For the longest time I can remember my husband and I had wanted to repair our house since it was almost collapsing but due to lack of funds we stuck it out and waited, hoping that maybe if the chance presented itself we would try our best to fix the house before it completely went under. Apart from that we also had intentions of some day owning our own herd of livestock meant for domestic use.

GiveDirectly has managed to elevate us from poverty and hunger due to the famine that has stricken our village and we are most appreciative towards the program because prior to coming into contact with them our financial capability had deteriorated but we have now managed to be sustainable.

Upon receiving the transfers I went ahead to buy five goats that each sold for KES 3500 which accumulated to KES 17,500 because rearing animals in our village is almost cultural and it would also benefit my family and I in a domestic way. I was ecstatic to get the goats because the first transfer had already enabled me to construct my house and share it with my spouse and my five children. I also took care of nourishment of my family because the on going drought had made our farms unfruitful and so I bought two bags of maize flour which contained twenty four packets for KES 3,600 and a sack of maize for KES 3,500. My children also had outstanding debts in their tuition fee so I paid a total KES 4,000 for three of my school going kids so that they would not be sent home from school. Lastly I bought school uniforms for my children worth KES 2,500 since the old ones they possessed were torn and I also bought new clothes for my children and I worth KES 5,000 due to the fact that most of our clothes were old and tattered.

Ever since I was promised to receive support this month from GiveDirectly after the enrollment, I have been waiting for the message on my phone about the transfers. I knew my life would never be the same again after receiving the money. I remember it was on a Tuesday morning when I finally received the message that I had been anxiously waiting for. When my helper checked, he informed me that I had received my first transfer. I was overwhelmed with joy because I could now build a new house for my family.

Before the coming of GiveDirectly, I was sheltering in a small house that was not spacious enough to accommodate my six children. I never thought of upgrading to a better house because even providing the basic needs like food for my family was a challenge. I am a single mother and raising my six children has not been easy. My main source of income was burning and selling charcoal which is not enough compared to the vast needs like food and school fees. Also, I could not do this job every day to save enough money. I am grateful to GiveDirectly because the first transfer has enabled me to build a decent, spacious and iron roofed house. I feel this is the biggest difference in my daily life because it would have taken years for me to accomplish this.

I spent a bigger portion of my first transfer on building a spacious iron roofed house. This has been my greatest desire because at least my six children can now have a place to shelter. My previous house was not spacious and I was forced to squeeze my items. My children had to seek shelter from the neighbourhood. I thus purchased building poles, timber, nails and 15 pieces of iron sheets to build the new house. Apart from this, I also bought three goats at KES 9000. These are my living assets that I can rely on when I am faced with dire financial needs. I can readily sell the offsprings to raise money for my children's school fees. I also did some shopping on foodstuffs using the transfer. I purchased enough stock of cereals that can serve us for sometime. The subsistence farming that I used to depend on was not successful due to inadequate rains. I am happy that at least we will not lack food in my household.