Due to my profound love for farming, particularly cultivating various vegetables, I aspire to delve deeper into the field. By the year's end, I aim to explore new techniques, expand the variety of plants I grow, and enhance overall yield. My ultimate vision entails broadening my supply to encompass multiple towns within my County. This ambition drives me to establish a wider reach and contribute to meeting the agricultural needs of a larger community.

One aspect of Give Directly that I hold in high regard is their timely assistance. Their support arrived precisely when we were in dire need of significant financial help, amidst one of the most severe droughts we had ever experienced. This intervention transformed the situation for numerous families. With the assistance provided, people were able to secure meals once more, children returned to school, businesses bounced back, and families rediscovered happiness. Give Directly's timely intervention truly altered the narrative and brought about positive changes in the lives of many.

Receiving my third and final set of transfers filled me with immense joy as it marked the end of the prolonged stress and frustration caused by a long-standing debt. Despite having purchased a piece of land and even constructing on it, I had never been able to fully repay the debt, despite my best efforts. With the last transfers in hand, I made a firm decision to settle the debt once and for all. I allocated $200 towards this purpose, and it turned out to be the best decision I could have made for myself at that time. Additionally, I chose to revitalize my living room by investing $150 in new furniture. This would provide me with the comfort I desired and allow me to host family and friends without any sense of embarrassment. With the remaining $100, I treated myself to my very first smartphone. It felt like a dream come true, as I had yearned for a smartphone for a long time. I am thrilled to finally have one, as it enables me to browse the internet and simplify our lives by leveraging its various features. I received I was able to settle a debt of 20k to pay for a piece of land, I bought furniture with 15000, bought a phone of 10k

My plan for the coming year is to grow my little farm by purchasing more land, which will allow me to strengthen both my subsistence and animal farming operations. By doing so, I hope to raise the amount of food I produce while decreasing my dependency on purchasing additional food. In addition, I intend to start keeping cows on my farm, which will supply my family with a sustainable source of dairy products. To accomplish this goal, I will save from the short crop season and leasehold farming, as well as investigate financing options that would allow me to acquire the additional property I require. Finally, I hope that this expansion will enable me to become more self-sufficient and capable of providing all my family's needs.

GiveDirectly has done an excellent job in providing direct cash transfers to individuals and households in need, enabling them to address immediate financial needs and improve our living conditions. The unrestricted nature of the transfers allows us to spend the money as we see fit, promoting flexibility. However, to further improve their impact, GiveDirectly could collaborate with local organizations to ensure the transfers are sustainable and provide ongoing support to recipients as needed. Lastly, they could explore ways to expand their reach to more communities in need, especially in challenging environments with adverse weather conditions.

I am grateful for the support I received from GiveDirectly, which has allowed me and my husband to provide daily meals, proper housing, and clothing to our family of five. Although I used to operate an electrical repair shop, I was forced to close it due to a lack of customer trust. With the second transfer, I was able to construct a new kitchen that not only serves as a cooking space but also doubles as a sleeping area for my daughter. The $275 I spent on 22 iron sheets, poles, nails, and frames has been a great investment. Additionally, I saved money by purchasing a $25 shaving machine, which has helped me avoid costly monthly visits to the barbershop for my children. The remainder of the money was used to cover school fees for my child and my sister, who has been living with me. I am glad that the support from GiveDirectly has allowed my children to continue their education without interruption.

At around 2:00 p.m., I received a Mpesa message from GiveDirectly. When I read it, it brought back memories of the initial meeting, where we were taught that the sender's name would not be GiveDirectly. I was eager to read and couldn't help but notice that it was the the confirmation of the receipt of the first transfer I had been promised. I was with my children at the time, and they couldn't understand my excitement because they were so young. I called my husband, who was delighted about the news I had given him because he had promised to be home earlier for further planning.

The biggest difference in my daily life is the higher standard of living, particularly for my children, who are now sleeping soundly in a good bed with a comfortable mattress. Waking up every morning to make their bed warms not only their hearts, but also mine, because they no longer have to roll their bedding and hide it beneath my bed like they used to. They are also well fed after I purchased so much maize that we are nearly out, but with the expectation of returning to our farms for the planting season.

Since I got married, we have relied on subsistence farming and selling the surplus whenever we have a good harvest. There has been a lot of drought recently, and farming practices have not been doing well. When I first received my transfer, I spent $110 on two sacks of maize for my family of five. I am glad we have been using it since then, and even though we are almost out, we're hoping that the second transfer will allow us to buy more. I also spent $60 on a bed and mattress for my two daughters. They had been sleeping on the floor with old bedding, but they are now content to sleep in a comfortable bed. In addition, I spent the remaining $30 on household items such as toiletries and kitchenwares.