I am currently a student at a hairdressing college in Kajiado, pursuing further education to enhance my skills in hairstyling. I chose to enroll in college because I wanted to expand my knowledge and perfect my craft. While I already had some experience in making and styling hair, I felt that formal education would provide me with the opportunity to learn more and refine my techniques. I used my transfers to fund my education, and the decision brought me immense happiness. To manage the financial aspect, I discussed a payment plan with my school director and agreed to pay $10 each month. This arrangement allows me to pursue my studies without financial strain. Upon completing my course, my plan is to open my own salon. I am confident that this venture will not only allow me to further my skills but also provide me with a stable source of income. With my business up and running, I will be able to easily support my children's education and secure a bright future for us all.

I am currently enrolled in a hairdressing college, where I am studying the art of hairstyling. With my recent transfer, I allocated $20 to cover the cost of my studies. Hairdressing is my passion, and I am excited about the prospect of opening my own salon once I complete my training. As a mother of two children; one currently in school, ensuring his education remains uninterrupted is my top priority. I spent $16 of my transfer to pay for my child's school fees, preventing any possibility of him being sent home from school. Additionally, I set aside $34 to purchase clothes for my children and myself, allowing us to look our best. With the remaining transfer, I allocated $32 to purchase food for my family. This not only provided nourishment but also lifted a burden off my shoulders.

I have over the previous months months bough some animals, I now have 2 goats and 3 chicken. This are my productive assets as animals multiply. I believe this animals with reproduce and I will have enough to spare. I plan now to build my skills as an asset to help me set up a hairdressing business so I can make money to educate my children. My plan is to first clear my hairdressing training and then set up a business after from which I will be able to provide for my family.

I am a single mother of two. I still live at my mother's place. I take care of my children on my own. I never had a trade before Givedirectly but now thanks to Givedirectly I am learning how to make hair. I use $10 of my monthly transfers to pay my trainer. I also joined a savings group when I started to receive transfers where I save $10 monthly. In September I directed the $14 that usually remains after taking care of my education and savings to pay for my child's school. In October and August I spent it on food.

I got to buy a goat with my initial transfers and even chicken. My plan is to start animal farming as a source of income. I do not have a source of income currently and there are so many needs in the home I believe I should be able to help my parents in one way or another and hence my decision to venture into animal farming. At the moment I have 3 goats and 2 chicken which are a good start but I would like to grow in number and hence my investment on this will increase as the year progresses and as I continue to receive transfers.

The transfers we have been receiving have really helped to alleviate the financial stress of my siblings attending school. I have six siblings in school and they all have requirements to ensure they are in school. I have been using my transfers to help sort some of the needs that arise. In the month of April I spent $6 to buy uniform for one of them whose uniform was worn out, In may I paid school fees amounting to $18 for them. I have also been ensuring they go to school well fed, I bought food worth $16 in April, I spent $24 to buy a dozen bags of maize flour. I also got some clothes in May for them at $5 and I bought toiletries and hygiene products they could use at $16 in April and $5 in May. I took care of myself by having my hair plaited in May and June for $6.

My goal is to start a livestock rearing project. I would want to buy goats and chicken for rearing so that whenever I would be faced with any financial challenges in the future, I would sell them and get the money. To achieve this, I always save part of my monthly transfers so that after a certain period of time, I would have the project in place.

When I received the transfers, two of my children were not feeling well and I had to take them to the hospital for treatment. I pent KES. 2000 of the transfers on paying for their hospital bills and the remaining amount of KES. 1470 on food since I also did not have the money to buy for them the required healthy food that they were required to take. I was very grateful for the support at that time of need and I am noe happy that my children a re noe fully recovered.

This year I have the intention of investing on my farm, especially since after I got enrolled in the program I have so far acquired two goats and two hens. Therefore, I would love to acquire more animals and poultry as well. I also intend on using the amount I receive to continue paying for my child's tuition fee, because that is important to me as well. Last but not least, I hope to open a business before the end of the year, preferably a grocery store, in order to better sustain myself with the profits I make.

I am a single mother of two children, who rely on me for everything. I separated with my husband and I was left to fend for the family on my own. I started a business of selling local brew which has not been doing well. This has made it difficult for me to effectively meet my family's basic needs like food. Aside from this, my children had to stay at home on several occasions since I wasn't able to raise their school fees. When I began to receive the transfers, I decided to save for the fees every month, which enabled me to pay the arrears on time. My children also enjoy three meals a day, unlike before when we could stay without food for some days. In addition to this, I am also proud to own three goats which I acquired through the transfers. Owning the goats for me is a saving, especially for the future of my children's education. I am keeping them and my expectation is to let them reproduce and increase in number as I can readily rely on them to meet my future financial needs.

I applaud Give Directly for helping to alleviate the hardships caused by drought and poverty in my area. People have used the transfers to purchase food, livestock, clothing, and start businesses, thereby improving their living standards. The transfers also allow us to contribute to our children's education. Nothing is wrong with the way Give Directly operates.

I sell palm wine for a living to help support our family of twelve. Due to the heavy responsibility burden, earning around KES 800 every three days makes it difficult to budget the money to meet all household needs such as food and school fees. In fact, my family had slept hungry for two days prior to the transfer. So, I put KES 1,000 towards the purchase of food that lasted us until today. I saved the remaining KES 2,000 through a self-help group. I intend to withdraw around KES 8,000 in October to buy a goat and start a business of selling women's clothing to supplement my income.

I had been looking forward to the transfers in order to help relieve my family's hunger. We had run out of food for the previous two days, and I had been unsuccessful in finding money to buy food until that morning. I felt a weight lift off my shoulders when I confirmed the receipt of my transfer.  I was confident that the family would finally have food.

It has always been my desire to own livestock like chicken and goats but my income sources and financial obligations weighed me down. Having an opportunity to actualize this goal through the first transfer is the greatest accomplishment ever. I now own a hen that will continue to multiply and grow the flock. In future, I intend to trade some of the chickens for a goat. This bird will be my personal investment that will help generate funds in times of need.

I rely on selling palm wine to generate income and feed my two children (3-year and 6-month old). The business makes a profit of no more than KES 1,500, which is insufficient to meet all of the needs, given the rising commodity prices. As a result, our household frequently runs out of food, leaving us hungry throughout the day. That is why I used KES 700 from the transfer to buy food that would last at least a week. I used the remaining funds to purchase hen. This has been my goal for the past year, but I was yet to achieve it due to a lack of funds. I intend to let the chicken reproduce and earn money when I sell them to help support my family.