My house recently collapsed after a strong wind brought it down. Since then, I have been staying at my son's house. In response to this unfortunate event, I decided to spend $20 from my transfers to purchase two pieces of iron sheets each month. So far, I have bought seven pieces of iron sheets at a cost of $70. Additionally, I purchased building poles for $10. I am very optimistic that I will soon have a new house once I am done purchasing all the required building materials. I also paid $10 in school fees for my two children who are in primary school. I am glad that this payment has reduced the significant debt they owed the school. Additionally, I purchased food for $8 for my family, ensuring that we never lacked anything to eat thanks to the financial support from the transfers. I invested $4 in purchasing a hen. This is a strategic investment for the future, as I hope it will multiply, giving me something to sell and earn income from. The financial support has been invaluable, allowing me to become financially self-reliant, especially after I had to leave my job due to health complications. I am deeply grateful for the financial assistance. It has enabled me to take care of my family's immediate needs and invest in our future, providing me with a sense of security and hope.

My goal this year and beyond is to build a new house following the collapse of my old one. To achieve this, I plan on saving more from my transfers to buy the necessary materials such as iron sheets, building poles, and cement. Having my own house will be a significant achievement, and it will allow me to stop relying on others for shelter. In addition to building a new house, I also aim to invest in livestock. Livestock will provide a sustainable source of income, ensuring financial stability even after the financial support from Give Directly comes to an end. I believe that this dual strategy, constructing a secure home and investing in livestock will greatly improve my family's living conditions and future prospects. I am very happy and deeply appreciate the financial support from Give Directly. It has been instrumental in helping me take significant steps towards achieving these goals and improving my life.

I previously worked in manual labor to provide for my family, but my life took a turn when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Following the doctor's advice, I am no longer able to engage in those activities, and my days are now spent on light household chores at home. As a widow without external support, I solely depend on financial transfers to cover the costs of my medication and to support my two children who recently started junior high school. Their education is a priority for me, and despite my health situation, my goal is to ensure they are comfortable in school. Balancing the need for their education with my ongoing treatment is challenging, but it remains my primary focus to secure both their academic well-being and my timely recovery.

I am truly grateful to be a part of this program, as it has had a profound impact on my life. As a widow juggling numerous responsibilities, including caring for my two children, who recently entered junior high school, my world took an unexpected turn when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Before my diagnosis, I used to engage in various manual jobs to provide for my family. However, my health challenges have now restricted me from continuing those jobs, compelling me to focus on lighter household tasks at home. Consequently, I find solace in the financial transfers I receive. Each transfer ensures that I can afford the essential medications for my condition, which typically amount to around $7. Without these transfers, affording the necessary medical care would have posed a significant challenge. I was also able to allocate $34 towards purchasing new school uniforms for my two children embarking on their junior high school journey. Adapting to the demands of the new education curriculum in our country has been challenging, but the recent transfers have alleviated the burden. Furthermore, I am delighted that, by diligently saving over the past months, I was able to invest in a goat and four chickens, amounting to a total cost of $60. These assets not only bring me joy but also serve as a potential source of income for my children's education and other financial needs.

I used to rely on casual jobs like making and selling charcoal and sisal leaves to make a living. However, I developed a tumor-like condition that forced me to stop working. Since then, I have been dependent on my son, who earns a living by riding a motorcycle. Occasionally, when I have some extra funds, I buy items like sugar and sell them door-to-door in my village to make a little extra money for food. I am grateful that the cash transfers have allowed me to do something more substantial and build more wealth, which is owning livestock. With the recent funds, I bought a goat for $40, which increased my herd to three. I also spent $10 to purchase two hens. Owning livestock provides me with a sense of financial security for the future in case of emergencies. Additionally, every month, I set aside a small amount to pay school fees for my two children in the sixth grade to ensure they do not miss classes. This accounted for $10 of the funds. The remaining amount was used to buy food, which not only prevented my family from going hungry but also eased some of the financial burden on my son.

Due to my vulnerable health condition, I am unable to engage in strenuous work to support myself and my two children in the sixth grade. Since being diagnosed with the condition, I have relied on my son's income from riding a motorcycle. However, his earnings are inconsistent, and providing daily meals can be challenging at times. I'm grateful that the cash transfers have helped alleviate some of the hardships in my household, particularly the issue of hunger. However, I understand that the cash aid will not last forever, and my goal is to create a source of income that can continue to support us even after the transfer period ends. I am particularly interested in raising livestock like goats. So far, I have obtained three goats from previous cash transfers, and I aim to acquire at least five more and allow them to reproduce to grow the herd. With this, I believe that in the future, I will be able to support my children's education without any difficulties.

