Currently, I am in the process of building a new house, and I am delighted with the progress. My plan right now is to continue using a portion of the transfers that I receive from GiveDirectly to complete the construction. My goal is to ensure that I have a comfortable and safe space to live in, as the one I am currently living in is not quite habitable because it is leaking and on the verge of collapsing. Once my house is complete, I intend to continue saving a portion of my transfers in the merry-go-round group that we have in our village. My aim is to use the pooled funds that I will receive to purchase goats because I have always wanted to have a reliable source of income that will sustain me even after this program comes to an end. I am hopeful that the goats I will buy will multiply and increase in number and value over time so that, in the future, I will be able to sell them and use the proceeds to take care of myself and my family. I am truly grateful for the positive impact that GiveDirectly is making on us.

My house was very old, had a leaking roof, and was also on the verge of collapsing, leaving me in dire need of a good home to live in. Initially, my plan was to repair it, but I then realized that it was beyond saving. This led me to embark on a journey to build a new one-room house that would be more comfortable and warm. Currently, the construction is ongoing, and therefore I had to spend $30 of my recent transfers to pay for the building labor. I also contributed $34 from my transfers to supplement other funds I had gathered to buy iron sheets for the roof. I am delighted with the progress and am incredibly grateful to GiveDirectly for providing me with this opportunity. Alongside building my home, I have always dreamt of becoming a livestock farmer because I want to have a reliable source of income once this program comes to an end. To make this happen, I have been saving money in a merry-go-round group so that when I receive my pooled funds, I can use them to buy goats hoping that they will multiply, increasing in number and value over time, and to be able to sell them when in need. Lastly, with the drought and hunger affecting our region, I spent the remaining $18 on food to ensure that I would not go hungry. I am truly grateful for the gifts and support I have received, which have made a significant difference in my life.

My top priorities for this year are still to buy livestock and build a house. I put up with my house's rusty iron sheets being in bad shape the entire previous year. Every time it rained, I would spend the entire night shifting furniture around the house to keep it from being ruined by the rain water seeping in through the roof. This year, I intend to purchase two new iron sheets each month until I have enough to fix the roof completely. I'll feel better once the roof is fixed, and I can then concentrate on getting more livestock to add to the few I already have.

I am a widow with no job source of income since being diagnosed with ulcers. Living in a small, leaking house has been uncomfortable, especially during rainy seasons. With the quarterly transfers from GiveDirectly, I combined $105 with my own savings to buy building materials like iron sheets and poles to start building my dream house. This project means so much to me; I've endured being rained on for too long with the old leaking roof. Previously, I used to work as a charcoal burner until my health forced me to stop. Now, I rely on the transfers and my son's earnings as a casual worker. I also used $14 to prepare my land in hopes of a good harvest for food security. My shamba has been a lifeline, providing good produce that sustains me. Achieving my dream of a new, comfortable home fills me with joy and gratitude.

My primary focus is on completing the construction of a new house to replace my run-down dwelling. To accomplish this, I need to acquire additional building materials, including poles, iron sheets, and nails. This has been a long-held aspiration since my husband's passing. I am thrilled that I will soon realize this dream, all thanks to the financial assistance from the transfers.

I used a significant portion of the $60 transfer to buy building poles as I plan to construct a new house before my current one deteriorates further. My goal is to begin building the new house in the upcoming months to avoid the risk of homelessness. In addition to purchasing the building poles, I also bought four iron sheets for the new house's roof. I am delighted that the transfer money will enable me to construct the new house, providing a sense of security and creating ample storage space for the maize I will harvest in the future. The financial assistance from the transfers is especially valuable to me, given that my livelihood depends on sporadic work selling charcoal, and I have no one else to rely on for financial support.

My immediate goal is to construct a new house, replacing the current one with damaged walls. Over the past few months, I have been saving $20 from every transfer to afford the building materials like iron sheets and building poles. Once this is achieved, I intend to focus on acquiring livestock for rearing. I already started with two chickens, which I purchased using past transfers. Now, I aim to expand my efforts to include goats as well. The ultimate hope is that the ongoing transfers will contribute significantly to the realization of these goals.

From the recently received transfer funds, I set aside $20 through a self-help group, aiming to gradually accumulate enough money to purchase iron sheets for building a new house. My current dwelling is in a state of disrepair, particularly the walls. To address this issue, I am committed to saving until I can afford the necessary materials for a stronger and better house. I allocated the remaining amount to pay for building poles, as I am in the process of organizing the materials required for the construction. Being a widow, I rely on making charcoal for a living, even though it sometimes leads to chest complications. Unfortunately, I have no other choice but to engage in this activity since I have no one else to support me. Despite this, I am happy that the transfers have significantly alleviated some of the difficulties I used to face. These funds have not only addressed some of my basic needs like food but have also inspired me to build a better dwelling structure.

