I have an important goal that has been giving me headaches for a while: renovating my roof. Currently, it's a grassy one, and it has been a constant struggle, especially during the rainy seasons. We end up getting rained on as if we were outside, leaving me with no peace at all. My belongings have been repeatedly damaged, and it’s been beyond my control. Now, I’ve decided to save a portion of my cash transfer each month, putting aside $10 for this purpose. Even if it takes years, I’m determined to reach this goal. Once I accomplish it, I won’t have to worry about the harsh weather anymore, and I’ll have peace of mind about my family's safety at home.

I have a son who is currently in Form 1 at Ribe High School. Since it is a national school, the fees are quite high. Although I receive some support from the government, I am still required to pay a portion of the fees for him to continue his studies. Over the last three months, I have paid $60 to keep him in school, ensuring that he stays focused on his education and isn't held back. I never had the chance to attend school myself, so my goal has been to support my son until he graduates, find good job opportunities in the future, and help us rise out of the poverty that has burdened us for a long time. In addition, I have saved $30 in my Merry-Go-Round chama to eventually renovate our house, which is currently thatched with grass. This situation has been a source of stress, especially during the rainy season when we often end up getting wet. With the remaining $12, I purchased food supplies for my family, enough to last us for at least a week, as the farms are dry and the harvests are scarce. The monthly cash transfers have truly been a great support for us.

My main goal for the coming year and beyond is to renovate my house. Currently, the roof leaks terribly whenever it rains, causing me constant discomfort. I'm tired of dealing with these issues, and my dream is to replace the roof entirely. With the help of ongoing transfers and careful financial planning, I am determined to achieve this goal. It's not just about fixing a leak; it's about improving my living conditions and creating a more comfortable home for myself and my loved ones. I look forward to the day when I can finally enjoy a dry and secure shelter, free from the worries of rain pouring indoors. This renovation project signifies a new chapter of stability and peace in my life, and I am committed to making it happen.

For the past few months, I've diligently saved and planned with the Merry Go Round, pooling $15 monthly towards renovating my dilapidated house. The persistent leaks during rainy seasons have been a constant source of frustration, and I was determined to put an end to the years of discomfort. With the unconditional cash transfer, I finally had the means to purchase new roofing materials. As the roofers worked, a sense of relief washed over me, knowing that soon my family would be sheltered from the elements in a secure home. In addition to securing our living conditions, I allocated $25 towards my son's secondary school fees. Education is paramount, and ensuring he remains uninterrupted in his studies brings me immense joy and pride. With the remaining funds, I bought essential food supplies. The prolonged dry season had ravaged our crops, leaving us with little to harvest. Providing nutritious meals for my family became a daily challenge, but now, with this support, we could face the season with renewed strength and optimism. The transformation in our circumstances, thanks to initiatives like GiveDirectly, has brought a sense of stability and hope for a brighter future.

I have always desired a chance to build a new house. Mine is in a poor state. The grass-thatched roof has decayed over the years, and the big holes in it allow water in when it rains. I would have loved to build a new house when I started receiving cash transfers, but I was constrained by the school fees of my son Baraka. At that moment, I would have rather slept in a damp space than see my son miss school due to unpaid school fees. I am happy that he recently completed primary school, scoring a whopping 370 marks, which earned him a government sponsorship for his high school education. With this relief, I can go back to my goal of building a better house; one with an iron sheet roof and mud walls. I hope to start saving some of the cash transfers to effect this course.

 When I started receiving the cash transfers, my son Baraka was in his seventh grade. At that time, his father and I did not have any source of income except for making charcoal, either to put food on the table or to pay school fees for Baraka. Meeting his school expenses was hard. By the time he proceeded to grade eight, the fees increased as he was required to pay at least $4 per week for boarding fees. I would not have been able to raise this amount were it not for the cash transfers. I believe he would have dropped out because the financial burden was way beyond what his father and I could have afforded. Thankfully, I solely spent the cash transfers to pay these school fees. I was filled with happiness when he finally completed his primary school education, scoring 370 marks, and topping his class. As a result, he earned a fully-funded scholarship from the government for his high school education. The only expenses we have to bear are uniforms and other miscellaneous. This is how I spent the last three transfers which totaled $102. I am happy he joined high school without any financial struggle. This would not have been possible were it not for the cash transfers.

I'm deeply thankful for the program that has rekindled my dream of having a house with an iron roof. This has been a long-standing aspiration that I couldn't realize with my own financial means. As a result, I was compelled to live in a leaky grass-thatched hut for many years. However, I'm now in the process of acquiring iron sheets and building materials to construct a spacious house, thanks to the program. In addition to this, I've become a member of a savings group where I contribute $10 every month towards this goal. My aim is to gradually purchase the necessary building materials, particularly iron sheets and building poles, to free myself from the hardships of residing in a grass-thatched hut, especially during rainy weather. The constant leakages during rainfall have been a major concern. I anticipate great happiness and peace of mind once the house is completed, and I will no longer have to worry about the rain.

