In the coming years, my focus is on further expanding my goat herd, ensuring optimal conditions for healthy breeding and growth. From just five goats before the support from GiveDirectly to now having 19, I see immense progress. With reduced financial obligations now that I no longer need to pay school fees or support a larger family, I have renewed confidence in my ability to grow the herd, especially given the ample shrubs in the surrounding thicket, ideal for goat farming. Rather than selling them off quickly, I plan to selectively sell when necessary, such as during tough times or emergencies. Additionally, I aim to invest the proceeds from my current maize farming efforts into acquiring more goats, thus securing a sustainable source of income for the future.

GiveDirectly has truly distinguished itself as an exceptional organization in our community, delivering on all the promises made during enrollment. Despite our initial skepticism about the generosity of such support, we cannot help but express gratitude for the significant progress we have made since receiving the unrestricted support. Unlike other organizations, GiveDirectly recognized the diverse needs within our community and empowered us to address them with dignity through the cash support. Moreover, their commitment goes beyond financial support, as they consistently educate us on safeguarding the funds and ensure the well-being of vulnerable members, such as the elderly. We are profoundly thankful for their unwavering support. We sincerely hope that GiveDirectly will continue their exemplary approach in other areas, as no one in our community has ever voiced any complaints. However, we remain open to exploring any improvements or alternative options they may consider, as we have developed trust and confidence in their mission.

For a long time now, droughts have been affecting us a lot, causing losses in both livestock and our farming activities. To continue providing for my family, which has gradually reduced to just two members after my elder children started their own families, I have had to sell off some of our goats, reducing our herd to just 5. With the first and second transfers from GiveDirectly, I managed to acquire 6 more goats, and then used $300 from the final transfer to buy another 6. I am happy and grateful that we now have 19 goats, with two of them giving birth last month. Since I am not physically able to farm or secure casual labor, I plan to focus on raising and breeding the goats, which will provide a safety net during tough times when we can sell them to buy food. Currently, I live with my grandson, who helps me look after the goats. I also spent $100 on purchasing two sacks of maize, which we are still using and should last us another month. Our meals consist of a hearty dinner and lighter breakfast and lunch. We used the remaining $50 to buy household essentials like kitchen consumables, toiletries, and milk, which we usually obtain on credit and settle the bill at the end of the month. I am grateful for the support from GiveDirectly; it has motivated us to strive for better living standards.

In the coming year and beyond, I have plans of buying six more additional goats to be added into my flock of sheep. The goats investment shall go a long way in empowering me financially and making me independent in the long run. I hope that I will be able to reach over 30 goats over the next one year. It is an investment that I have always pursued with a lot of zeal and dedication. The only challenge that we do face is the challenge of attacks by wild animals. It is rare to happen but this is one risk that keeps me awake at night. We have had a few attacks on our neighbours flock and we know that we are not exceptional. We are always keen to keep the enemy at bay.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly does so well by giving us cash and empowering us to make our own decisions on how to spend the cash that we receive. Looking back at what I have been able to achieve over time makes me so happy as a person. I have made huge investments decisions that I am proud of and these are things I would not have done without the help of GiveDirectly. I am so much grateful for this.

When I received my most recent transfer of $450, I used $300 to purchase goats that I now keep in my farm. This was a top up from the other three that I had bought using the first transfer. It is an investment that I have always wanted to achieve because I was taking care of someone else's goats for a pay. I had always wanted to have my ownbut I had no capacity to raise enough funds to be able to do this. Receiving this money provided me with an opportunity to invest in this manner and I am so glad of my achievements so far. Initially, I used to own cows but they were not favoured by the hot weather that we experience in here and they ended up dying. This prompted me to have a second thought on the type of investment that we have or we could make. By December this year, I project that I will be having more goats and that I can finally take care of my own goats while I leave the ones that I have been taking care of to be taken care of by their owner.

I felt so happy the moment I received money from GiveFirectly. One of my children whom I had chosen as the helper was in possession of my phone then and is the one that informed me that the money had been sent. I felt good knowing that I was going to be able to accomplish some of the things that I had always longed for. I never imagined that this program was a reality until the day that I received the cash.

The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving this cash is that I now live a life free from stress. In the past, I would be stressed on where to get money to boost my business and to even buy food. I had no one that I could run to for support and I thank God that GiveDirectly came through. I would not have been able to even have a plan if I did not have the money that I got from GiveDirectly.

I used $100 to buy goats which is a main economic activity that we engage in. Another $55 was used to buy food while the remaining amount was used to buy my own clothes. These are the things that I needed the most as at that time and I am glad that the money received sorted them out. I now feel happy that as I take care of my child's goats, I also have mine that can help me in case there is an emergency or at the event that I need anything. It has greatly helped me in settling at a time that we are still dealing with effects of relocating to a different place.