I would love to be able to start my own business. This would allow me to be able to pay school fees for my other kids who have just completed primary as well as cater for those who will be joining soon enough. I would also like to start selling water to people in the neighbourhood as a form of business and this would also ensure continued cashflow.

It was unbelievable at first when I heard what GiveDirectly was proposing. An organisation offering to assist and asking for nothing in return was truly an unheard concept to me. GiveDirectly changes lives in ways many of the recipients would never have imagined and for that both myself and other beneficiaries will eternally be grateful.

The bulk of the funds I received, were used by my husband and I to extend our house into a 4 bedroom one, two of the room being extensions of the main house. With my husband's job as a teacher at Ziwa La Windi Secondary School and my job as a casual labourer, it has been a challenge trying to provide for 10 of our 13 children. GiveDirectly was a welcome salvation from this with their transfers. My husband makes $300 a month, while in comparison, I make a measly $5 per day when I secure a job as a casual labourer on the construction sites. Our recurring expenses sitting at $2 for my husband's fare to and from work via boda boda, my 5th borns' $120 tuition fees per year at Palakumi Secondary and 7th to 12th born $2.5,$2.5,$5.5,$5.5 and $5.5 respectively at Ziwa La Windi Primary, the funds from GiveDirectly could not have come sooner. They allowed us to cover these expenses, with the reprieve of having 3 of our kids already working and sorting their own bills. My eldest is a security guard in Kilifi Town, my second born is a domestic manager in Magongo Town and my third born has a salon in Magongo Town as well. Knowing we don't have to be a burden on them to cover our expenses, GiveDirectly has been a blessing in itself.

I can still remember, at around 5 PM when I was just relaxing on my bed with my newborn when my spouse informed me that I had received my first cash transfer. At first, I thought he was kidding and decided to take the phone so that I could confirm. Upon checking, I realized that it was true. I felt wow! I just wish you could see how I reacted. It was like God had offered me another blessing since it was a few weeks when I welcomed my baby boy.

The biggest difference in my daily life is that I now own a rental house courtesy of GiveDirectly. For so many years, this has been my long-time dream since it's one of the best investments ones can ever have. I believe this will be helpful especially for my five school-going children since I have relied on the charcoal business which is not lucrative. I will no longer have to strain like before also in meeting my family's needs as soon as I will start collecting rent.

I spent part of my first transfer on buying pieces of bricks, cement and sand at a total of KES 50000. This was purposely for the construction of my rental house since I already had the piece of land but I did not have sufficient funds to construct the house. This is one of the precious investments that I have been yearning to own for years I am glad that my dream has finally come true. Also with the remaining KES 5000, I bought new clothes for my two weeks old son and sufficient food for the family.