I have a very big difference in my life that I really doubt if I would have managed without GiveDirectly transfers. I have built a home which has given me an identity of value,respect and dignity in my society. I bought a cow and a goat which are symbols of vision and productive future. I bought a solar light system that has really saved me from daily budget of paraffin. Initially, I depended on tin lamps that could sometimes go off due to lack of money to buy paraffin. It also produced toxic smoke that caused eye infections and respiratory track problems.

GiveDirectly has liberated me from the bondage of poverty and frustrations. I own a home with well built house, something that I had never dreamt of. The method of transfer is secure, accurate, confidential and efficient. No observation worth mentioning on what never worked well.

I spent the transfer on purchase of a cow and two goats. Cows do well here and sooner it will provide me with milk and ghee. Milk is very essential in human diet as it is full of nutrients. I also intend to sell the surplus and save with an aim of buying materials to construct a separate kitchen. Goats as well grow very fast in number. I shall sell them on good market season and buy a bull for ploughing. I spent the remaining part of the transfer on maintaining my sugarcane farm. I have ploughed it and already planted. I hope that in the next one and a half years, I shall be able to harvest and get good some of money that I shall save for future education of my children who are still young.

Previously I could waste a lot of time idling in the market center after I had come from the farm because I had nothing to do but this is not the case currently. After leaving the farm I spend time looking after the cattle which I bought with the GD money at the same time I also tress to water on a daily basis which I panted with part of the GD money. This consumes a lot of my time and by the time I retire to bed, I feel happy knowing that I'm making progress in my life. This is the biggest difference in my daily life.

I was woken by the sound of the phone at around 4.am and on checking the phone it was a message from GiveDirectly indicating that I had received money. I couldn't believe it, so I woke my spouse to give her the good news. She was so happy about the news and to her, it was a miracle. We prayed and later called my mum to check if she too got the message and to my surprise, she received the call while laughing, and she didn't seem as if she was sleeping. She could feel the joy we had, so she advised us to get back to sleep and wait until morning so that we could talk on the way forward.

I was still staying at my parent's home and being the firstborn in our family it was so uncomfortable staying in the same compound with my parents and the younger siblings. This limited me because there are certain investments I couldn't do while I was still at my parent's home so when I received the money I bought building materials (iron sheets, timber, nails) which I used to construct my home. I now feel independent and relieved having my compound. Part of the money I spent on a cow and sheep for rearing so that in future after they have given birth I can sell the young ones to help me raise school fee for my children. I also bought tree seedlings with a portion of the money which I planted in my compound as a way of investment and also for beautifying the compound.