I live in a mud house with my wife and five children. Its a one roomed mud house, it is susceptible to the elements and this in itself worries me. I have wanted a house made out of stone, meaning it will be stronger and more long lasting. I know I cannot afford all the cash for the house now but my goal has been to buy animals which I believe will reproduce and give more animals that can be sold and make me money to start on this project.

Over the past three months I have not used my cash for any other purpose. I would receive my money and save all of it. I went and withdrew $100 of this savings. I used this cash to buy a cow whose total cost was $135. I now have 6 cows that are mine. This is how I have used my cash from Givedirectly transfers over the months of September, October and December.

I have a strong desire to construct a larger, more expansive, and permanent dwelling that can comfortably accommodate my entire family. Presently, our living situation is confined to a one-room house with mud walls that are only semi-permanent and prone to collapse within a relatively brief span of time. It is crucial for me to have a spacious residence that can accommodate not only my current family members but also any additions in the future. In addition to addressing our housing needs, I am also keen on establishing a business that can serve as an additional source of income, ultimately leading to financial stability. This entrepreneurial endeavor will contribute significantly to my overall financial well-being and provide a sense of security for me and my family. The financial assistance I have received through the transfers has brought me immense joy and gratitude. I am truly appreciative of the support provided and the positive impact it has had on my life.

I am now experiencing a sense of relief after completing the payment for my motorcycle, which I initially purchased under hire purchase terms. This feeling of ownership has been made possible by the consistent and unconditional monthly transfers I receive from Give Directly. I am immensely grateful for their support. With a diligent approach to managing my finances, I have been able to save my August transfer in addition to my existing savings, which now amount to $150. This accumulated amount presents an opportunity for me to invest in a bull, which will bring numerous benefits to my life. The acquisition of a bull holds great value for me as it will assist me in cultivating my land during the rainy season. Moreover, I can generate additional income by offering my services to cultivate other people's farms at a rate of $20 per acre. This not only ensures financial stability but also provides an avenue for growth and expansion. As the bull matures, I plan to sell it at a higher price, allowing me to make a substantial profit. This aspect of my investment strategy holds promising prospects for increased earnings and improved financial well-being. I cannot express enough how elated I am for the support provided through the transfers. They have been pivotal in helping me navigate through challenging times, especially when I would go to work and return without any earnings due to the nature of my job.

This year my goals have been thought out over a long period. I had originally wanted to build another house for my family but the building is a mean feat. I live in a one-room mud-walled house which I have had from when I was a young man. This house has been washed off in sections due to the rain and parts of it have been blown away by the wind. This is no way to live. I want my family to live in a house that can stand the test of time and that's why I want to build a stone-walled house. The house is also very small for my family of 6 with four growing children. I know this is a project that might take a while but it is one I have sought to embark on for my family's sake.

Givedirectly gave me a chance to fight for my family again. One and a half years ago I got a motorcycle whose total payment was $2008. I had seen how the business faired in our area and felt I was able to take on this challenge. I was expected to make weekly payments of between $25 and $30 which was doable until work became scarce as the drought had affected everyone. I had accumulated a large interest before GD transfers but when I began receiving GD transfers I reduced this debt burden I have been making monthly payments of $24 from my transfers and I have $190 to go in debt. I was also able to clear my children's school fee balance as well as do any repairs for the motorcycle whenever required.

The year before last year, I managed to acquire a motorcycle on loan. The owner of the bike and I agree that I will pay him in installments over the years until I finally settle the debt. I have so far managed to pay more than half of what I owe, and I want to ensure that by the end of the year I am finally done with the payment. I also want to save up my money so that I can finally buy livestock. My intention is to take care of the livestock and breed them, and then finally I can sell them and build a better house for me and my family.

Ever since I got enrolled into the program by the organization I have been using each part of the transfer I received to settle my debt that I had after I decided to buy a motorcycle. The previous owner of the motorcycle and I decided that I was going to pay the debt gradually in installments while I used the motorbike to transport people and goods to assist me earn some money and cater for my family. This time around, since I had already settled the debt I decided to invest into growing my farm by buying a sheep which cost me 3,000 which accumulated to me owning fifteen of them. My plan was that I keep buying sheep so that eventually I would have enough to sell then buy cows and then afterwards I could sell the cows and have enough money to buy bricks so that I could finally build a better home for my family of five. Afterwards I ended up spending the balance of KES 400 on fueling my motorcycle and also taking it for service.

Immediately after I received my transfer, I prioritized paying off part of the debts I had. Previously, I had taken a motorcycle on hire purchase, and raising money for installment payments had been a real struggle. I was always frustrated by constant phone calls. However, with the transfer, I spent KES 1,500 to reduce my loan balance. This has given me some peace of mind. Since I am doing a bodaboda taxi as my source of livelihood, I spent KES 600 on buying two heavy jackets to help shield me from extreme cold. They are going to be helpful for me while riding motorcycles. Lastly, I spent the rest of the transfer buying food and clothes. As a family, we had no food, and my four children's clothes were old and torn. I am glad because, with the transfer, we have felt a relief.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well in giving unconditional cash transfer. When one tops up this transfer with his/her daily income, they can witness some personal development. As a result of the transfer, many recipients experience change in their lifestyle. As a matter of fact, many families are currently living peacefully. Personally, I think that GiveDirectly should always embrace the model of giving transfers in bits because through this, many recipients wisely use their transfer.

Towards the end of last year, we experienced an intense drought, hence our livestock could hardly get feed and water. As soon as the dry spell began, I decided to sell 15 out of the 20 cows I had at a lower price than the prevailing market price. Income from cattle sales helped me to acquire a new motorcycle which I bought on credit. By the end of March 2022, I had an outstanding debt of KES 10,000. When I received the transfer, I spent KES 2000 on paying part of that debt. I am glad that from the bodaboda business, I have been able to generate up to KES 500 per day. Thus I nowadays find it easy to support my family in buying food, clothes and paying school fees for my children.

On this day, I had given out my motorbike to a friend who needed to run some errands in town. I was just at home relaxing when I received the MPESA message from GiveDirectly. I was extremely happy for such a favour. I immediately dressed up and went to the nearest MPESA agent to do the withdrawal.

These GiveDirectly transfers came at a time when I really needed them the most so as to salvage my motorbike. I am glad that I was able to repay part of the loan. This business is the main source of income in my family.

I had just acquired a motorbike on loan so as to start my bodaboda job since I'm the breadwinner in my family. My spouse has no job at the moment, she stays at home looking after our four kids. On receiving my first transfer of KES 3050, I withdrew it all and used KES 2000 to repay the loan since it was long over due and the seller was claiming to get it back if I didn't honor the agreement. One of my cows at home was ill and thus I used KES 500 to have it treated at the nearest veterinary. The remaining KES 500 I bought food for my family at home since it was almost running out.