In the upcoming year, my main goal is to renovate the roof of my house. Currently, the roof is leaking badly, making it difficult for me to sleep peacefully, especially during the rainy season. I dream of having a strong, secure roof over my head so I can rest easy, knowing I am safe and dry. To achieve this, I need 20 pieces of iron sheets, and each piece costs $12. I plan to buy at least two iron sheets every month, slowly but steadily gathering all the materials I need. By the end of next year, I aim to have a new roof that will protect me and give me peace of mind.

I am a widow who works hard to provide for myself and my six grandchildren after their father passed away. Life has been challenging, but with the support from GiveDirectly, I’ve been able to manage better. With the last three transfers, totaling $102, my priority was to ensure my grandchildren could continue their education. I used $36 to pay their school fees, knowing that education is the key to their future and the best way to honor their father's memory. After covering the school fees, I bought two chickens for $8 to replace the ones I had lost to an infection. Raising chickens helps provide eggs for our meals and a little extra income when we need it. The remaining $58 went toward buying food for my family. This allowed us to have enough to eat without worrying about where the next meal would come from. These transfers have been a lifeline for us, helping me to take care of my grandchildren and give them a sense of stability in these difficult times.

I aim to repair my leaking house as it has become a pressing issue. Once the repairs are complete, my next goal is to invest in purchasing goats with the transfers. I envision these goats multiplying over time, eventually allowing me to sell them for profit in the future. This plan represents a step towards greater financial stability and a brighter future for my family. Despite the challenges, I am determined to overcome them and build a better life for us all.

The condition of my house roof has deteriorated significantly, causing severe leaks that leave us exposed to the cold, particularly during rainy days. To address this urgent need, I allocated $94 towards purchasing iron sheets to repair the roof, aiming to restore warmth and comfort to our home. Additionally, I invested $4 in purchasing a bed sheet, recognizing the importance of staying warm and protected during cold nights. With this simple yet essential purchase, I hope to alleviate some of the discomfort caused by the chilly weather. Finally, I allocated the remaining $4 towards purchasing food, supplementing our existing provisions. This modest allocation ensures that my family's basic nutritional needs are met, despite the challenges we face. In the face of adversity, each decision reflects my commitment to providing a safe and comfortable environment for my loved ones. Despite the limitations, I am determined to make the best of our situation and ensure that my family's well-being remains a top priority.

The iron sheets on my roof have aged significantly, exhibiting holes that allow rainwater to seep into the house during rainfall. My objective is to accumulate sufficient funds from upcoming transfers and gradually acquire new iron sheets, with the aim of eventually replacing the entire roof. The financial support from the transfers has brought me considerable joy, enabling me to lead a significantly improved life compared to my circumstances before.

I contend with a persistent health challenge marked by high blood pressure. During the previous year, I faced another episode of this illness, incurring a hospital bill of $29. This amount covered both medical expenses and the purchase of necessary medications to manage my condition. I am deeply thankful that my health has shown considerable improvement since then. In a strategic move, I invested $30 in acquiring a sheep, recognizing the potential for increased returns as the sheep multiply. Following my discharge from the hospital, I allocated $38 towards purchasing food that would not only nourish my family but also boost my immune system. The financial support extended by Give Directly has played a crucial role in addressing these health-related challenges, and for this, I am genuinely pleased and grateful.

I used to engage in manual labor and various informal occupations, such as charcoal production and sales, to support myself financially. However, due to my advancing age, I have lost the physical capacity to continue these activities. Additionally, I am grappling with severe hypertension, which has confined me to my home for a significant portion of my time. Managing this health condition requires me to undergo regular medical treatment. Unfortunately, my sons, who typically provide me with financial support, are already burdened with their own financial responsibilities, including caring for larger families, covering school fees, and meeting various other needs. Consequently, I find myself relying solely on the financial assistance I receive through transfers. Given my inability to work due to health constraints, my primary objective is to invest in goats. As they multiply, I can subsequently sell them to generate a steady income. Currently, I am the proud owner of five goats, and I have ambitious plans to acquire more in the upcoming year and beyond.

I allocated $50 from my recent transfers to cover the educational expenses of my six grandchildren, all of whom are currently enrolled in school. Their father faced difficulties and was unable to meet their tuition fees on time, especially after almost losing his job. I'm delighted that despite their father's challenges, their education continued without any interruptions due to unpaid fees, providing me with a sense of relief. Additionally, I invested $74 in acquiring livestock, including two goats and two chickens, which I am now raising. My long-standing goal has been to invest in livestock, as they have the potential to multiply, ultimately allowing me to generate income from them. At present, I take pride in owning a total of five goats, as they are relatively easy to care for and manage. I firmly believe that beyond addressing my immediate financial needs, these livestock will also serve as a safeguard for my grandchildren's future education. With the remaining funds, I purchased essential food items and household necessities that were lacking in my home.

