My life has changed for the better after receiving this money. I am much relieved of the many struggles that I used to handle to fend for my family. I usually handle tedious tasks such as weeding for my neighbors. Besides, I am more prepared for any uncertainties because I have some savings unlike before. Also, our self-esteem has significantly improved because we have a separate kitchen, meaning nuisance such as soot and heat have been eliminated from our main house.

GiveDirectly does well by allowing us the freedom to utilize the funds in whichever way we desire. This is a great way of ensuring that our troubles are addressed well. In my opinion, I find nothing that GiveDirectly does not do well.

I used about 50 USD of my second transfer on purchasing some livestock as an investment. Once they mature and multiply, I will sell them to fetch some income. Also, I spent approximately 70 USD on building a kitchen because we have been having one house/room that serves as the kitchen, bedroom, and sitting room. Besides, I leased some pieces of land and planted some food crops using 40 USD because we have been facing an acute scarcity of food. We usually attain a sack of maize on our small farm. Such amounts of grains could barely sustain us for a month. Further, I used 15 USD on my medication. Furthermore, I purchased food items worth 50 USD because we were running short of them. Still, we bought some clothing using 20 USD because the ones we had were old and torn. I saved the remainder for any emergencies since we have no reliable source of income as a family, yet my husband has abandoned us and supports my co-wife alone.

I was at the farm harvesting some potatoes when I heard an SMS alert on my phone. I decided to stop and check it. I could not believe what I was seeing, it was an M-Pesa SMS saying that I have received the lump sum transfer of 55000/= from GiveDirectly. I became so happy on seeing this and I could not believe it. I celebrated for a while before I could embark on what I was doing. Later on at home, I called one of my children who live in Nairobi and informed him of the good news. He was so happy for me.

The transfer has brought a big difference in my life and that of my family. I have been able to buy a calf that I had for a long time desired to have. This calf will help in the future when it reproduces because I will be able to get milk that my children can consume and I can sell some. My children will hence not be suffering and I will no longer have to buy milk. Having bought the timber, I plan to start the construction of the kitchen aside. There will hence be no more smoke getting into the main house. The chickens that I bought will also help me in that I will be able to get eggs that I can sell and also consume. The money from the sale of the eggs will help me in buying small household items such as soap, sugar, etc. The goat will reproduce and multiply in number and hence help me in the future. I have also been able to cure myself with part of the transfer and I now feel well. The food that I bought with part of the money, will push us for a while and hence I will not be having worries about what my children are to eat for a while.

The transfer from GiveDirectly has been of big help to me and my family. We bought a calf, a goat and some chickens with part of the money. We also used it in constructing the chicken house. The transfer also helped us in that I used it in buying timber for building the kitchen. I was also able to buy some food for our consumption and with the rest, I used it in treating myself because I was not feeling well at the time. I have always wanted to buy a calf and build another kitchen aside. I have been buying milk for a while now and my children have hence been lacking what to consume. I have a small kitchen that I constructed on the verandah just beside the main house. I wanted to shift it aside because there is a lot of smoke coming out of the kitchen and going into the main house. I usually depend on casual jobs as my source of livelihood. I also grow some vegetables and potatoes that I usually sell. The money that I get from casual jobs and the sale of vegetables have only been enough for me to buy food and pay school fees for my children. I have hence not been able to do other developments.