My primary goal remains unchanged: to continue buying goats and build a large herd by the time the program ends. Currently, I have a total of eight goats, but I aim to acquire more because they will benefit me in many ways. One of the main reasons is that they will help me pay school fees for my five children who are still in primary school, as well as ensure I can provide for their needs with ease. I plan to start saving a portion of the monthly transfers to make this dream a reality, especially now that I am without a job. By carefully planning and managing these funds, I am confident I can achieve this goal. This way, I will no longer have to struggle or suffer, even after the five years of the program come to an end.

Upon receiving the cash transfer from GiveDirectly, I used $34 to buy two goats, bringing my total to eight goats. My goal in purchasing these goats is to build a larger herd, which will provide financial stability, especially when it comes to paying school fees for my five children in lower grades. Having a good number of goats will also make it easier for me to support my family, as I have been jobless and my husband is the sole breadwinner. Additionally, I used part of the $34 to take my three sons to the hospital for circumcision. This was an important milestone in their lives, and now I feel proud to see them step into adulthood after undergoing such a significant event. I am incredibly grateful to this organization for making it possible to facilitate this, as I had no idea where I would have gotten the money otherwise. With the remaining $34, I purchased iron sheets and nails to renovate my house, as one side had a leaky roof that urgently needed repairs. I was tired of being rained on every rainy season, and this renovation will bring great relief. Now, I feel a sense of pride and happiness knowing that my family and I no longer have to worry about harsh weather.

The main goal that has been on my mind is to use the upcoming transfers to buy more goats for my homestead. I've been considering this because goats reproduce twice yearly, which means they can multiply quickly and boost my investment. These goats will also provide a steady source of income that I can rely on whenever I face financial challenges. Right now, I depend on subsistence farming to support myself and my five school-going children. My top priority is to keep them in school without the risk of being forced to drop out due to unpaid fees. By raising more goats, I aim to ensure their education isn't disrupted.

Paying school fees for my five children has always been a major challenge, especially since I'm unemployed and my husband, who used to be the breadwinner, has been struggling to find consistent work to provide for our family and cover the fees. Before we received the cash, three of our children were sent home due to unpaid fees and had been out of school for weeks as the arrears piled up. As soon as the funds came through, I immediately used around $34 to clear their fees so they could return to school and catch up with their classmates. Although they missed a lot, the payment brought back their happiness as they were able to resume their studies. In addition, one of my sons, who is in secondary school, needed a new mattress, uniforms, shoes, and bedsheets because the ones he had were worn out. I spent about $24 on these items, and I'm relieved that his stress has eased, allowing him to interact with other students without worry. With the remaining $47, I bought a goat, knowing that over time, they will multiply and become valuable assets. I believe these goats will be a reliable source of income for us, particularly when it comes to paying school fees for the children in the future.

I have five children, all of whom are enrolled in different levels of education. My primary focus is to ensure that they remain in school without any risk of being discontinued due to unpaid fees. Failing to pay their fees might hinder their academic journey, so I want them to have a seamless education. Currently, I do not have a source of income to pay for their education, so my hope is on transfers. I plan to use the transfers to educate my children and ensure that they achieve their educational goals. Witnessing their success in their studies is my biggest aspiration as a parent, despite the financial hurdles we face. I believe that this program will be of great help in achieving this goal.

I am excited that I have finally been able to purchase some livestock that I have been longing to keep in my compound. As a subsistence farmer with no source of income, owning these livestock will be a safety net for me to generate some money by selling them. With my recent transfers, I spent $65 to buy three ducks, three chickens, and a goat. I am thrilled to have these new additions to my livestock, and my hope is to allow them to multiply so I can sell the offspring to meet my financial needs. I feel financially empowered now that I own five goats and 11 chickens in total which I could not afford to buy on my own previously. I have five children who are currently in school, and my plan is to sell some of the livestock when the time comes for my children to advance their education. This will enable me to raise the necessary fees without struggling. I also paid $35 in school fees for my children with the remaining funds. It brings me great peace of mind to know that my children will no longer face the risk of being sent home for fees, which has been a constant struggle for me in the past. I am now able to plan adequately for them and provide them with the necessary support. With the remaining amount, I bought new clothes for my five children and some foodstuffs to ensure that my family is well-fed and can comfortably have three meals a day without struggling.

Currently, without the cash transfers, our situation would be exceedingly challenging. My husband, the primary breadwinner, is advanced in age and can no longer undertake strenuous activities to support our seven children. Recognizing the need for a sustainable source of income, I aim to venture into livestock keeping, particularly cattle. While I have experience with poultry like chickens and ducks, I believe that owning livestock such as cows would be a valuable asset. I hope that the cash transfers will enable me to save and eventually acquire at least one cow to contribute to our long-term financial stability.