With the ongoing rains, my goal is to cultivate enough crops on my three-acre land to provide sufficient meals for my family by the end of each growing season. To accomplish this, I understand that I will need to hire additional help during planting and harvesting times to ensure a successful crop yield. In addition to supporting agricultural activities, another important objective is to cover the cost of my monthly hypertension medication. Currently, I rely on my son for financial assistance in purchasing the medication, but I aspire to become self-sufficient in this regard. The cash transfers I receive provide a valuable opportunity to invest in these objectives and work towards achieving them.

As I grow older, my body becomes vulnerable to numerous health issues, including hypertension and painful legs, which require regular medication for management. Unfortunately, due to my inability to work, it has been challenging to afford the necessary medication. When I received the money, I was admitted to the hospital due to my health condition. I immediately allocated $15 to cover the hospital bill, ensuring that I received the necessary medical care. With the remaining $19, I used to purchase food, which has been a significant help in meeting my basic needs. The financial assistance has alleviated some of the burdens I faced, allowing me to access medical treatment and ensure that I have enough food to sustain myself. This support has been a lifeline for me, and I appreciate the chance it has given me to take care of my well-being.

This year, I want to use the money to buy myself a few farm animals as an investment in my future. I want to make investments in goats and chickens so that someday they can help me out financially when the program is through. Nutrition is unquestionably my second concern, as we are currently undergoing a famine that has caused us to starve . Since my health has been declining over the years, I also intend to use the money to take care of myself.

My granddaughter had been expelled from her nursing college two weeks before the transfers were handed out. I decided to help them out because my son was having trouble paying her tuition at the time, so I deducted KES 2,000 from the money I required to pay for college. Due to the ongoing difficulty in obtaining food, I continued to spend KES 1,100  to buy bread each day, one kilogram of sugar, and four packets of maize flour. Last but not least, I bought a hen with the remaining KES 300.

I remember being very elated the minute I noticed that the transfers had been set up by GiveDirectly. This is because during that time I had fallen quite ill and had been bed-ridden for a couple of days because I couldn't afford medical attention. Lucky for me though with the arrival of the transfers, I was finally able to visit the hospital and undergo treatment where I ended up using KES 1,200. Afterwards I was left with KES 1,800 and where I ended up using KES 1,500 by buying a goat because I saw it as a future investment and as for the balance I used it for purposes of nutrition by purchasing a kilogram of sugar and bread on a day to day basis.

I'm glad for having known GiveDirectly because the funds have played a huge role in my day to day life especially financially. I soon see myself having more farm animals because the transfers I receive can now allow me to buy more animals and grow my farm. I honestly have nothing but praise for the good job we are seeing from the organisation in coming to our aid.

As soon as I received the transfers I went ahead and bought a goat worth KES 2,000 because I had wanted to purchase one for the longest time now but since I had no money I kept hoping that some day I would. I plan on reaeing the goat and afterwards I get another one and wait for them to breed because it would be my safety net in times of financial difficulty and I could offer them up for sale if I urgently need the money. After buying thr goat I was left with KES 1,000 which I ended up using by buying around four packets of maize flour, two kilograms of sugar and laundry detergent.

On that fateful day, I was lying on my bed, weak because of severe hunger. My grandchild came into my house at around 10 pm holding my phone and delivered to me the good news that I had received my transfer from GiveDirectly. I could not believe it as I confirmed the message and indeed it was true. I knelt down and murmured a short thanksgiving prayer to the almighty God for the miracle.

Buying food with the help of the money from the transfer is the biggest difference in my life since receiving the transfer. For the past three months, we have slept many times on empty stomachs and incurred debts due to buying food on credit. The situation has improved immensely after receiving the funds because we have plenty to eat and we no longer sleep hungry.

Charcoal selling is the only source of income I have left after the rains failed two years ago. I was left with no money after I failed to harvest from the farm because of the effects of drought. Since then, I have struggled to take care of my three grandchildren who are under my care. Charcoal selling is very tedious and with very low income (KES 350 per sack). In a month, I can sell 5 sacks due to the unavailability of ready clients. If this happens, I lack food for the better part of the week (3 days a week). This pushes me to buy food on credit and we sleep on empty stomachs. Therefore, when I received my transfer of KES 1200, I spent it all on buying food for my family to avoid starvation after surviving the previous two days drinking porridge.