I am currently in the process of renovating my house, and I’m happy to share that the floors are already complete. Now, I am focusing on reinforcing the walls to make them stronger and more durable. My plan for this coming year and beyond is to continue using a portion of my transfers to gradually purchase building materials, ensuring that I can achieve my dream of having a solid and lasting home. In addition to the renovations, I also intend to save a portion of my transfers to buy more goats. My hope is that these goats will multiply and increase in number and value, providing me with a reliable source of income once this program comes to an end. I am truly grateful for the cash support that GiveDirectly provides, and I pray that my dreams of having a durable house and a thriving herd of livestock come true.

The transfers I received came at a crucial time in my life, especially after the heartbreaking loss of my child. I felt overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin, but the support I received made a significant difference. I used $34 of my recent transfers to help cover the funeral arrangements for my daughter, ensuring she had a fitting send-off. It was an incredibly sad moment for my family and me, but I find comfort in knowing she was laid to rest peacefully. In addition to that, I saved $49 of the transfers with the hope of using them to buy goats. I believe that with time, these goats will multiply, providing me with a reliable source of income for the future. Lastly, I spent the remaining $19 to buy food for my family, ensuring we would not go hungry during this difficult period, as our supplies were quite low. I am truly grateful for the financial support from GiveDirectly as it has been a lifeline for us during this challenging time.

The condition of my house is quite distressing right now; the dusty floor causes mud to spread everywhere when it rains, and I still end up feeling dusty, especially after sweeping. This is increasingly difficult for me to handle. Therefore, my goal for this year is to cement the entire floor. To achieve this, I have joined a Merry Go Round where I will save $10 from the transfers. I plan to start working on this project by the end of this year. Once the renovation is complete, it will significantly improve my living conditions by eliminating dust and other issues.

As an elderly widow, life has been challenging since this organization entered my life. Food insecurity has been a persistent issue, especially since I can no longer work due to my age and my farms are no longer productive. Currently, we are facing a severe drought in my region, so I used $72 to stock up on food to prevent hunger issues that could negatively impact my health. I'm grateful to be able to eat three meals a day now, which is something I truly appreciate. I also saved $30 through a merry-go-round initiative with my friends, with the goal of renovating my house. I plan to install a cemented floor to replace the dusty one, which becomes particularly bothersome when it rains. This renovation will improve my living environment and serve as a meaningful reminder of the organization’s support.

In the coming year, I hope to accomplish my dream of starting a goat farming investment. To achieve this goal, I have been diligently saving $10 every month since January. By December, I will have saved enough to purchase some goats and begin building my herd. This investment is very important to me because it represents a stable and promising future. With goat farming, I can create a sustainable source of income that will help me support my family and improve our quality of life. My passion for this project grows with each passing month, and I am excited to see my hard work and savings turn into a thriving farm. This will not only provide financial security but also a sense of accomplishment and pride in what I can achieve with careful planning and determination.

Even though I do not have another source of income apart from the GiveDirectly transfers, I committed myself to supporting two orphans at my homestead who are in secondary school. The importance of education cannot be overstated, and I knew that paying their school fees was the best way to secure their future. Out of the $102 I received from the last three months, I used $60 to pay their school fees so that they could be retained in school for better learning. This decision was not just about their present needs, but about their future opportunities. Every time I see their eager faces, I am reminded that this is a worthwhile investment, one that will yield immeasurable returns in the form of their success and happiness. With the remaining funds, I made sure to think ahead and plan wisely. I saved $30, putting away $10 every month since January, to withdraw the money by December to buy some goats as an investment. This small but steady saving culture has been my way of ensuring that I have something to fall back on in the future. Goats are a valuable asset, providing not just potential income but also a sense of security. For the remaining $12, I bought some personal effects and detergents, ensuring that my immediate needs were also taken care of. Each dollar spent was a step towards a more stable and hopeful future, both for myself and for the two young lives I am helping to shape.