My husband is the sole provider for our family, primarily working on other people's farms to support our seven children. Due to his advanced age, he can only engage in such labor sporadically. During these periods of financial constraint, the cash transfers have proven to be crucial in assisting me with providing for our children. I allocated $18 to settle school fees for some of the children, as the school required these debts to be cleared before they closed for the holidays. I also seized the opportunity to purchase a mattress worth $20, providing a more comfortable sleeping arrangement than the floor where I was sleeping with no bedding. Additionally, I invested $18 in acquiring six chickens and $16 in purchasing four ducks for rearing. As they reproduce, I intend to sell them to generate funds for our family's needs. The remaining funds were used to purchase food, ensuring that we had sustenance and did not go a day without a meal.

I have a strong desire to make a substantial investment in livestock using my upcoming transfers. This choice represents a prudent and equitable investment strategy due to the innate potential for livestock to reproduce and appreciate in value over time. As they multiply, I can envisage selling some of them, thereby generating funds that can be channeled towards future school fees for my children. The gratifying aspect is that these transfers are significantly alleviating the substantial weight that I bear in providing for my family's well-being.

I am the primary provider for my family of ten individuals (husband and eight children). My husband's health is a major concern, as he is grappling with a severe jaw swelling that prevents him from engaging in any work. Being the sole source of income for our household, I find myself navigating significant financial challenges in striving to fulfill the diverse needs of my family, which encompass educational expenses, nourishment, and clothing. My occupation as a casual laborer, vending charcoal, yields limited earnings that are insufficient to address these multifaceted requirements. In a month, I can manage to vend a maximum of four bags of charcoal, each priced at $7.5. The substantial discrepancy between my earnings and the demands before me creates a profound daily struggle. During the month of July, I allocated $22 from my monetary assistance to cover examination fees for my four children who are currently enrolled in primary school. This step ensured their unwavering participation in the upcoming exams. Additionally, I was able to acquire a new mattress valued at $26, augmenting the remaining $14 with my savings. This has had a positive impact on my comfort, as I now possess a mattress that allows me to sleep soundly. Unlike my previous experience of resting atop a wooden bed, which caused severe bodily discomfort and pain.

My dream has always been to own livestock like goats and cattle, but financial constraints have hindered me. Mostly, I have been spending my every penny towards the education of my six children, which has left me with nothing to save. However, I hope to be capable of saving part of my future cash transfer to acquire the livestock. Am happy that previous transfers allowed me to secure a goat. I believe that keeping these animals will equip me with the necessary financial resources in the future that will help cover my family’s needs.

First of all, am grateful that the cash transfers have constantly kept my six children in school, where they are no longer pulled out to collect unpaid tuition debts. Before the financial aid, they would miss classes for at least four consecutive days because I lacked the money to settle the balances. The little cash I raised through making charcoal could not cover their education costs and still put food on the table. Besides, since my husband has been ill and cannot work, there was nowhere else I could get support from. From the recent cash transfers, I used $27 to clear school fees for three of the children and used $7 on food. Am happy that my family consumes regular meals and that children keep learning courtesy of the cash aid from Give Directly. 

Give Directly did not, in my opinion, discriminate when registering people in the program. As long as a person resided in the community, they were included. In addition, they freely distributed cash to us. This encouraged people to spend money in whatever ways they thought were best. I have seen several improvements in the beneficiaries so far, such as an increase in school enrollment, better nutrition, and some investing their money in various businesses and means of subsistence.

Our family of six consists of my husband, our four children, and me. My husband, who provides the majority of our income, has a food kiosk at a neighboring market centre. He does not earn much from it, as indicated by the fact that he occasionally finds it difficult to afford a full day's food hence at times we miss meals. Two of our elementary school-aged kids had outgrown their uniforms. As a result, I paid $11 to buy them new school clothes when I got the first transfer. I spent $600 on two chickens for rearing, and I'm glad they have started laying eggs already. I still have $37 saved up to spend on ducks later. They produce two eggs every day, are more marketable, and I anticipate making a decent living from them in the future. I used the remaining $19 to buy food for my family.

I received the text message some minutes passed nine in the evening. I was about to get to bed after taking my supper. Tears of joy cascaded down my cheeks when I realized I had received my first transfer. I shared the good news with my husband and we were all very happy. 9pm, just finished eating supper,i was very happy, with my children who were fast asleep

The biggest difference the transfer has made in my life is to enable my two sons to consistently stay in school and continue with their studies. They would often be sent home because of the huge school fee dabt beore I received the transfer. This has cirrently changed and I have peace of mind with my children going to school.

I was very happy when I received my transfer because I was in financial distress. My two children were sent back at home because their school uniforms were torn beyond repair. Immediately I received my transfers, I bought a new pair of school uniforms at $5 each. I am glad that my children were allowed backnin school and are now continuing with their education. In addition ti buying school uniforms, I partly paid school fees for my two children which prevented them from being sent home. They had accumulated a huge school fee debt of $50 forcing them to be sent home often. Finally, I spent the remaining amount on buying two hens as a future investment. Hens multiply quickly making it a smart investment in increamenting wealth.