Having successfully built my two-room house, bought a bed and mattress, and installed solar lights, my next goal is to invest in livestock. Right now, I have two goats that I bought with the transfers, and I’m aiming to expand my herd, particularly with more goats. Growing the herd will give me the opportunity to sell some of the livestock in the future and earn a good profit. As an active member of the savings group, I will continue contributing to it. When it’s my turn to receive the transfers, I plan to use that money to purchase additional goats. I’m very grateful for the financial support from the transfers, which has significantly improved my quality of life and is helping me work towards a more prosperous future.

To make the most of the cash transfers, I joined a savings group with six friends and close relatives. Each month, we contribute $20 each, and the pooled amount of $120 is given to one member of the group. This larger sum is much more impactful than the $34 we receive monthly, allowing each person to invest in projects that can significantly improve their lives. When it was my turn, I used the money to construct a two-room house, a big upgrade from the tiny house I lived in before joining the program. I also contributed $60 toward the savings group and paid $19 in school fees for my two children and three grandchildren, ensuring they could stay in school and continue their education. Additionally, I spent $5 to treat an eye problem I had, which was causing pain and tearing. I’m happy to say that I’m now feeling better and can see clearly. To provide for my family, I purchased $18 worth of food, which ensured we had enough to eat and never went hungry. Despite working as a casual laborer selling charcoal and earning little, I am now able to meet my family’s needs with the help of the cash transfers. I am very happy and deeply grateful for the financial support from Give Directly, which has made such a positive difference in our lives.

In the coming year and beyond, my aim is to buy more goats since I currently have only two in my compound. I am confident that through these transfers, I will be able to achieve this goal. The reason I want to keep more goats is that I have five children attending school, and without a reliable job, these goats will be essential in funding their education up to the university level and beyond. By raising and selling goats, I can secure the necessary funds to ensure they have a brighter future. Additionally, these goats will serve as a financial safety net, providing support whenever I face any financial constraints. I believe that with hard work and careful planning, I can significantly improve my family's financial stability through this endeavor.

With the recent transfers, I was able to invest $60 into a merry-go-round with the goal of building a new house, as our previous shelter was a small, temporary structure that also served as our kitchen. The constant challenges of living in such cramped conditions took a toll on us, especially as my spouse is old and jobless, making it nearly impossible to save enough to build a proper house. But now, thanks to the support, it was my turn to receive the savings, and I finally built a new house. This has brought immense joy and relief to our lives, as it would have taken us years to achieve this on our own. Additionally, I was able to pay the mason $20 for his labor, and I am deeply grateful to the organization for renewing my happiness and self-esteem. Later on, I used $17 to pay the school fees for my two children and three grandchildren in primary school. Seeing them in school fills me with immense pride and hope for their future. The assurance that they are receiving an education despite our financial struggles is my greatest pleasure, as I know it will open doors to brighter opportunities for them. With the remaining cash, I bought food for the family, which was crucial as we are currently experiencing droughts. The ability to provide for my family during these tough times is a blessing, and I cannot express how thankful I am for the support that has transformed our lives.

Before the cash transfers come to an end, my goal is to establish a source of wealth that can continue to fund my children's education. I plan to achieve this by rearing livestock, particularly goats. I've already bought one goat, which has given birth to a kid, and my aim is to expand this herd whenever I have the opportunity to acquire more. In the future, I'm confident that I can sell them to help pay the school fees of my two children. I hope this dream becomes a reality because I'm not eager to return to making charcoal, as the activity is physically demanding.

My family used to live in a small one-room house that also served as a cooking space. My dream was to one day own a bigger space with two rooms, and thanks to the cash transfers, that dream came true. When I received the recent transfers, I still owed the house builder around $54, but I'm pleased that I was able to pay off that debt. I also used $30 to buy a goat. I understand that the cash transfers will eventually end, so my goal is to build a substantial livestock holding by then. Having livestock will provide a safety net for financial emergencies, like paying school fees for my two children. I also spent $14 to clear school fees that had accumulated from the previous academic year. I'm relieved that the cash transfers have freed me from school fee debts, and I no longer owe any money to the house builder. Besides, thanks to the funds, I've been able to take a break from the exhausting practice of making charcoal.

Am grateful that the cash transfers played a huge role in financing the construction of my new dwelling. My next wish is to acquire a new bed for my new house.  Although I am content with the progress of my house, I currently sleep on the floor with a mattress. This is not comfortable at all due to the cold and nature of the mud floor. I mostly aim to utilize the upcoming cash transfers to purchase a bed and improve my sleeping arrangements.

Recently, I obtained a $100 lump sum from a merry-go-round contributions club I joined after I started receiving the cash transfers. I spent this amount to build a new house as the previous one had collapsed. Every month, I am required to repay the amount through a contribution of $20 and that is how I have been spending some of the funds from the recent cash transfers. The remaining $14 is consistently allocated for purchasing food, especially since my farming efforts did not yield enough food for my family last season. I am grateful that through the cash transfers, I have been able to accomplish things that once proved challenging. The money has also allowed me to lift some weight off of my daughter’s shoulders, who is the primary provider of the family.

