Even though we are still paying school fees for my two sons in secondary school and a daughter in university, my husband and I have set a new household goal of starting a livestock-selling business. We expect to get a break from paying school fees early next year when my daughter is on an industrial attachment and we won't have to pay her school fees for the entire semester. We intend to direct our savings during this time period to the new business, which I believe will generate sufficient returns to cover the school fees later.

GiveDirectly did an outstanding job in providing cash transfers to many households in our village. Our decision-making freedom was the best because it allowed us to address the issues in our households. It was my first time receiving free money without being required to repay it. We had previously relied on loans from various financial institutions with high interest rates. I am grateful for GiveDirectly's assistance, which has transformed not only our household but also the entire village.

When I received the second transfer, the pressure to pay my daughter's university registration fees was so intense that I had to pay $270 to allow her to begin her semester. It was a good feeling for her, as well as a relief for us, because we would have had to sell our assets to cover the fees. We also had the additional burden of paying tuition for my two sons, who are in their final year of secondary school. The two sons required a total of $300, but after paying the remaining $250, they were allowed to join the other students in their daily lessons. Since then, we have been working hard and paying whatever small amount we can to ensure that they can continue their education without being sent home. We used to deliver fresh farm produce to the school, but due to the severe drought that has destroyed our farming, we no longer have that option. We are grateful for GiveDirectly's generous support, which enabled us to pay our children's school fees.

I was filled with joy at the moment I received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. It was early in the morning as I was still eating my breakfast with my husband. On showing him, he was equally excited and thanked God and GiveDirectly for the promise that came to pass. This brought the hope of finally funding the projects we had been planning. I collected the amount from the nearby shopping center later that afternoon and bought some household goods that we needed then.

The biggest difference in my daily life is the cow that has brought back the long-lost joy in our household. It has always been a struggle to buy enough milk for the family every morning and even though we don't have enough yet; we hope that in the next few months, my family of six will enjoy enough provision from the cow. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for the support and looking forward to doing more with the second transfer.

Paying school fees for my four children had been so challenging that we had to sell out all the livestock we had to ensure that the lack of school fees did not interrupt their studies. For the past year, we had been buying milk from the neighborhood since the last dairy cow that used to provide us with enough milk had to be sold too for the same reason. The receipt of the first transfer was a sign of hope as we revived the livestock farming after buying a 6 months in-calf that came with a weaned calf at KES 35000. For the past month, it has provided us with a liter of milk that has cushioned us from the purchase that we had gotten used to. It is with great joy and assurance that we will have an adequate supply of milk in the next two months once it calves down. I also spent part of the remaining amount on the construction of a small hut for my three sons, who had been moving around the village every evening in search of a place to sleep. They are now happy and thankful to have their own room where they can sleep and store their belongings. In addition, I spent the remaining KES 5000 on offsetting the debt I had in their school. Even though I still have some arrears to clear, I am glad that they are peacefully studying at the moment without being sent home.