Because I am starting something completely new, my goal is to learn as much as I can about tailoring, sewing, clothes, and designs in order to make this a primary source of revenue for my family. I have no plans to start something new till this one is successful.

Because of the unconditional transfers from Give Directly, I was able to make a decision for myself, and I am content and proud of what I accomplished. I am also grateful to Give Directly for providing us with the opportunity to demonstrate our financial responsibility.

I've been longing for a new and fresh life for myself; I want to do things differently every day, so I decided to return to school, which was only feasible because of Give Directly transfers. As a wife and mother of one, seeing my small family grow encourages me to do better every day. I took a leap of faith and decided to start a new business, so I went to school to learn to tailor, which was $200 for the entire course. I then spent $200 on a sewing machine to start the business, and $100 on food for the family to last a month.

I was on the phone when I received a message that I immediately read and realized was from GiveDirectly. The indicated sender's name matches the description I received from the initial meeting, and the fact that I was not expecting any other money added to my confidence. I was at my regular job in the nearby neighborhood. It did not take long for me to spot my husband, who is a rider, at that point. I informed him of the exciting news. We decided to collect on the same day and take the money home to plan ahead.

The presence of a dairy cow on my field, as well as a well-constructed fence around the grazing field, has made the biggest difference in my daily life since my first transfer. Restraining livestock while grazing is no longer a problem because all gates to the field are lockable, allowing me to complete other tasks while my cows graze. I am grateful for the assistance and optimistic that I will soon have an adequate supply of milk from the 7-month in-calf cow that I purchased.

Despite having a neighbor's cow graze on my field because I only had a heifer, I was spending at least $1 per day on milk for my family of three. The cost was always an issue because the small business I run in the nearby shopping center is never consistent. I spent $350 on a 7-month in-calf dairy cow after receiving my first transfer. I am hoping to have a plentiful supply of milk within the next two months. I also fenced in the grazing area after spending $50 on barbed wire and another $50 on fencing poles. I am relieved that grazing has been made easier because the well-built fence prevents livestock from invading the restricted area. Furthermore, I spent the remaining money on food for my family, which we are still using today, and we are looking forward to the subsequent transfer.