Currently, my family stays in a one-room structure that serves as both a living space and a cooking spot. It does not provide sufficient space for my two children, husband, and three grandchildren. Therefore, my goal is to build a two-room house with mud walls and an iron sheet roof. This would allow us to utilize the existing structure as a dedicated kitchen area. To achieve this goal, I am saving gradually through a merry-go-round club and I am grateful that this saving progress has already enabled me to acquire four iron sheets as a starting point for the construction process.

I have always dreamed of building a new house, but financial constraints have prevented me from doing so. With the monthly cash transfers, I realized that it may not be enough to cover the full cost of building a house at a go. Therefore, I decided to join a merry-go-round club which I have been contributing for the past few months. When I received the cash transfers, I contributed $10 to the club, which allowed me to accumulate enough money to purchase four iron sheets. I am thrilled to see progress in my house construction project and I look forward to saving more towards this goal. In addition to saving for the house, I had to address some other needs. My two children had an outstanding tuition debt from the previous term, so I used $6 to settle the debt and ensure that they could continue their education without any disruptions. I also spent $3 to purchase a hen with the hope that it will reproduce and provide financial support in the future. The remaining amount from the cash transfer went towards the purchase of food to ensure that my family had enough to eat.

I plan to build a new house. The current house I live in is in poor condition and I fear it may collapse from adverse weather and injure my family. Since it is one-roomed, it also doubles as our cooking area, which limits the space in the house. To build the new two-room house, I plan to continue saving through my self-help group and buy building materials. I hope to complete this project in the next year. 

My husband is advanced in age and can no longer engage in activities to raise money.  Sometimes I take on charcoal burning to support the needs of my children. I had wanted to build a house for a long period of time but financial constraints barred me from doing so. So when I started receiving transfers, I joined a self-help group where I contributed $10 every month as personal savings. My current house is one-room, which doubles as a cooking spot, and our dwelling space for five children and my husband. I wish to build a two-room house with mud walls and an iron sheet roof. Also, my children were in debt with tuition fees and I spent $10 to reduce the balance so that they may study without interruption. Lastly, I spent $14 on food as the household had run out of maize flour the previous two days; we had borrowed a little floor from neighbors to cook porridge for my family. In January, my husband and I collaborated on buying a goat, and I contributed $15.  I also spent $4 on a hen, that recently hatched 10 chicks and I could never be happier. I intend to let this livestock multiply and provide me with enough wealth that I will sell to support my household’s expenses. The remainder went towards food. 

Givedirectly has helped us a lot, currently, we are experiencing drought and this money has enabled us to have enough food for the whole family. Their services are great especially the hotline number that we call whenever we have an issue with the transfer.

I am nineteen years old schooling at Mnazemwenga high school. My father is the primary earner who pays for my school fees which is $30 a term. He works as a Mansory, where he gets paid $6 a day. This money is used to pay my school fees and buy food for my family. My mother produces charcoal four times a month and sells it. Most of the village produced charcoal and getting a market for it is difficult, every month she manages to get $7, which helps us to buy food for the family. Getting a meal at home is very difficult, most days we cook once a day. I spent the recent transfer of $25 to pay for school fees and $10 to give to my mother for food.

I was happy when I received the first transfer. It did not come as a surprise because I was expecting it. Most of my neighbors had received their transfers by morning hours which left me glued to my phone most of the time hoping to receive the confirmation. It was until 4 pm when I received the confirmation message of the receipt of the transfer. I thanked God for it, shared the news with my children, and immediately went to the shopping center to withdraw it.

Having been able to pay for my children's school fees is the biggest difference in my daily life. I am the sole breadwinner in a family of four. My spouse is aged, and I sell charcoal but it does not pay well due to the poor market demand because nearly everyone does the same business. Meeting my household needs has been a challenge and most of the time my children would be sent back for tuition fees. At the time when I received the first transfer, they had stayed back at home for three days because I could not afford the KES 1500 that they owed the school. I am glad the money came in handy since, through it, I was able to pay KES 1000 tuition fees. They were later allowed in school, hoping to clear the remaining balance with the coming transfer.

At the time when I received the first transfer, two of my children who are in primary school had been sent back home because we had not paid the tuition fee. My spouse is aged and thus he can not engage in economic activity while I sell charcoal in a nearby town but its market is flooded because it is the main economic activity in our region. In most cases, the profits I make out of it can not sustain my family's needs thus the huge fee arrears. I, therefore, paid KES 1000 in school so that the children could resume their studies. The remaining KES 170 I spent on a packet of corn flour for my family. I am glad the money was of great help.