In the coming year and beyond, my aspiration is to start a tailoring business and expand my farming activities by cultivating tomatoes. Tomatoes are particularly lucrative in our area since they're scarce and have to be sourced from distant markets. Currently, I don't have any cash on hand, but I remain hopeful and pray that God will provide a way forward for me to pursue these endeavors.

GiveDirectly made it easy for us to realise our goal in no time, this is because we were given the autonomy to use the cash according to our individual needs. Thus far, I haven't encountered any inefficiencies in the process.

My husband and I longed to create a more spacious and comfortable home for our family, but financial constraints made it seem unattainable. However, upon receiving my second transfer, I made the decision to allocate the entire amount of $550 towards constructing a decent house for us. The previous dwelling was too small to provide adequate space for our family, especially considering our financial instability. I work as a farmer while my husband pursues his studies in college, aiming to become a pastor. Despite his meager stipend from well wishers, usually around $30, we strive to provide for our three children, all of whom are attending primary school. The opportunity to finally build a larger home feels like a dream realized, and I couldn't be happier.

Upon receiving the message, my husband and I were attending church. It was my spouse who noticed the message on my phone and excitedly shared the news with me. We were overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for the significant sum of money bestowed upon us by GiveDirectly. We praised the Lord for His grace and even danced in celebration. Our immediate thought was to use the funds to build a house. Currently, my wife and I, along with our four children – three boys in their adolescent years and one girl – reside in a cramped one-room house. As our children are growing into adulthood, it has become necessary for them to have a separate room for privacy. The generous gift from GiveDirectly provides us with the opportunity to improve our living conditions and ensure more comfortable spaces for each family member.

We are thrilled to witness the steady progress of our new house construction. Previously, a significant portion of our earnings from casual work was dedicated to saving for the house. GiveDirectly has alleviated the burden of saving for a home, allowing us to redirect all our income towards our children's school fees and family expenses. This financial relief ensures that our children can pursue their education without the constant worry of being sent home due to unpaid school fees. Now, we can gladly focus on providing continuous support for their studies and ensuring the well-being of our family without the added pressure of saving for a house.

Residing in a one-room house presented a challenging living situation for my wife and four children. Acknowledging the pressing need for a more spacious and private environment, the idea of constructing a larger house became imperative. This proved to be a formidable task for us, given that my wife and I do not hold steady employment but engage in casual labor on farms. Additionally, I am actively pursuing training to become a pastor, a commitment that consumes a significant portion of my time and limits my ability to work regularly. Our little earnings were insufficient to cover the costs of building a house, meeting our family's needs, and paying our children's school fees. I therefore spent $490 of the transfer on realizing our dream of constructing a two-room house. Witnessing this dream come to fruition has brought immense joy to our family, particularly since our boys are now in their teenage years and require personal space for privacy. I also spent the remaining $60 of the transfer to clear the accumulated school fee debt for my children from the previous term. This was vital to ensuring that our children could seamlessly continue their education without disruptions when schools reopened. The relief of settling the school fee debt was profound, sparing our children from the prospect of staying home while their peers attended school.