I didn't have any new goals before receiving this transfer as the main goal and aim was to complete the house that I had intended to build initially and spent part of the first transfer on buying the materials for building the house. However, it was not enough to start building the house so it remained the main goal even for this second transfer. This was because I needed a better and bigger house since the one I have been living is so small and I would sleep with only my upper body in the house while my legs are outside. This used to make me so sad and unhappy, and all I longed for was a better and bigger house.

GiveDirectly did everything so well, and the services we were accorded were excellent. I was able to get a better and bigger house, pay my children's school fees and we have food regularly. Therefore, I can confidently say that the program was a success in our village and there's nothing that was not done or is not done well.

I spent most of the transfer which was KES 22000 on building a better and bigger house as that was my main after having already bought the materials with the money from the first transfer. This was because I have been living in a very small house that I would sleep with only half of my body in the house while the other half is out in the cold. This not only used to pose health risks but also was so shameful even to my own children, and it used to make me so sad and very unhappy. This was happening because my husband had no job and we all depended on my little job of hawking some locally made pastry products very popular in our area, so getting a bigger was just impossible. Therefore, I am so grateful now that I have a bigger and better house with enough space, and I am now walking with my head held high in total pride and gratitude. All thanks to GiveDirectly

It was something unusual in my life thus can’t forget that day. It was on the 16th day of September 2021 at around 8am when I was on my business of selling dumplings door-to-door. This is the time I received a message in my phone from GiveDirectly. I took the off the basin of dumplings from my head in surprise. I felt very happy and I wanted to go home straight but a different thought stroke my head and I decided to finalize selling my dumplings to the households that were left.

The biggest difference I can testify is clearing the fee arrears that were giving sleepless nights knowing not where I was going to get them. My business of selling dumplings could only carter for my family food and it wasn’t on daily basis. Receiving the transfer from GiveDirectly has for sure given me peace of mind and my boy will now concentrate in school not as before when he was on and off due to school fees.

When I got home, I drafted a guiding plan on how I was going to use the money instead of spending it blindly. The first priority was my son who is in a boarding secondary school in form 3. Initially I had talked to the principal of that school on how I will be paying the school fees in bits due to the hardship I was going through. Upon receiving this, I opted to clear all the fee arrears and also pay the fees of this term which amounted to KES 30000.00. Having settled that, the roofing of my house was also in a poor state hence I had a plan of renovating it. I bought 20 pieces of iron sheets for KES 17000.00 and some terrace posts. After the all the roofing expenditure I was left with KES 6200.00 which I have been using for family food.