I live in a two-roomed house with my co-wife. We live peacefully together. However, our roof is old and has been leaking which has proven a problem now that it's raining. I would like to build a similar mud house with an iron roof. It is not cheap and seeing that business is not good I plan to use GD transfers to achieve this by saving. I save $20 monthly and although I have not begun building with the amount I am setting aside I see a possibility of my dreams becoming a reality with time.

I am an old woman, my children are all grown up and my eldest is in the city. I sell charcoal to make ends meet since I rely on myself financially. The charcoal business has been greatly affected by the drought. Also, access to food is not as easy as it was since the cost of living has gone up as we are now buying maize at $2 per 2kg bag. I have been using my transfers equally every month. I joined a savings group to which I send $20 monthly for savings and use the $14 on buying flour. So the past couple of months has seen me use my transfers used in exactly this way as I am saving towards a goal.

My top priorities for this year are to buy livestock and upgrade the condition of my home. I put up with my house's rusty iron sheets being in bad shape the entire previous year. Every time it rained, my mother-in-law and I would spend the entire night shifting furniture around the house to keep it from being ruined by the rain water seeping in through the roof. This year, I intend to purchase two new iron sheets each month until I have enough to fix the roof completely. I'll feel better once the roof is fixed, and I can then concentrate on getting more livestock to add to the few I already have.

Ever since I started receiving cash from Give Directly, I joined a self-help group where I save $20 from each transfer. My goal is to accumulate enough funds to build a two-room house to escape the poor conditions of my current shelter which lets in rainwater and brings dampness. I already consulted a builder about the total construction cost for a mud-walled and tin roof structure, and they quoted at least $300 for materials and labor. My priority is to finish this exercise, this is why I saved $20 from the recent transfer and I hope to maintain the spirit till everything is set. I know that my practice of burning charcoal could hardly complete the project because the earnings are scant. I spent the remaining amount on food because my household had run out of maize flour for two days forcing me to starve. Since I stay alone, am glad that I still have a fair amount of food in stock to last the rest of next week. I could never be more grateful!  

When I received my transfer, as a family, we did not have food. Due to hard economic times, I could hardly raise some income through the sale of charcoal. I depend on charcoal making as my source of livelihood. I rely on this because I do not have any other alternative sources of income. I am a widow and a breadwinner in my family. With my transfer, I saved KES 2,000 on building my savings at a Merry go round to building a new house. The current one is old and leaks whenever it rains. It will help me accumulate money that will help me build a new house. The current one is old and leaks whenever it rains. The rest of the transfer helped me to buy food for my family.

In my view, GiveDirectly does so well in giving financial aid. The cash transfer is the most viable avenue through which we can be able to better our living conditions. By receiving the cash, we have the freedom to decide on what to do with our money. As a result, many of my community members have been able to get food easily while some comfortably support their children's education. In contrast, I have not so far witnessed what GiveDirectly does not do well.

From my transfer, I saved KES 2000 in the merry-go-round. I had joined the saving scheme before the time I was enrolled in the GiveDirectly program. I am hopeful that from my savings, I shall be able to buy some building materials. I am a widow and I have been in the same house for the past 5 years. It is very old and one of the sides is weak and almost falling down. I am afraid that when it rains heavily, it may collapse. I am glad that very soon before the year ends, I shall begin building a new house. This will enable me to have a better place for habitation, unlike the current house that subjects me to extreme cold. The remaining KES 1000 helped in obtaining food for my family.

I was in the field cutting tree stumps when I heard a message notification on my phone. I immediately guessed it concerned a transfer from Give Directly. At that moment, I stopped working and rushed to the house so that my helper would confirm the news. I was swept by a wave of excitement and joy after realizing Give Directly had indeed sent the money.

The greatest difference is how my mood transforms whenever I receive transfers. I go from sad to happy in a blink of an eye because the cash means guaranteed food on my table eventually. It instills so much confidence in me to make and execute personal goals, like buying chicken.

Having gone to bed on an empty stomach the previous night, I prioritized the transfer for food that morning. So I purchased maize flour and sugar worth KES 820. The remaining amount helped me acquire one chicken for KES 400. I could not manage to save any of the money; however, I was happy to have settled the most pressing needs at the time.