In the coming year and beyond, I want to thank GiveDirectly, as their support helped me open a small shop. I initially started by selling vegetables, but I have gradually added items bit by bit, and now I’m pleased to offer a variety of goods, including sugar, flour, salt, and more. Although I am a teacher by profession, I have not yet been hired by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). The small income I earn from the shop helps me pay my fees and partially supports my family, as I am also taking part-time classes to further my studies. I have hired an employee, whom I pay $30 per month. GiveDirectly’s transfers have helped me cover part of her salary and reinvest in my business, supplemented by the income I earn from teaching. Since I am continuing my education, I aim to further expand my business in the coming year so that it generates a good profit, enabling me to pay my fees more easily. Looking ahead, I am committed to growing my business and advancing my education.

I run a small shop where I’ve hired someone to manage it, as I’m unavailable during weekdays due to my teaching job. With my most recent transfer, I used $74 to pay my shop attendant. I also bought a pair of shoes for $4, as looking presentable is important. I have two younger brothers who are still in school, and I decided to use $20 to pay their fees since they had been sent home for the remaining balance and exams were approaching. I didn’t want them to miss their exams, and since my parents didn’t have the money at the time, I stepped in to help. Finally, I spent $4 on flour for family consumption, as we had run out.

Last year, I opened a shop where I sell a variety of products including sugar, flour, salt, and more. My brother generously provided me with space to operate my shop. However, I am eager to expand my business and secure my own space for the future. There is a concern that my brother might reclaim his space, leaving me in a vulnerable position. With income from both teaching and the shop, I am determined to grow my business and eventually establish my own premises. This will ensure stability and independence in the long run.

I am both a teacher and a student at Mwareni College, currently pursuing a diploma in teaching to enhance my skills in the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC). During breaks from school, I attend classes to further my education, but once school resumes, I return to teaching. Recently, I used $34 from my transfer to settle my school fees. Apart from teaching, I also manage a shop where I sell essentials like sugar, salt, and flour. I invested another $34 to expand the stock of my shop. To ensure smooth operations while I am teaching, I have employed my cousin to manage the shop. I used the remaining $34 to compensate my cousin for his work. Thanks to the support from GiveDirectly, my business is thriving, and I have noticed an increase in my customer base.

My goal for this year is to expand my shop business. It has been thriving, but I want to enhance it by adding more stock, which will make it more stable. With school closing soon, my strategy is to use my upcoming transfers to achieve this objective. A well-stocked shop not only boosts profitability but also attracts more customers. I'm content with the progress I have made so far and eagerly anticipate a brighter future ahead.

I'm currently training to become a teacher, while I also manage a shop in my village to sustain myself. Previously, I faced significant challenges as my business struggled due to a lack of capital, and I could not afford the fees for my teaching course. However, I'm delighted to share that my circumstances have improved significantly. My business has thrived, and I have even hired someone to assist me in running it. With improved financial stability, I can now afford my course fees, and I am happy that I will be completing my studies by April next year. With the transfers received, I allocated $34 to expand my business by purchasing additional stock, which has significantly contributed to its growth. Additionally, I used $30 to pay my employee, which has facilitated smoother operations. The remainder of the funds went towards covering my course fees, allowing me to resume my semester with confidence. These financial transfers have brought me immense joy and peace of mind, as they enable me to meet my needs. I'm sincerely grateful for the support I've received, as it has truly transformed my life.

My goal in the coming years is to expand my kiosk business further. Currently, I utilize my brother's shop space, which poses an inconvenience to him. Therefore, I aspire to acquire my own shop space and, more specifically, build a brick-walled room to house and expand my business. Owning a shop will not limit my brother from using his space when the need arises. I will also be more confident operating the business from my own space.

Over the past two years, I have faced severe health challenges, requiring monthly hospital visits for treatment. My arm developed complications, which make it pain and swell from time to time necessitating immediate medical attention. This is why I spent $34 on transportation to and from the hospital. Despite my health struggles, I work as a kindergarten teacher, and recently, I started a kiosk business in my village. The inception of my business journey began with a small sardine-selling venture, which has now grown into a kiosk. I spent another $68 from the cash transfer to buy more items like maize flour and sugar for the business and the funds have played a crucial role in supporting and promoting my business. Although the business is still catching up, the income from my job at least provides a daily meal for me.

