Having concluded my secondary education in 2017 and subsequently entering into marriage a few years later, I have been unable to pursue further studies due to financial limitations that hindered my aspirations. Presently, I am dedicated to diligently engaging in manual labor and extensive subsistence farming on leased lands. My aim is to generate sufficient income in the coming year and beyond, allowing me to sell surplus produce and utilize the earnings to enroll in a diploma program, which is yet to be determined.

GiveDirectly displayed impartiality as long as individuals met the specified eligibility criteria, which did not include age, health, or wealth status. The program proceeded smoothly from its initiation to its conclusion, with equal amounts being directly deposited into our accounts. We are appreciative and hopeful that GiveDirectly will continue its commendable efforts in assisting other communities facing similar needs.

I have achieved numerous accomplishments that I take pride in since commencing the transfers from GiveDirectly. With the prior transfers leading up to the final one, I successfully undertook the construction of a new house, reaching a point where only a small amount was required for completion and furnishing after the third transfer. Subsequently, I dedicated $250 of the last transfer to finalize the house construction and purchase new furniture, including a bed, plastic chairs, and a cupboard. Additionally, I addressed other expenses, such as covering the $50 labor fee. Considering the uncertainty surrounding the productivity of our ongoing farming activities, my family of four chose to save the remaining $200 to gradually cover the purchase of foodstuffs.

My new goal for the coming year is to enroll in a hairdressing course that will commence in May and is expected to take two years to complete. This is aimed at expanding my skillset and providing a source of additional income, alongside subsistence farming that my husband and I are currently doing. I am excited about the opportunity to learn skill, which will not only provide an extra source of income for my family but also allow me to pursue my passion for hairdressing. I am determined to work hard and successfully complete the course, which will open up new opportunities for me and my family.

I am so pleased with GiveDirectly's work in our village that I am always proud of its outcome. The opportunity to utilize the funds as we saw fit was a well-made choice that we believe should be adopted in other aid programs in different villages. It empowered us to make decisions that catered to the specific issues we encountered in our households. I am appreciative that I could construct a new dwelling for my child and afford adequate food for my family, all thanks to GiveDirectly's assistance.

After receiving the second installment from GiveDirectly, I aimed to finalize the construction of a house that I began when I got the first transfer. As a family of three, we had been living in a single room that doubled as both a kitchen and a living space. To complete the construction, I spent $300 on purchasing essential materials, including 29 iron sheets, 8 bags of cement, and nails. I also paid for the labor charges during the construction period. With the remaining funds, I purchased some food items and saved the rest for any unforeseen circumstances in the future. I am thankful for the assistance provided by GiveDirectly and anticipate doing more with the final transfer.

I received a Mpesa message around 4 p.m. that I later realized came from GiveDirectly after reading it. I was not worried, but rather excited, when we were told that the sender's name would be Segovia. I was with my spouse, who was just as excited to confirm that our account had the balance indicated in the message. Because my husband is my trustee, he accompanied me the next day to a nearby shopping center, where we collected the funds for our first purchases of construction materials.

Sleeping hungry at the moment is a thing of the past in my household because we purchased enough maize, beans, and other foodstuffs that we are still using with my family of three. I am grateful for the immediate transformation, which has made the biggest difference in my daily life since receiving the second transfer. We are also focused and confident that we will be able to build a new house in the coming weeks because we expect more support, which will propel the purchase of construction materials and the payment of labor costs.

My husband and I have a three-year-old and a child, and we all live in a single cubicle that my husband built two years ago. We had hoped to build a better house, but financial insecurity has kept us working as casual laborers around the village in order to buy construction materials. I was relieved when I was accepted into GiveDirectly's free cash transfer program, which gave us hope of making our dream a reality. After receiving the funds, I spent $130 on construction materials, which included 10 iron sheets at $9 each, 20 roofing frames at $6, 3 Kg nails, and transportation. I am still hoping to buy more iron sheets because I need more space and plan to use them on both the roof and the walls. I also purchased 20 kilos of dry maize grains for $12, 10 kilos of beans for $10, and other household items that I am still using to feed my family of three. We have started construction and are looking forward to putting up a new house once we get the second transfer.