The cash transfer program has been a tremendous help for me, especially in covering the school fees for my two children who are in grade six. Whenever I receive cash transfers, I allocate $10 specifically toward reducing their tuition fees. As a widow, I don't have anyone to support me in raising funds for these expenses. Through cash transfers, my children can stay in school without the constant risk of being sent home due to unpaid fees. This brings me great joy and relief. Additionally, I usually spend $7 from the transfers for my medication. I have a complication in my left breast, which restricts me from engaging in strenuous activities that could help raise funds. Normally, I rely on seasonal small businesses to provide for my family's needs, such as selling donuts door-to-door or to school-going children. With the remaining funds, I normally spend $5 on purchasing a hen for rearing, and the rest is used for buying food. Am happy that the cash transfers have enabled me to not only pay my children's school fees but also meet our basic food needs. As a result, my children rarely face the inconvenience of being sent from school to collect unpaid fees.

By the end of the ongoing planting season, I pray to have a bountiful harvest so that I can utilize the cash transfers to purchase more livestock. Currently, I already own a goat and five hens thanks to the cash transfers. I am happy that some of the hens have hatched, thus increasing our flock, and the goat also gave birth. I believe that with this livestock, I will be able to sell them in the future and meet the needs of my family. I am grateful for the opportunity to expand my livestock through cash transfers.

When I fell sick and stopped making charcoal to raise money for my needs, my son took up the mantle of providing for the family. Working as a motorcyclist, sometimes he makes just enough for one meal a day or does not make anything at all. Therefore, hunger is a major issue in the household, followed by a lack of school fees. When I received the transfer, schools were almost resuming and my two children had pending tuition debt from last year. I decided to clear the balance of $10 so that they would never miss on learning. I spent $9 on food my family had taken nothing the entire day. I used the remaining $15 to buy a goat for rearing to replace my cow that had died from drought last year. From December’s transfer, I bought two chickens worth $10 for rearing, paid my medical expenses of $7 since my condition was deteriorating, spent $7 on food, and saved the rest through a self-help group. $10 from November’s transfers went towards the purchase of chickens and the remaining $24 went towards food. Am glad that I own poultry and a goat, courtesy of the transfers, that will help generate school fees for my children in the future. 

By the end of the year, I would like to have bought four more goats. Since I have no course of income, rearing livestock is the ideal chance I have to raise money for the education of my two children who are still in primary school. After I have bought the goats, I plan to start saving towards building a more spacious two-room house for my children and me. The current one-room structure, which doubles as a kitchen, is tiny for all of us. 

For a long time, our reliance on farming has been paralyzed by the drought, which has destroyed all crops and grazing fields for our livestock. Paying school fees has also been difficult because we do not have a consistent source of income. I spent $10 of my most recent transfer on school fees for my daughter and son, both of whom are in primary school. I am relieved that we have them settled in school and that they are currently attending all classes without disruption. I also spent $5 on a medical check-up because I was not feeling well and needed to see a doctor. In addition, I spent $5 on food for my family of six, bought two chickens that I am currently rearing for $5, and saved the remaining $5 with the village's local saving group, where the other 25 members each save $5 every week. These savings will be used for one of four future projects, one of which is to build a large house for my family.

I am pleased with GiveDirectly's efforts in our village, which have allowed my children to return to school while also providing us with adequate food. The monetary assistance they chose to provide us with not only solved major household challenges, but also revived the saving culture through dormant informal saving groups. I am relieved that the prospect of building my new home is now clear thanks to the savings I am making. From the start of the enrollment to the date we received the first and second transfers, I saw no flaws in the approach.

I am a widow who makes a living by selling sisal ropes and charcoal in the village. My two youngest boys rely on me to take care of their basic necessities and pay for their school expenses. For the past three years, my health has been getting worse, making it more difficult to care for my children. I frequently get terrible pain below my breast, which leaves me unable to function and helpless. I can't go to the hospital because of my low financial situation, so I consume local herbs to aid with the pain instead. In my darkest hours, I rely on my son, a casual worker in Mombasa town, for support. As a result, when I got my transfer, I used KES 500 to cover my two kids' exam expenses so they could take their final end-of-term exams. In addition to paying their exam costs, I used the remaining money to buy food for the family because we had used up all of the food we had at home.

I am quite appreciative for the unconditional transfers. It significantly influenced my ability to purchase food for two famished little children. We had been living on one meal for three days prior to the transfer. My children felt better after I bought the food, which inspired them to study more.

I was away from home with my coworkers for a "Chama" meeting. I learned that I had received my first transfer by text message in the middle of the meeting. I ululated at the top of my voice and bounced around in excitement. My colleagues saw this and promptly checked their phones to see whether they had also received a message. To commemorate the joyous event, we all briefly danced.