In the coming year, my main goal is to renovate my house, which has been a long-standing dream of mine. To achieve this, I plan to focus on purchasing iron sheets, which are crucial for completing the renovation. My strategy is to buy two pieces of iron sheets every month, gradually gathering enough to cover the entire roof. By sticking to this plan, I hope to have the materials ready within the year, transforming my house into a safe and comfortable home for my family.

I am a widow who lives alone, and at my advanced age, I am no longer able to perform the heavy tasks I once could to support myself. Now, I rely fully on GiveDirectly transfers to meet my needs. In my last three transfers, totaling $102, I first used $15 for medication after I accidentally cut myself with a panga while burning charcoal. My health and well-being are important to me, especially now that I am on my own. After taking care of my medical needs, I spent $35 to buy food, ensuring that I had enough to eat at home. Having a steady supply of food gives me peace of mind and allows me to focus on other pressing matters. With the remaining amount, I started making plans to improve my living conditions. I bought an iron sheet for $12, adding to the four I already had. My goal is to renovate my house, which requires 20 pieces of iron sheets in total, and now I have five. Every small step brings me closer to a safer and more comfortable home. Lastly, I invested $40 in buying a goat, bringing my total to two goats. This investment is a safeguard for my future, providing a small but reliable source of income or security in times of need.

Receiving support from GiveDirectly has given me hope and a clear vision for the future. My current house is small and in poor condition, but now I have a plan to build a two-room mud-wall house that will provide my family with a safe and comfortable home. Each month, I save enough to buy two pieces of iron sheets for the roof, and so far, I've managed to gather seven sheets. The contractor told me I need 24 sheets to complete the house, so I'm determined to keep saving and buying until I reach my goal. In the coming year, I am confident that with careful planning and perseverance, I will have all the materials needed to build our new home. Beyond that, I hope to continue improving our living conditions and perhaps even start a goat farming investment.

As a widow, life has not been easy for me. I solely depend on myself as I toil in casual labor since my son, whom I depended on, is now struggling to sustain his own family. Out of the $102 from the last transfers, I bought two iron sheets for $18. I have been buying iron sheets from time to time because I want to build a new spacious two-room mud-wall house, and the contractor told me that it will require 24 pieces of iron sheets. Currently, I have reached 7 pieces. Each time I purchase more, I feel a step closer to having a home where I can live comfortably. I also used $20 to buy some food to keep me going and give me some rest from the tiring jobs I usually do. Without forgetting my health condition, I fell sick and used $34 to seek medication. Thanks to the transfers, I am now well and able to continue my work. I also saved $10 with a merry-go-round group where we are 15 members aiming to use the money once the time comes, so my plan of building a house can progress. Using the remaining $20, I saw it prudent to pay a debt to a shopkeeper who used to give me food on credit during my low times. This act of clearing my debt lightened a burden from my shoulders and earned me peace of mind. Each decision I make with the transfers brings me a step closer to stability and hope for a better future.

Currently, my main objective is to build a decent house, as my current dwelling is in a deteriorating condition. The recent rains have heightened my concerns about its stability, and I am grateful to my neighbours who provided me with temporary refuge. The existing structure is currently supported by heavy poles, but I remain apprehensive about its resilience during future rainfall. To address this, my plan is to acquire at least two iron sheets each month, aiming to accumulate a total of 24 sheets. Once I reach this target, I intend to purchase the necessary building poles and commence the construction process. My goal is not only to have a structurally sound home but also to liberate myself from the insecurity of my current living situation. Achieving this will not only provide me with peace of mind but will also mark a significant improvement in my overall living conditions.

I am very grateful for the support GiveDirectly has provided me with. It has been a lifeline for me. I cannot thank them enough for bringing me much-needed relief and easing my biggest worries about how I would survive at my age without external support. I have been blessed with daughters, but they are all married and cannot provide much support since they have their own families to take care of, and are not well off. Last year, I was diagnosed with stomach ulcers, and the doctor advised me not to engage in any activity that involved a lot of physical strength. Subsistence farming has been the only activity I have been engaging in to ensure food is available in my household, and now I cannot do it anymore. This has been a great challenge for me, and I am happy that the transfers have been my only hope. With the recent transfer, I spent $55 on buying enough food that could last for a few weeks. I also spent $10 on treatment and buying some medicines since I am still under medication, and I am glad that I am in the process of recovering. I have been saving $15 for the past few months, and I recently bought a goat with my accumulated savings. Finally, I spent $20 on buying two iron sheets, and I plan to use them to build a new house since the one I am currently living in is in bad shape. My goal is to have a decent house where I will no longer suffer the painful effects of heavy rain.

