Every morning, I wake up with a sense of responsibility that propels me into the world of welding, knowing that it is my craftsmanship that sustains my beloved family. Yet, deep within my heart lies a burning ambition that stirs with every spark that flies from my welding torch. Once I can save enough money, I am determined to invest in larger and more advanced welding machines. With these tools, I will be able to take on the most intricate and complex welding projects that have eluded me until now. No longer restricted by the limitations of my current equipment, I will forge a path towards excellence, crafting masterful metalwork that will enable me to comfortably provide for my family. It is this dream that fuels my every stride, knowing that every weld brings me one step closer to my future of boundless possibilities.

I wholeheartedly support the GiveDirectly program, for it is a remarkably well-thought-out initiative. Providing individuals with money unconditionally empowers recipients to address their most pressing needs as they see fit. The freedom to decide how to utilize the funds is a testament to the program's trust in our judgment. Moreover, the periodic follow-up from the organization reaffirms that we are cared for and that they have a genuine concern for our well-being. Knowing that they have our best interests at heart fills us with gratitude and hope for a brighter future.

With the second transfer, I knew exactly how to improve my family's living conditions. The first thing I did was invest $350 to construct a modern toilet. No longer do I have to feel ashamed or worry about the health risks of using the bush for nature calls. My family's well-being is now safeguarded, and I feel a sense of pride in providing them with this essential facility. As for our future, I decided to bolster our livelihood by adding two more goats to our existing herd of six. This decision was made with foresight and an understanding of the importance of securing our financial stability down the road. Additionally, I allocated $100 to agriculture during the planting season, and my efforts paid off as the maize crops flourished. The anticipation of a good harvest fills me with hope and gratitude. With the remaining amount, I made sure my family had enough food to sustain us through this period of growth and development. The cash transfers not only transformed our living conditions but also gave us hope for a better and more secure future.

It was at around 7 pm when I have gone to mourn with my brother after losing his child at his place when a message popped into my phone. After checking to see what it was all about, I found out that it was the first transfer from GiveDirectly. I felt relieved because my brother had earlier informed me that he did not have any money for expenses and the same was applying to me. I felt God had sent an angel to see us through the difficult situation.

Before getting the GiveDirectly transfer, my life was not pleasing. Getting daily food was a real struggle and at some point, I had to go without food for at least two days a week. Debts had made me unconfident since it is shameful for a mature person like me to fail to pay some bills after being trusted for some assistance. As of now, I am glad that GiveDirectly empowered me and I cleared all the debts I had besides starting an investment that will aid me in catering to my family's needs.

Upon withdrawing the money, I contributed $100 towards the burial since we were straining financially as a family and death is an emergency occurrence. After the burial when I returned to my home, I opted to invest in livestock farming specifically goat keeping. I opted to choose goats over cows because goats can resist drought at a higher percentage compared to cows. The second advantage is that goats can give birth twice a year which makes the number of livestock increase rapidly. Based on that, I spent $280 to buy 8 goats. Thereafter, I paid some food debts and other bills which I had amounting to $70. Since my freshwater connection was disconnected due to accrued water bill which I was unable to pay to the water company, I decided to pay for reconnection. This is because buying some water daily was expensive and also the distance to the water point was tiring to my wife who used to fetch the water. So, I paid $91 for the reconnection. Currently, I am happy that the water was reconnected and my wife is no longer facing difficulties in getting some water.