I have seen a great improvement in my earnings which has in turn improved my life. I used to make about $30 to $50 in profits from the grocery stall in a month when things went really well. Now with the shop I can make at least $100 monthly from the business. I am planning to inject my transfers and profits back into the business which I hope will in turn contribute to my doing more for my family especially my siblings who are still school going.

I used to sell vegetable in a stall before Givedirectly came to our place. Once I received my transfers I started working towards starting a general items shop. I started the business last year with the help of Givedirectly transfers and I have been doing that ever since. I have been adding to the business from my monthly transfers. In April I added $20 while in May and June I spent $30 each. In April I used the rest of my transfers to pay school fees for my sisters and bought food at $8 and $6 respectively. In May and June the $4 left went into buying me shoes and food respectively.

I was unable to join college because of financial constraints but I always had a dream of starting my shop where I will be selling branded, designer clothes and also uniforms for school going children.I am filled with excitement and gratitude for the opportunity I got from GiveDirectly of receiving monthly transfers. I know and believe that this dream would be possible with the support I have received from GiveDirectly, and I'm grateful for the help that has allowed me to build my business to the point where I can expand and grow. I have gone the extra mile of calculating the amount I need to live my dream and it amount to $200 and as at now I have managed to save $9 and I believe with the little effort I make towards success, I will reach my target and all goals in my life.

I am a single lady who believes that any little effort you put in, to change your life, will always bring about positive great changes in your life. I started my own business just six months ago with a small sum of $10 from GiveDirectly. At the outset, I began selling vegetables and fish, but with the recent transfer from GiveDirectly, I was able to expand my business and add new products to my existing business, such as maize flour, biscuits, and cooking oil. I am fortunate enough to be able to use my brother's shop as he left it to me after he found another job. This has really saved me from incurring cost related to renting or buying a place and it's also convinent for me to work there till late hours as it is near our place where we reside. I know that managing my stock effectively is key to maintaining a successful business, so I am always mindful of balancing customer demand with smart stocking strategies.

I formerly owned a roadside food stand, but it was unsuccessful due to the costs I had to pay, particularly for water. Water is scarce as a result of the present drought, and getting it for the business proved expensive. As a result, I was unable to sustain the business and had to shut it down. When I got my third transfer, I opened a kiosk and started selling various food and some stationery. I have been replenishing it ever since with the transfers from the previous three months. Although the business has really not grown, I'm nevertheless happy to have made some money from it. My mother and I are still together after my father passed away over a year ago. Due to her advanced age, my mother is unable to work, leaving me as the family's main provider. My three siblings are at school, and I have been paying for their education with the money I make from the business. We appreciate the support and are grateful that the money arrived just when we needed it.

GiveDirectly has really come through for me, especially since my family looks up to me in a lot of financial situations. Although I have a job the money I make was hardly enough to cater for everything but with the support from the organization, I have managed to sustain a business and grow it as well which has easened a ton of financial stress and that is why I support the work of the organization.

This year I decided to venture into business to that I could help support my family and siblings especially since the cost of living had gone quite high. I happend to be a teacher by profession and so I used some of my savings to open the business which was a store and when I recently received the transfers, I decided to use the money I received ensure that grow my business. I sold mostly Maize flour, wheat flour, stationery and other items, so I used the entire funds of KES 3,000 that I had received and added to the stock of my business.

I was heading home from school in the evening. Two of my siblings were not in school because of school fee arrears and I was very stressed. I received a message notification on my phone and I hurriedly checked it out. I was surprised and excited when I realized I had received my first transfer. My heart melted with joy as tears flowed freely down my chubby cheeks.

Investing the transfer into my small business has made a tremendous difference in my life. The business is recovering and from the profit, I will pay school fees for my siblings. This will boost my financial capability and help pay my bills on time and with minor struggles.

My profession is a teacher. I teach at a nearby school not far away from my home. I am the sole breadwinner of my family and tasked with the additional responsibilities of paying school fees for my younger siblings. This has put some pressure on my finances in the past few months, since I cannot cater to all my bills. I started a hotel business selling fast foods so that I earn extra income and use it to pay school fees for my siblings. The business has been on a downward trajectory for the last two weeks because of the hike in food prices. I Had little money left to buy more stock that will keep the business running. When I received my first transfer of KES 1200, I bought more stock for the business. I am happy that the business is picking well and will help me earn a large amount of profit and use it to pay school fees for my siblings.