It was late in the evening, and I was at home, relaxing after the day's ups and downs and working on various activities. At that moment, I received a message on my phone. Since I cannot read messages, my nephew helped me check who could have sent it. I was experiencing a food shortage in my household at the time the message came, and I was not sure what to provide for my family that evening. When he read the contents, I was greatly overjoyed to learn that I had finally received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I could not wait to withdraw a portion of the money to buy enough food for my family, which could at least take us through a few weeks.

I'm incredibly grateful to GiveDirectly for the life-changing impact their program has had on me. For years, I lived in a small, weak grass-thatched hut that couldn't withstand heavy storms. When it collapsed, I had to seek shelter at my niece's house. While I was grateful for her help, I longed to have my own home where I could live peacefully and allow my niece to have her privacy. Thanks to the recent transfers from GiveDirectly, I was able to fulfil this dream by building a sturdy iron-roofed house for my family. I used the funds to purchase building materials such as iron sheets, building poles, and nails and to pay for labour. I am truly grateful for this opportunity, as it would have taken me years to accomplish this on my own. My new house is complete, and I am planning to move in soon. Additionally, I acquired a goat, which I am currently raising. This goat is a valuable asset that I can sell to meet my needs, as it will multiply and increase in number over time.

I used to live in a house made of grass, which became weak over time and would leak whenever it rained. Recently, the house collapsed unexpectedly due to heavy rains, leaving me almost homeless. Thankfully, my niece offered me a place to stay for some time. I tried to build a temporary house with my limited resources but was unsuccessful. Financially, I was struggling to afford even basic necessities like food. However, when GiveDirectly promised to provide us with transfers, it restored my hope of building a decent name. With the first transfer, I managed to purchase materials to build a new, iron-roofed house. I spent $300 on buying 15 iron sheets, building poles, nails, and timber. I am happy and at peace currently because I recently moved into my new house, where I can comfortably stay with my children, enjoy my privacy, and allow my niece to stay in her own house. I also paid $75 to the mason and covered other construction expenses. Additionally, I bought a goat for $36, which I see as an asset that can help me in the future. My goal is to keep it and let it multiply, and I can easily sell the offspring to cater for my financial needs. Finally, I spent $65 on my child's school fees and used the remaining amount to buy food for my family, and I am grateful that I no longer struggle to have three meals a day.