I am happy to say that I have managed to build my own house after living with my mother-in-law for years, despite being married. I am now enjoying my own privacy with my children. However, the house I built is not spacious enough to accommodate all of my children, and they are sometimes forced to seek shelter elsewhere. To solve this problem, I plan to build an extension of one room to accommodate them all under one roof. I will buy iron sheets every month, at least two per month, and enlarge my house when I receive a transfer.

I am grateful to GiveDirectly for allowing me to complete the construction of my house. By saving the monthly transfers, I was able to buy 18 iron sheets, building poles, and nails. Previously, I lived with my mother-in-law, which was unsettling since I am married and have children. With the recent transfer, I only needed two more iron sheets, which I bought for $22, and I was able to finish building my house. Had I not received the support, I would still be living in my mothers in-law's house despite being in marriage. I also spent $20 of the money to pay for my child's and sibling's school fees, which had been in arrears from the previous year. With the fees cleared, they were able to return to school and study comfortably. This has given me ample time to prepare for the next term's fees. Additionally, I purchased a small solar panel for $15, which has been a reliable source of lighting for my household and a way to charge my devices. I used to charge my phone at a neighbour's house, but now I no longer have to since I have my own solar panel. Finally, I used the remaining money to buy foodstuffs for my household and some clothes for my children.

I intend to start a vegetable selling business, this will address the scarcity of vegetables in our village. Furthermore, I will invest on goat rearing for income generation. At the same time I will rear chicken as a delicacy for my visitors, especially, my parents. Additionally, I will commit a portion of the transfers to supporting my child's education, ensuring a bright future for my little one.

Currently, I reside with my two children at my mother-in-law's residence. My husband works in a distant village, where he lives at his stepmother's place. It's been a lengthy four months since his last visit. With a burning desire for freedom and independence, I decided to purchase Iron sheets and building materials worth $26.5 to start building a place of our own. In addition to this, I paid $5 to settle my daughter's school fees arrears. I was left with $2.5 which I spent on household items.

As I said I do not have a house. I live with my mother in-law. I was married and did not get a house when I got to my marital home. My husband does not have a job and I am the primary breadwinner of my household. I would like to have a house of my own for myself, my husband and my children. I am buying the required materials slowly even as I aim to achieve this goal. My plan is continue buying the necessary material as I have been doing previously to ensure they become sufficient to start construction.

I have a family of four and I live at my mother In-laws house. I did not get a house when I got married to my husband and that meant I needed think about building my own house. In April I spent $16 to buy roofing sheets each at $8 I also bought some iron sheets in May at $10 a sheet. I also bought tree posts that will be used for constructing also. I have a school going child who depends on me to facilitate their schooling, I paid $4 school fees in may and the same amount in May too. I also bought some clothes for my child and myself at $10. I also had a sickly mother who I spent $10 to help seek treatment as well as gave her $5 for her to buy what she needed as she was in the hospital. The money also helped me buy food in April at $15 and in March $4. I also contributed to my local savings group at $10 in May and bought a chicken at $4 in April.

My current goal this year is to start and finish building our house where together with my two children we can stay in comfortably. Afterward, I hope to start a business selling vegetables and other foodstuffs to substitute for my husbands’ income.

I am a casual laborer and my husband who is the breadwinner is employed as a shopkeeper earning $60 monthly. Both our income is not sufficient to cater to our basic needs as we have two children in school. My mother-in-law has been kind enough to accommodate us at her place since we do not yet have our own house. Since I started receiving these transfers, we have been gathering building materials bit by bit so that by mid-this year can start building our own house. $20 of my monthly transfer we have been using to buy timber and iron sheets. For the remaining $14 we buy food and other required items in the house.

GiveDirectly did a wonderful job by helping the less fortunate in society. Our lives have been uplifted amazingly, thus we are so grateful. Everything was done well, therefore, I have not witnessed any inefficiencies.

I graduated from high school last year but I was not able to join college due to financial constraints because I come from a poor background. Instead of idling at home, I decided to work as a house help to earn a living. When I was enrolled in the program, I revived my hope of joining college. Therefore, upon receiving my transfer, I saved $10 for my college education, then used $10 on my siblings' school fees and lastly, used the remaining $10 on buying foodstuffs for my family. Receiving money from GiveDirectly has been a blessing thus, I am grateful.

I was preparing dinner at around 9 p.m. when my mobile phone buzzed with a message alert. Immediately, I checked its contents and confirmed that Give Directly had sent the first transfer. My heart melted with delight because owning such an amount of money was a luxury to me. I had always been used to the KES 100 that my husband sent me occasionally to buy food.

Since the month started, up until the day I received the transfer, my household had run out of food more than ten times, forcing us to mostly starve throughout the day and sleep hungry. The story changed after the cash transfer. I bought enough food with the transfer that lasted long enough to give my husband time to raise money for more. I am glad that we have never lacked or slept hungry since then.

Being the breadwinner of the family, my husband works as a shopkeeper to support us. His earnings from this job are insufficient to fulfill all of the household's necessities, such as food and clothing. This is why I've always hoped for an opportunity to relieve him of the burden of responsibility. The cash transfer was an ideal chance. I spent KES 500 on a new solar lamp because the old one had spoilt and ceased working that afternoon. I also purchased 5 pieces of clothing worth KES 220 for my eight-month-old infant because he had outgrown his old ones. Finally, I directed the remaining funds toward food because there was just enough to feed my family of twelve with one meal. At least the food I bought would last the household two days while my husband raised money for more.