I've dedicated a significant portion of my life living in a grass-thatched hut, and the idea of building a proper house with an iron roof felt like an unattainable dream, given the numerous financial demands I faced. With three sons enrolled in school, the struggle to cover their tuition fees, especially for those in boarding school, was a constant challenge. I relied on meager income from odd jobs, which couldn't adequately provide for my family's needs. However, when I joined a program, it rekindled my aspirations. I became part of a merry-go-round savings group, contributing at least $10 every month. My primary objective is to accumulate funds for purchasing iron sheets and construction materials to build a sturdy house. This will offer my family the comfort and security of living under a reliable roof, sparing us the constant task of repairing the grass thatching every time it rains. Furthermore, I'm planning to venture into poultry farming. I invested $10 to acquire three chickens, adding to my existing flock. I believe that selling them will help alleviate my financial burdens. Additionally, I set aside $20 to cover my sons' school fees, ensuring they could continue their education without any interruptions. I also managed to settle their boarding fees, and I'm delighted that they completed their term successfully. Finally, I used some of the funds to purchase essential food items like maize flour and other household necessities that were lacking in my home.

I would love to continue supporting the education of my children who are still in primary school. I want to ensure they have the opportunity to study until they graduate from their desired level of education. Even though I engage in casual jobs to accomplish this, I believe that the cash transfers will play a crucial role in supporting their education and helping them achieve their goals as well.

After withdrawing the cash transfer, I immediately used $15 to settle the school fees arrears for my children. They had been on the verge of being sent home, but I managed to persuade the school to allow them to continue studying until I could make the payment. Am glad that they have not been sent home to date. Additionally, three days before receiving the transfer, we had run out of food, but I was able to use $14 to purchase some food that has sustained us until now. I saved the remaining $5 in a local saving group. I have been saving in this group for a while now to accumulate some money to take my children for further studies once they are through with the secondary level of education.

My main objective for this year is to use a sizable portion of my transfer money to pay off the substantial amount in school fees arrears that my two sons owe. By paying off the debt, I will create an atmosphere that will encourage them to focus on their studies and do well on their national exams. This will prevent them form frequently being sent home to pick school fees. I am passionate about my children's education, and I will do everything in my power to support them financially as they progress through the ranks in education.

I am burdened with the duty of making sure that my children attend school by promptly paying their tuition. My two boys are in Class 8 at Mnazimwenga Primary School and Form 3 at Mnazimwenga Secondary School, respectively. My husband and I are both small-scale farmers, and the drought has affected our ability to make a living. As a secondary source of income, we sell charcoal, but the money we make from it is insufficient to meet our family's needs. I spent $20 to pay the $20 in school fees for my two sons so that they could return to school after receiving my January transfers. They both owe unpaid school fees totaling $200 to their respective institutions. Along with paying the school fees, I spent $12 on family food. We struggle a lot to make ends meet with our meager income from the charcoal sales, and we occasionally have to skip meals because we can't afford to buy food. I'm relieved that the food we purchased will keep us fed for a few weeks.

Givedirectly did well in sending cash transfers to poor individuals in the village. Through the transfer, we can solve most of our financial challenges during this period that we experience drought and famine. I am positive that I will be able to own a nice house using the transfers. I will be the happiest person once I accomplish this goal.

The transfer was of great help to me, It came at a time when I was stranded since my sixth-born son was returning to university after the long holiday. I did have enough money to pay for his transport as well as pocket money. I used $20 of my recent transfers to pay for his fare back to school. In addition, I have one kid who is still in primary school. I used $5 to support his education by clearing his fees arrears. I acquired food and water with the remaining $5 that took the family for two days.

The minute I noticed the arrival of the transaction I instantly felt over the moon with so much excitement because I really needed the money at the time. Apart from that it had been a couple of days since we had a meal.

In my opinion the fact that I was finally able to send my children back to school made me very happy. This is because I am hoping that my children will finally have a better life and future through education.

The moment I realized that the transaction had actually been sent out I immediately went ahead to pay KES 500 in school tuition because my children have been out of school for three days. Afterwards I decided to sort out nutrition because it had actually been two days since we had a meal in my home. Therefore I went ahead and used KES 500 to purchase to three packets of maize flour. I was left with a balance of KES 200 which I ended up using in buying a hen because I planned to invest in poultry farming.