Since I am only a few months into the municipal council clerk job, I have not saved enough to run extensive family errands, such as paying school fees for my children. Besides, the income all pays for food and my medication. Therefore, in the coming year, I hope to be employed permanently at the municipality, thereby increasing the $70 I currently earn. From the income I earn, I hope to admit my children to boarding school so they can get an adequate learning foundation to take them through their next educational life. I will be glad to have fulfilled their educational needs by paying their school fees fully.

I am grateful for the unconditional cash transfers because the hustle of looking for finances has been reduced. With my medical condition, management is somewhat expensive, as I spend $10 each month on hospital visits, therefore saving almost nothing for the household. I am glad that the transfers have bridged certain family needs, and therefore people can respond to other pressing issues regardless of their financial status. My only wish is for the organization to continue giving out the transfusions, even if in small amounts, to help people with medical conditions like me.

When I received my transfers, I thought it best to construct a two-room iron-roofed house for my family of five since the one we currently live in is too small for us all. Can you imagine living in the same room with your spouse and children? More so, the house doubles up as the kitchen, bedroom, and living room, compromising privacy. Isnt it? In addition, the soot emitted from the fireplace always makes our clothes smell sooty. I am glad the transfers came in handy, as I spent $400 constructing the additional house and therefore converting this current house into the kitchen. I was not able to construct this house before because of a lack of finances since I had not been employed before. Unlike now, where the municipal council took me in as a county clerk, the $70 income caters for my $10 monthly medical expenses for the management of diabetes as well as food for the household. For the rest of the transfers, I used them on a heifer and food for the household. Although I have not catered for all the family's needs exhaustively, I am happy to have touched a portion.

Even though the message had nothing to do with GiveDirectly other than the exact amount I was expecting, I had no doubt that the money was from GiveDirectly. It was around 5:00 p.m. when I received a message notification, and since I was at home with my spouse, I had to show her. We were both excited, and with everything planned, we could not wait to collect the entire amount from the nearby shopping center early the next day.

The biggest difference in my daily life is the construction of a new house. I had had the same plan for a long time but was never sure when to start because I did not have any money. I was working as a casual laborer in a restaurant in a nearby shopping center, but my health was interfering with my performance. My diabetic condition caused me to develop blurred vision. I had to quit my job in order to seek adequate medical attention. I am grateful that GiveDirectly stepped in and helped me realize my dream of building a new home for my family of five.

I live with my family of five in a small house that cannot comfortably accommodate all of us. Every evening, two of my children would risk going out into the neighborhood in search of a place to sleep. Even though it made my neighbor's children uncomfortable to share their bed space with my children every day, they had to put up with it because we had limited funds to build a new house. As the bread winner, it became more difficult for me when I lost my job at a restaurant in a nearby shopping center due to a diabetic condition that affected my vision. When I received the first transfer, I was relieved that I would prioritize spending on construction work.I spent $450 on 24 iron sheets, building poles, and timber, as well as labor charges for a house that is nearly completed. I am pleased with the progress and eagerly await the second transfer to complete the final furnishing. In addition, I spent the remaining funds on household goods, including foodstuffs  worth $60 and other consumables at $40.