I plan to utilize a significant portion of my next transfer to settle the remaining school fee balances for my three grandchildren. By doing so, I aim to ensure that they can attend their lessons without any hindrance. This action will not only alleviate the substantial financial burden on my son but also contribute to the continuous education of my grandchildren. I am extremely pleased with the ongoing financial assistance from the transfers.

As an elderly woman, I heavily rely on my son for financial assistance. Unfortunately, he does not have a stable job and depends on sporadic casual labor, earning as little as $5 per day. This amount is insufficient to meet the numerous needs of our family. Upon receiving my transfers, I allocated $30 to partially settle a school fee debt for my three grandchildren, who had been sent home from school due to the outstanding fees. I am pleased that they were able to return to school and take their exams. Additionally, I disbursed $12 in labor wages to hired workers who assisted me in weeding my one-acre maize farm. Furthermore, I repaid a $20 debt to the shopkeeper, which had accumulated from purchasing food on credit during a time of financial hardship. I am truly grateful for the financial assistance from the transfers, as it has significantly supported me in caring for my family during difficult times.

In the upcoming year, my primary objective is to make significant investments in livestock. This decision holds great importance for me as it promises long-term benefits that extend beyond the five-year period of financial support. By acquiring livestock, I aim to create a source of pride and stability for myself, even after the conclusion of the assistance program. Another key priority for me is to secure quality education for my children. I recognize the value of education in shaping their future, and I intend to allocate a portion of the funds towards supporting this cause. Ensuring that my children receive a good education is of utmost importance to me. I cannot express enough how grateful and content I am for the financial support I have received thus far. It has provided me with the means to pursue my goals and aspirations, empowering me to make positive changes in my life. The assistance has not only offered immediate relief but has also instilled a sense of hope and appreciation for the opportunities that lie ahead.

I participate in a savings group consisting of four members, primarily close relatives. Over time, I have managed to save $10 within this group. Given the unfavourable climatic conditions that hinder agricultural activities on my farm, I have utilized my share of the savings to cover essential expenses such as school fees and food. As the second term of school commences, I allocated $10 to pay the school fees for my two children attending Kinarani Primary School. One child is in class eight, while the other is in class five. Although there remains a debt of $5 to settle, I find solace in the fact that my children are able to continue their education without interruption. With the remaining $14, I purchased food to ensure that my family does not go to bed on an empty stomach. Despite the challenges I face on a daily basis, I am grateful for the financial support provided through the transfer. It has proven to be a valuable lifeline, enabling me to persevere and move forward in life. Through these funds, I have been able to fulfill my responsibilities, secure my children's education, and provide for the well-being of my family. The assistance I have received has truly made a positive impact on our lives, offering hope and stability in the face of adversity.

I was disappointed after my cattle perished from the adversities of the persistent drought in my area. I cannot imagine how much wealth I would have grown had they survived and given birth to offspring. Gladly, with the cash aid from Give Directly, I see hope in venturing back to rearing livestock, although I wish to switch to goats because they are more resilient than any other livestock. Owning goats will allow me to generate funds at any point in time to meet a pressing need such as buying food or supporting the education of my grandchildren.

When I received the transfer, my niece and nephew had spent almost three weeks away from school over an unpaid school fee balance. Their parents, who are casual laborers, had not been able to raise the outstanding $20 tuition debt. Nothing breaks my heart more than seeing children missing out on learning due to lack of money. Therefore, I was compelled to cover the deficit and they happily resumed school, where they studied comfortably until they closed for the holidays. After that, I saved $10 via a women's group in my locality. I intend to accumulate enough funds to buy at least two goats and some chickens before the year ends. Lastly, I spent the $4 on food to boost the little that was left in stock so that it would last long enough before my daughter-in-law obtained more.

