I am very grateful for the financial help that I have been receiving from GiveDirectly. With a solid strategy in place, I have been able to save almost all my previous transfers and managed to enroll myself in a technical college to pursue a certificate in Automotive Engineering. This milestone has been such a great blessing in my life, and I thank God for this opportunity. My plan is to therefore continue using my future transfers to pay for my school fees, as there is no one else who can support my education. By the end of this course, i.e., March 2025, I am hopeful that I will be able to secure a job that will allow me to take care of myself and elevate my circumstances to become self-sustainable. I am hopeful that I will also be able to support my younger siblings so that they too can achieve their dreams and be self-sustainable. This opportunity from GiveDirectly has been life-changing, as I never imagined I would reach this point in my life. I am determined to make the most of it and build a better future for myself and my family.

With GiveDirectly coming into our lives, I made a promise to myself that I would go to college and learn some skills that would help me in the future because after completing my secondary education, there was no one who was capable of taking me to college to achieve my dreams. I therefore put it into plans that I save all of my transfers into a savings account so that I could enroll myself in school. With the recent transfers that I received from GiveDirectly, I saved all of the $102 and was finally able to enroll myself this month, September 2024, in a technical college pursuing a certificate in automotive engineering. I am happy that my dreams are now coming true, and I am hopeful that with the transfers that I will be receiving, I will be able to complete my studies.

I'm gearing up to enroll in college, and I plan to use my transfer to cover my tuition fees. I have my sights set on automotive engineering because it's a field with promising prospects. I'll also explore opportunities for bursaries to help ease the financial burden. The program isn't too lengthy, and I've seen a family member pursue it successfully, which has inspired me even more. Having this skills will enable be have an income to support my younger siblings too. I'm thankful to GiveDirectly because these transfers have renewed my belief that I can still pursue my dream course.

I belong to a family of fifteen, and my mother is elderly now. Since my father passed away, my older brother and I have taken on the responsibility of caring for our family, especially since our mother can't handle heavy tasks like farming anymore. I've been working hard to make sure we have enough food at home, while my brother looks after our siblings' school fees. So, when I got my recent transfer of $102, I decided to hire a tractor to plow our farm. Focusing on farming has been a huge help for us, given our large family. I'm truly grateful for GiveDirectly because these transfers have ensured that we never go hungry.

Completing high school in 2019 marked a significant milestone for me, but pursuing further education has been hindered by financial constraints. My parents' limited income and massive financial responsibilities on my elder brother who is a teacher have made it challenging for them to support my aspirations. Determined to advance my education, I have resolved to sponsor myself through college, with plans to enroll later this year to study Automotive Engineering. Currently employed as a locally hired teacher at a nearby school, I am able to earn a modest income, which will play a crucial role in funding my education. The funds from the GD program will also be instrumental in bolstering my savings and supporting my monthly expenses, especially once I resign from my current job. While I'm yet to ascertain the exact amount required for college enrollment, I am committed to establishing a rigorous savings plan as soon as I obtain this information. Achieving a college certificate by the conclusion of this project would be a source of immense pride for me, serving as a lasting testament to the impact of this endeavor on my life. I'm determined to overcome financial obstacles and realize my dream of higher education, fueled by perseverance and the support of the GD program.

The recent transfers I have received have primarily been allocated to farming expenses and purchasing food supplies. Towards the end of last year, during the second phase of our farming cycle, we utilized the transfers for hiring labor and acquiring necessary farm inputs. Despite owning a sizable parcel of land, we're only able to cultivate three acres of it. To aid in this endeavor, we hired a cow-driven plough at a cost of $70 and purchased seeds amounting to $21. In January, a portion of my transfers totaling $24 went towards hiring labor to assist with the harvesting process. Given my commitments as a locally hired teacher, I have not been able to dedicate as much time to the farm as needed. The remaining amount from the transfers is being prudently saved for potential emergency needs. However, it's likely that it will be utilized for purchasing additional food supplies or hiring labor to complete the harvesting, which is still ongoing. This approach ensures that we maintain financial stability while effectively managing our agricultural activities.

In 2018, I successfully completed my high school education, with the aspiration of pursuing a career in automotive engineering at a college. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, my college dreams were put on hold. Since then, I have been making ends meet by working various low-paying jobs, occasionally taking on temporary teaching positions that lack stability. With the limited savings I've managed to accumulate from these endeavours and the monthly transfers, I am now preparing to enrol in a technical college to further my education. I am optimistic that the monthly transfers will cover my educational expenses, enabling me to earn the necessary certificates. This will equip me with the skills needed to secure a job, a significant step forward from relying solely on my high school qualifications, which have proven insufficient in today's job market.

