My plan for this year and beyond depends on how the harvest turns out. If I get a good harvest, I will lease another acre and continue farming maize. This will help my family with food, and I will sell the surplus to cover the school fees for my three kids. I am also expecting the third and final transfer from GiveDirectly. I plan to use this money to improve my house by adding another room. This will provide more comfort and space for my family because our current house is too small. The thought of these improvements fills my heart with gratitude to God and GiveDirectly.

I love GiveDirectly and their cash transfers. What stood out for me is how they appreciated and supported the way I used the money. They give people the freedom to choose how to use the money without discrimination or questioning. In the future, apart from cash transfers, I would love to see GiveDirectly help people by building houses and providing things like generators. This would make an even bigger difference in people's lives.

Last month, I received $450 from GiveDirectly, which was a great support and came at just the right time because it's the planting season. I invested $270 in farming an acre of maize. This amount covered leasing the acre for $100, preparing the land for $80, and buying maize seeds for $90. I just completed the whole process and I am very happy with GiveDirectly because, before this, it was hard to get the capital to buy seeds, let alone lease land to farm. I am hopeful for a good harvest, which will solve the food security issue for my family. With the surplus, I plan to sell it and use the money to ensure that all three of my kids stay in school, and probably buy one more goat. I also used $100 to pay school fees for one of my kids who is in secondary school. Now she is in school learning, and I no longer have stress about school fees. I directed $45 to my three kids, giving each $15 so they could buy clothes and their personal needs. This made my whole family very happy, grateful, and they really enjoyed the support from GiveDirectly. GiveDirectly has made a huge impact on our lives, providing us with opportunities and relief that we couldn't have managed on our own.

It was almost 4:00 p.m., and under the relentless heat of the sun, we toiled to complete our tasks for the day on a tomato farm, feeling the sweat trickle down our skin. Our group, consisting of about twenty individuals, engaged in harvesting tomatoes. This casual job is crucial for me, providing the means to support my family. With a daily wage of $4, it meant putting food on the table for my family of four. Yet, opportunities like these were few and far between, sometimes occurring only three times a week. As we worked relentlessly, a sudden notification on my phone caught my attention, prompting me to retrieve it from my pocket. The sight of the Mpesa message confirming the receipt of the first GiveDirectly transfer filled me with immense joy. I exclaimed, "GiveDirectly!" and soon, everyone on the farm paused their work, excitedly checking their phones for the same blessing that the majority of us were awaiting. Our shared happiness resonated in chants as we completed our tasks effortlessly, seemingly unaware of the passage of time. Returning home, I shared the good news with my family. We looked forward to withdrawing the money and finally purchasing the sheep we had been eagerly longing for. Thank you, GiveDirectly!

Receiving the transfer has brought about significant changes in my life. The acquisition of sheep through the transfer has renewed sense of optimism, knowing that they hold the potential to improve my life significantly. I plan to sell them in future, empowering me to invest in the proceeds from the sales in maize farming on my acre of land. I anticipate this venture will serve both commercial and domestic purposes, furthering our financial stability and well-being. Moreover, being able to purchase food has had a profound impact on my children's well-being, evident in the bright smiles that now adorn their faces, as they are now well fed unlike before when they used to survive with two meals daily. Their happiness brings me immeasurable joy, further increasing my own sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.

I have long yearned to expand my flock, recognizing the invaluable contribution of the single sheep I currently possess. Its milk has been sparing me the daily expense of purchasing milk for my three young children, whose growth depends on it. Additionally, tea without milk lacks its usual allure, a taste preference instilled in me since childhood, so it is really hard to do without milk. Thanks to the GD transfer, I was able to procure two additional sheep for $120. The thought of growing my herd fills me with joy and optimism, as I envision their numbers multiplying in the future. Apart from just producing milk, I plan to sell their offspring and invest in farming inputs for my one-acre plot. This will pave the way for maize farming, serving both commercial and domestic needs. Previously, lacking the necessary funds, I resorted to leasing out my land to generate income. Additionally, I used $30 to purchase a sack of maize, which ensures my children's dietary needs are met, relieving me of the burden of securing this essential food on a daily basis. The meager income of $4 per day from casual farm labor barely covers our expenses, but now we can enjoy three meals a day, a luxury we previously couldn't afford, as we were limited to just two meals. Witnessing the satisfaction on my children's faces as they're well fed fills me with renewed purpose. With the remaining funds, I bought a flask and a plastic chair, since they were previously out of reach.