I have a new goal which I have lately been thinking of which is to start a new business (selling fresh vegetables and fruits( in my village. I have been depending on the charcoal and firewood business which is not lucrative and it's a seasonal one. Therefore I have not been able to meet my family's basic wants all along. I trust that once I acquire the capital and start up the new business, all the financial constraints shall come to an end since after conducting my research, this business is very profitable.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well by offering us unconditional cash transfers. We were all given a chance to select what was best for us and purchase according to our wants. This has therefore empowered us all to own different kinds of assets like livestock, houses, and pieces of land among others. I sincerely do see anything that needs to change, all went well.

I spent part of my second transfer on buying three goats worthy of KES 13500. I resolved for them because as compared to the other domestic animals, they reproduce and grow very fast. Furthermore, I trust they can thrive so well in my region because their pasture is readily available. I am hopeful that once they multiply, they will empower me enough to pay fees for my children by selling some. Additionally, I purchased a mattress at KES 5500 which was to replace the old one that had worn out. I have regularly been complaining of back pains every morning and sometimes I was unable to perform the house chores. I am now happy that for the first time in my life, I am sleeping comfortably without any difficulties. I later paid fees of KES 20000 for my daughter who is in her second year in high school. I am glad she is now continuing with her studies without any hiccups like before. With the remaining amount, I bought food for my nine family members which took us three weeks.

I can still remember just like the other day, it was exactly 7 in the morning when I was heading to the farm as usual when I heard a message tone. I asked my grandson to confirm where the text was coming from. After opening it, he realized that it was from GiveDirectly, informing me that I had received my cash transfer. I felt extremely happy at that moment because I was sure that my life will never be the same again. We even decided to return home and celebrated with the rest.

The biggest difference in my life is the fact that GiveDirectly has empowered me to own a good number of goats. I have been aspiring to have them for a long but I could not afford to buy any at my own cost. Being the most valuable living assets, I trust that with time, they will increase in number. Once they multiply I plan to sell some of the offspring and buy a dairy cow. This will boost my living standards because I will be in a position to sell milk and generate an income on the same. Since my spouse and I have been jobless, this is going to be a relief to the entire household. My children will no longer lack the basic needs like food, clothing, and better education like they used to.

I spent part of my first cash transfers on purchasing four goats at a total of KES 11200. It has been my dream to have them on my homestead but I could not afford them because they were very expensive. I, therefore, settled for them because they can thrive so well in my region and they require minimal supervision. To add to that, I bought a new bed and a mattress worthy of KES 10000. Initially, I was using the traditional beddings and I was experiencing lots of discomforts, I felt there was a need to advance. I am thankful that I no longer complain of the pains like before. Also, I bought a wooden door at KES 5000, which was to be fixed in my house because I felt I needed enough security. With the remaining amount of money, I have been buying food for my ten family members.