The prolonged drought that afflicted our region over the past few years was devastating, sparing neither humans nor our livestock. This crisis exacerbated our hardships, especially given the concurrent rise in the cost of living. Affording basic necessities became an arduous task, particularly for those of us whose livelihoods revolve around subsistence farming as our primary economic activity. However, a glimmer of hope emerged when we finally received ample rainfall after the extended dry spell. This presented a golden opportunity to reverse our dire circumstances and restore food security in my household. Consequently, upon receiving the monthly transfers, I made a substantial investment in agriculture. I allocated $90 to hire oxen for plowing my five-acre farm. With efficient preparation, I was able to fully cultivate my land, resulting in a bountiful harvest. I cannot express enough gratitude to GiveDirectly, as without their support, my late preparations would have led to a significantly reduced yield. Thanks to the transfers, we now have an abundance of food, eliminating the issue of shortages in my household. This surplus enables me to consider utilizing the transfers for other essential needs. Furthermore, I utilized a portion of the funds to purchase household items that were lacking in my home, as well as sugar and vegetables, to provide for my family.

Though I work as a PTA teacher, I aspire to join college and pursue an automotive engineering course. I hope to accomplish this goal courtesy of GiveDirectly's transfers. My wages are low, and I cannot rely on that to build my savings toward raising college fees. I am optimistic that if I succeed in upgrading my skills, I shall be able to get a job. As a result, I will easily support my family which is always affected by poverty. I hope to break the vicious circle of poverty our family has been a victim of.

We only started getting rain about a month ago, and our priority has been to get our farms ready for planting. Fortunately, the transfer enabled me to pay off the $ 25 plowing fee for one who worked on my farm. I sowed maize seeds that I had purchased immediately after plowing. The maize seeds cost me $7, with the remaining $2 going toward food. I am grateful that my maize seeds have germinated and are flourishing. I can not wait to start weeding them in a week. I also hope the certified maize seeds grow fast and will mature before the rain stops. As a result, I hope to realize a good harvest because they mature faster than local maize seeds.

After I completed my high school studies, I had not enough money to join college so I was forced to go look for a job so that I can sustain myself. Life was really unbearable until GiveDirectly came through for me. The moment I received my transfers I was able to go look for a good job and I was lucky enough to have been chosen to be a substitute primary school teacher. I teach them and at the end of the day I get paid and the money I receive I normally save them. I am planning to join college and go pursue my career of becoming an automotive engineer. I believe that the future is bright and the little savings plus the transfers I receive will enable me to secure myself a good school and after I graduate I will start up my business. With the business I start, I will be able to make huge profits that will help me give back to my community because that is what I desire most.

The moment I received GiveDirectly's transfers, I really thanked God because we had run out of food and had no means of getting money to buy food. I used $3 dollars to get my family and I enough food to keep us going for the next month. The remaining amount I was able to contribute to my uncle's burial.Thanks to GiveDirectly that I am able to at least contribute something to my family and it makes me feel good about it.

GiveDirectly has enabled most families to put food on the table. This was not easy before due to a lack of money and steady sources of income to meet those needs.

I spent $26 on purchasing food and other basic household items that we were missing. Due to prolonged drought in our area, we have not been able to get a good harvest. I am so happy because we were able to get enough food. The remaining $6 I spent on purchasing water for domestic use Due to drought in the area there is no water. We are required to walk for quite a long distance to get clean water for drinking and domestic use. This is so tedious and time-consuming. I am so happy because I was able to provide this for my family.

I felt so happy and excited when I received my first transfer. At that point, I never had money at all and the food we had was insufficient to take for an additional day. I had begun wondering what I would do in case I do not get any casual job soon, little did I know that my transfer had been sent. Upon confirmation of this, my heart was overwhelmed with joy. I felt that my time of fortune had come. It granted me peace of mind, and I am grateful to God for connecting me to GiveDirectly.

Because I had difficulty getting casual jobs to earn a living, I was always desperate but hopeful that things would be positive. However, with my transfer, I was able to acquire some food that could last our family for a couple of days. As a result, we have been relieved from the worry of how to get food since I received the transfers. This is therefore the biggest difference GiveDirectly's transfers have created in our lives. Moving forward, I will no longer be worried as I had been before.

I have been unable to buy food for our family for three months in a row due to the high cost of food and the difficulty in finding casual jobs. Although I still live with my parents, I have taken sole responsibility for providing for the family because my mother is elderly and cannot work casually. I bought food worth KES 3,000 immediately after receiving my transfer to have enough food to last my family a couple of days. The food purchased has served us well thus far, and we are grateful to GiveDirectly as a family.