In the upcoming year and beyond, my primary objective is to construct a sturdy and secure house. Currently, my existing house has suffered damage due to strong winds, resulting in a partially blown away roof. Whenever it rains, I am left dismayed as water seeps into the house, causing destruction to my belongings. Building a new house has long been a cherished aspiration, but the persistent grip of poverty has hindered its realization. Despite the challenges I face, I find solace and gratitude in the financial assistance I have received. This support has been particularly crucial during difficult times when I required medical attention and hospitalization. It provided me with the means to navigate through those challenging circumstances, and I am sincerely thankful for it. With the continued aid and support, I hope to overcome the barriers that poverty has imposed on my dreams and aspirations, and finally achieve the goal of building a safe and comfortable home.

Three months ago, I underwent a stomach operation due to health issues. The doctor strongly advised me against engaging in labor-intensive manual work. As a result, I was unable to work on my farm, leading to a lack of harvest. To address my immediate needs, I allocated $72 from my transfer to purchase food. I am grateful that since joining the program, I have not missed a single meal thanks to the financial support I have received. Recognizing the dire state of my dilapidated house, I invested $20 of my transfer in purchasing two pieces of iron sheets. The extreme poverty I endured in the past prevented me from improving my living conditions. However, with the assistance of the transfers, I am hopeful that I will be able to construct a decent house in the near future. This gives me a sense of optimism and hope. Furthermore, I utilized my previous savings to acquire a goat, which serves as a valuable investment. The goat's ability to multiply ensures that I will have the opportunity to sell offspring in the future, providing me with additional funds to address any unforeseen emergencies. I am overjoyed with the financial assistance I have received, as it has significantly aided me in coping with the challenges of life and has brought a renewed sense of stability and optimism.

bought iron sheets, build a house, my house is in adelapidate condition.

1000, pay back a loan transport to go to kilifi for an operation. food 2400/=, doctors advice not to engage in hard labour. A long time ago, lack of funds prevented me from going to the hospital.

My main goal currently is to continue saving Ksh. 1000 every month in order to buy 22 pieces of iron sheets. The objective is to renovate my living house's roof, which is weak and dilapidated. I am saving money in our local merry-go-round group, which consists of 14 members. I believe that very soon after getting my savings back, I will be able to buy the iron sheets and start the renovation.

I have been saving Ksh. 1000 of the monthly transfers in our local merry-go-round. My goal is to accumulate the savings and later on purchase 22 pieces of iron sheets. My current house's roof is worn out and not stable enough to withstand strong winds. My biggest worry is that it might be blown over and collapse on me. I am planning to save enough money to buy the materials and renovate the roof. I spent the remaining amount on the transfers. I spent the remaining amount on buying adequate food for my family. I did some shopping for maize and vegetables that served us for weeks. I am happy that, ever since receiving the transfer, my household has not lacked food.

Give Directly works well by providing unconditional funds to the most vulnerable members of society. These cash transfers allow people like myself to accomplish dreams that we previously thought were out of reach owing to financial constraints. I am more optimistic than ever that the cash transfers will cover the entire cost of building my new home. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with how the organization functions.

Since I stay alone in the household, I fend for myself through charcoal burning. However, the strenuous activities involved in producing the product, including digging and splitting tree stumps, take a toll on my body, especially my left arm which fractured a couple of years ago. The most I can earn in two weeks is $7, which is not enough for my sustenance given the high living cost. As a result, missing meals is my norm. I remember early last month, I went four consecutive days without consuming a solid meal and nearly fainted from hunger. Had it been for the money from Give Directly, I am not sure if I would have survived well. I spent most of the transfer, $20, on food. I am glad I have never lacked a meal again. I wish I would give everyone from Give Directly a huge embrace for pulling out of hunger. I saved the rest amount through a self-help group. The goal is to obtain at least $100 in a span of the next 10 months to buy iron sheets for the construction of a new two-room tin roof and mud wall house. My current mud shelter is in bad shape, particularly the roof, which is wobbly and could be blown away by strong winds. 

I make a living out of cutting wood and selling it and that day when I received the funds I was actually doing that so because I needed money. That is the reason why I was so overwhelmed with so much happiness when I noticed the arrival of the funds and this is because we were starving.

Before I had received the transaction when I did, it already been a couple of days since I had a meal. Therefore the fact that I could finally not worry about when my next meal would be was quite relieving.

As soon as they realize that the transfers had been sent out immediately went ahead to ensure that I looked into nutrition because it was my biggest challenge. Therefore I went and used KES 1,500 to purchase twenty kilograms of maize and proceeded to use KES 500 to buy one kilogram of sugar and four kilograms of beans. Afterwards I used KES 800 to take the maize to the mill and the remaining balance of KES 200 I left it in my savings account.