I completed high school two years ago but has not been able to pursuing my college education due to my parents' financial constraints. Their reliance on subsistence farming yields limited income, making it challenging to afford the costs associated with higher education. In light of this, I have devised a strategy to save the transfers I receive to fulfill my academic aspirations. To this end, I have made the decision to save part of the transfer by joining a local savings group where I commit to saving $20 each month. Upon receiving my first payout from the savings group, I intend to use it as a stepping stone towards realizing my dream of attending college. This initial disbursement will be allocated towards seeking admission and partially covering the required fees. Subsequent payouts will be used for meeting any additional school-related expenses that may arise. By taking proactive steps to fund my education through these transfers and savings, I am determined to overcome financial barriers and pursue my academic goals with determination and resilience.

During this quarter, I managed to invest a portion of my transfers in acquiring tangible assets, including two goats valued at $60 and chickens amounting to $10. These investments not only diversify my financial portfolio but also hold promise for future returns. Additionally, the transfers have enabled me to support my family, even though I have no stable source of income. I have supported my parents in meeting my siblings' educational needs and household expenses through the help of the transfers. Furthermore, I have proactively addressed my own personal requirements, including clothing, thanks to the financial support provided by the transfers. Concurrently, I have taken steps to secure my educational aspirations by participating in a savings group for the past two months. Through this initiative, I contribute $20 monthly towards accumulating funds for my college education. These savings will help in covering my tuition fees and other essential school expenses. My decision to embark on this initiative is due to my family's financial circumstances. It is evident that my parents are not in a favorable position to finance my college education. By assuming responsibility for my own educational pursuits, I am empowered to pursue my aspirations with determination and self-reliance.

Achieving my dream of continuing my education has been hindered by the poverty that exists in my home. However, I am determined to overcome this obstacle. My plan is to utilize the transfers I receive to clear my significant debt. Once I have successfully paid off the debt, I intend to save up enough money to enroll in college. My passion lies in the field of electronics, and I am eager to pursue a discipline in this area. By studying electronics, I will acquire valuable skills that will enable me to earn a sustainable income and provide for my family in the future.

Last year in April, I completed my secondary school studies. However, I still have a significant amount of school fee balances amounting to $275 that I owe the school. Unfortunately, I am unable to continue my education as I am still waiting to receive my results. In an effort to reduce my debt and obtain my results in the future, I made a payment of $8. With the aim of investing for my future, I decided to purchase livestock. I bought two goats for $10 each and three hens for a total of $11. Livestock is a valuable investment due to their ability to multiply. Even after my financial aid ends, I will have a source of income to rely on. Additionally, I purchased two pieces of iron sheets for $17. This is part of my long-term plan to eventually build my own house. Currently, I have four pieces of iron sheets, but I plan on buying more in the future. As the rainy season approaches, it is essential to prepare our land for farming. To ensure this, my family and I each contributed $10 towards tilling the land and making it ready for cultivation. I also took the opportunity to buy new clothes and shoes to replace my old and worn-out ones. After enduring a long period of wearing shabby clothes, I am delighted to look presentable in my new attire. Furthermore, I allocated $18 to purchase food for my family. As a casual laborer, I do not earn a consistent income, which makes it challenging to afford daily meals. .

I cleared my form four but I left a huge debt in school of about $300. I was unable to clear this debt. I have been using Givedirectly transfers to reduce this transfers monthly and so far it is less $100 and I am only left with $200 yet to be paid. My plan is to continue paying this as the months go so I am able to collect my Kenya national exams certificate for secondary education. I have also been purchasing items for building a house for myself. I hope that as the year progresses I will have enough material so I am able to finish this construction work.

The transfers from Givedirectly have given me a chance to dream. I had wanted to rear animals now its no longer a dream but a reality. I spent $25 in April purchasing a goat, in May I got three chicks at $4.5 and one hen in March at $4.5. I also used some of the money to buy clothes, in March I bought clothes worth $5 and shoes worth $5. I also used the transfers to clear a debt, I used $5 to clear that debt. I also used to buy food using this transfers in April I got food at $4 and some sanitation items from for $5. I also used $29.5 to buy iron sheets, building poles, and nails for building.

After completing my O'level, I moved to Mombasa town to search for a job. Though I have not yet succeeded in my pursuit, I opted to run a small charcoal-selling business kiosk. The income I raise from it is insufficient, barely $50 a month. Therefore, when I received my transfer, I spend $15 on buying three hens. I consider this the best venture option that can contribute towards self-independence. I long to be self-reliant so that I can be able to begin supporting my parents in raising my siblings. They are not only advanced in age but also jobless and unable to support their family. The remaining $19 helped me to buy new clothes and a pair of shoes since I had few clothes in my wardrobe. I am glad this has improved my grooming, and I am more presentable courtesy of the transfers.

The support we get from GiveDirectly is helpful in numerous ways that most families have improved their lives. Giving people the power to decide on how to spend their transfers was the best idea ever and through it, most children have been enrolled back to school, parents can afford the right meals for their families that will eventually improve the health status of people especially, children and the elderly. On the other hand, there is nothing the organisation is not doing right.

After completing my secondary education, I secured a job in Mombasa town as a sales agent so that I can raise some money for clearing the arrears of KES 16000 that I still owe the school. I come from a very humble background and since there are my siblings who my parents are taking care of, I do not want to burden them. With both the first and second transfer, I sent my parents KES 2300 for the family upkeep and used KES 900 to purchase foodstuffs. We share a house with two of my friends but I had not paid for my share because my salary was delayed. I, therefore, used KES 800 to pay for the rent and bought a pair of shoes worth KES 200. I am happy with the support since it has lessened our household burden.

I was in town at around 3.00 p.m. at my brother's place. I had gone to visit him while looking for a job. I felt so happy when I received the money because it was a sign that GiveDirectly remembered me during my lowest moment. I kept the money for three days before I could use the money because I still had some cash.

The transfers from GiveDirectly played an essential role in helping me manage my debts by enabling me to settle KES 400 I owed to someone. Repaying the debt helped restore our friendship, and I am now on good terms with my friend. In addition, the transfer transformed my life because I used it to buy new clothes and shoes. Before GiveDirectly, I only had two pairs each and hence was not always presentable.

I am a shopkeeper, selling water and charcoal in Mombasa town for someone else for daily pay. I am the firstborn son of a family of eight and still staying with my parents. Before I secured a job, we could only depend on my elder sister who sells fruits along the beach. I am happy that I currently support her in fending for the family using my income. The transfer from GiveDirectly enabled me to repay a debt of KES 400 and hence reducing my financial burdens. I used to get bothered by the person because I had stayed for so long without settling his debt. I also shared KES 300 with my parents to buy the food they had run out of. They used the money to buy corn flour to sustain them for some time. Lastly, I spent the rest of the money on clothes and a pair of shoes.