I am advanced in age and unable to engage in any economic activity to earn a living. Unfortunately, since my son died, I have been taking care of my two grandchildren who are both enrolled in school. For this year, I have made it a primary goal to spend most of my transfers on their school fees. I believe in addition to buying clothes and food, education is the best gift I can give to them. In addition, because we are staying in an extreme environment and occasionally facing famine, I have a goal to use part of my transfers to acquire food for the rest of this year.

As I speak to you today, I am a very joyful person. Since I began receiving the transfers from GiveDirectly, I can already see a change in my life. Both of my grandchildren attend Kinarani Primary School: my son and my daughter. My inability to pay my children's school fees on time caused them to frequently be sent back home, which caused them great suffering. I am glad that is no longer the case for my kids, who are consistently attending school as a result of the monthly stipend that has assisted me in covering their tuition. I used $10 of my December transfers to pay off a debt for my two grandchildren's school fees. I spent $10 on food and water for my family in addition to paying off outstanding school fee balances. The ongoing drought in our village has made life difficult for us, but the monthly stipend we receive has made it possible for us to get by by purchasing food and water for my family. As a final step toward assisting my children in attending school and concentrating on their education, I set aside $10 to pay for school fees when the schools resumed this year.

I spent my recent transfers on paying school fees for my grandchildren. They were almost discontinued because I could not pay their fees on time. I am glad that they were allowed to continue with their studies after clearing the fee arrears. I have also been saving Ksh. 500 in our savings group every month I receive a transfer. I am planning to use these savings to buy some goats to keep in my homestead. I spent the remaining amount on buying foodstuffs which include maize flour and daily vegetables for my family. This ensured that food was readily available and taking three meals a day was no longer a challenge to me. Before the transfers, I had to skip meals since the food we had was not enough for us all.

Through the unconditional transfers from GiveDirectly, my children are back in school and are happy, just like they were before being sent home from school. I would like to appreciate that since I could not pay because of the financial challenges that I had. I would like to recommend to the organization to increase the transfer amount so that we can sort out the many challenges we are facing.

I am a widow in a polygamous family. My co-wife left our matrimonial home after our husband’s death, leaving her two children behind. I was not blessed with a child in my 32 years of marriage, so when my co-wife left, I gladly accepted the responsibilities of taking care of her children. Since then, I have gone through serious challenges in raising them up, including feeding, buying clothes, and paying school fees, because I do not have a job. I am a farmer who depends on farming to earn a living. This is currently is not possible because of the drought hindering me from planting on the farm. Because of my poor financial state and inability to pay school fees, the children were sent home. This demoralized their learning spirit and was unhappy with being at home while the other children were going to school. When I received my transfer, I spent KES 1000 to clear the school fee debt so that they would go back to school and continue with their education. Besides clearing the school fee debt, I spent the remaining amount of money on buying a sack of maize and this assured me of having food to feed my family for the next few weeks as I try finding other sources of income.

I was so overwhelmed with so much joy seeing that I had received that money because, my boy was home without attending class for three which was quite a long time if you ask me, and I did not wish he stayed home any longer. So it was such a huge relief receiving the money and I was happy I could fulfill my duty as a parent.

Apart from being quite old myself, my husband also passed away some years back which has made life so hard over the years, because I have no support system and had to raise our kids all by myself. Therefore this funds have given me an opportunity to struggle less when it comes to finances, providing for the family and even myself. In my opinion GiveDirectly has been my saving grace

My co-wife unfortunately passed on a few years back and she left one of her kids who was still very young to me as my responsibility to cater for which I have done diligently. Unfortunately three days before receiving the money the young boy had been kicked out of school because I could not afford to pay the debt that I owed the school. After receiving the money I immediately paid KES 400 for his tuition fee and the next day he was on his merry way back to school. I also decided to take care of matters concerning a meal in the house using the money that was left by buying four packets of maize flour for KES 400 and used the remaining KES 200 to buy a packet of wheat flour and sugar.