desire for new clothes. Furthermore, I used $2 to cover the tuition fees for my child who is currently in the seventh grade. The payment was due, and I could not risk my child missing out on their education. Over the past three transfers, these funds have played a vital role in addressing various aspects of my family's needs, including food security, educational support, debt settlement, and personal necessities such as clothing.

I have a few intentions in mind. Firstly, I plan to acquire new bedding as my current mattress is worn out and no longer provides adequate comfort. Also, I want to revamp my house by constructing a concrete pillar around it. As my house is made of mud walls, the continuous rainfall poses a threat of collapse. By reinforcing the walls, I aim to strengthen the structure and ensure the safety of my family. Besides that, I want to continue building my wealth by growing my herd of four goats. This will ensure that even after the cash aid ceases, I will have accumulated enough resources to support my seven grandchildren, as their mothers have left to seek employment. 

Lack of food has been a constant concern in my household, particularly considering the high cost of food. Relying solely on the income from burning charcoal, I have struggled to provide regular meals for my family. As a matter of fact, three days before receiving the transfer were particularly difficult, as we had to survive with only one or sometimes no meal at all. This is why I used $24 to purchase more food. Now, I am grateful that we have enough food to sustain us and provide the energy required for our farm work, as the planting season just began. Also, I allocated $10 to buy ten building poles, which were used to repair my kitchen which had been destroyed by the ongoing rains. Previously, I had to cook in the same space where I sleep, which was far from ideal. However, now that my kitchen is fully repaired, I can cook in a separate and suitable area. 

My long-term goal is to build another house for my children. Three of my children still live with me, two girls and one boy. We all sleep in the same house, I have one bed that we all share and I would like for them to have their room and a separate bed.

Before the transfer I was into charcoal production, I would sell three sacks of charcoal that cost $3.5 a week. This money would enable me to buy food for $7 and pay school fees for my children a cost of $3.5. Paying school fees for my seven children has been a struggle and most days that I am unable to pay, my children would be sent home for some days until I completely cleared the fees. Watching my children not go to school while other children continued with their studies stressed me. Another challenge was getting three meals for my family. I am a widow and they were no one came to my rescue when my husband died. Receiving this transfer has enabled me to buy food for my family, we now take three meals a day, paid school fees for my children at $5, and saved the rest for purchasing livestock. I mostly buy goats so that whenever I need money I can quickly sell and get the cash.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well in coming up with the cash transfer program. Through the transfers, I can now cater for most of my basic needs like food as well as save for future investments. Nowadays I am not struggling to meet my needs which proud of. I do not have anything that I feel the organization does not do well.

I spent $20 of my recent transfer to boost my goat keeping by purchasing one more goat. This is the future investment for the family that will help me whenever I encounter any financial challenge. Currently, I am happy that I own 3 goats in the flock that we have with my relatives. With the remaining amount, I bought sufficient foodstuffs like corn flour and sugar for the family. This is because I did not have food given that we are experiencing famine in our area for almost 3years now. The charcoal-burning activity that I rely on earns me $1 that could not fully support the needs of the family, especially food making us skip meals or on other days went totally without food for 2 days per week.

Like other members of the community, I hoped that one day I would receive my support and experience some relief like the neighboring communities. Even though the day seemed to drag on for a long, I am relieved that I finally received my transfer. It was at 7 p.m., when I confirmed receipt of my transfer. I was at home at the time, cooking for my children. What a lucky time in my life? As I pondered the act of kindness I had received, tears of joy streamed down my cheeks. I had never imagined that someone would willingly provide such assistance. Thanks to GiveDirectly for remembering a widow like me.

Initially, I did not have any source of light hence I resorted to us a kerosene lantern. Although it had not been convenient and economical, I could not acquire an alternative source of lighting because I did not have money. However, since I received my transfer, I now have a better source of light after buying a solar lighting system. As a result, my children can study well without the struggle of getting a complementary lighting system. To me, this is the biggest difference GiveDirectly transfers have created in my life.

I am a widow and I shield the burden of supporting a large family of 11 members. It has not been easy for me since I do not have a regular source of income. As a result, I resorted to charcoal making from which I am able to raise some little money in a week. Therefore, when I received my transfer I used KES 500 to buy a solar lamp. I did not have any source of lighting. My family was only depending on kerosene lantern that was not serving us well. In addition, I used KES 300 on paying school fees for my daughter who is in class five. I am glad that she comfortably undertakes her studies. The rest I spent on buying food for my family. Life has been bearable since I received financial support from GiveDirectly.