The goal that I currently have is to renovate my house, which had an old, leaky roof. I had always wanted to renovate at least one of its rooms, but this was not possible because of the poor financial status I was in. I have been with my son, who happens to be the breadwinner, and their income could barely meet the family's basic needs like food, leaving nothing for other activities such as renovation. I usually have quite a rough time during rainy seasons and have the fear that it might even collapse someday. Therefore, I have now decided to use $10 from the monthly transfers and buy ironsheets for this purpose. Towards the end of this year, I am positive that this goal will materialize. I will be a happy soul knowing that I will be sleeping peacefully in a very pleasant environment without having to worry about the harsh climate.

It has always been my dream to renovate my old house, as its condition has been worsening day by day. The roof is dilapidated and leaks excessively when it rains. However, I couldn’t afford to buy any building materials since I’ve been unwell and am no longer able to run the sisal business I used to manage. Recently, I decided to use $10 each month to buy iron sheets. So far, I have three sheets and plan to have 14 in total for the complete renovation of the house. I hope this will mark the beginning of a new chapter in my life, as I have been living in fear and worry about where I would get the funds for the renovation. Additionally, I used $72 to buy sufficient meals for my household, which has been sustaining us for a while. The food is still lasting, providing relief to my sons, who have been taking care of me despite their own struggles. Their earnings are now used for other essential purposes, which has eased some of the financial burden.

As a recipient of GiveDirectly, I am filled with determination and hope for the coming year and beyond. My main goal is to renovate my house, a humble abode that has been my shelter through thick and thin. The corroded roof and leaking iron sheets have been a constant reminder of the struggles I face. With the support I've received, I am now able to embark on this journey to transform my home into a safer and more comfortable space. I plan to purchase one iron sheet every month until I have enough to complete the renovation. Currently, I have 7 pieces of iron sheets, and I need a total of 13 to cover the whole roof. This project symbolizes more than just a physical transformation; it represents resilience, determination, and the power of hope for a brighter future.

With every transfer I receive, my heart leaps with hope, each one a small step towards my dream of renovating our old, weary house. Out of the $102 from the recent transfers, without hesitation, I used $27, to purchase three new sheets, each one gleaming with promise. As I carried them home, I imagined the transformation they would bring to our humble house, replacing the tired, corroded ones that currently sheltered us. Seven iron sheets now stood tall against the backdrop of our house, but the task was far from complete. With each transfer, I prioritized our needs, balancing between the necessity of house repair and the needs of my family. I also bought a hen for $5, a source of both sustenance and companionship. Despite the allure of further renovations, the reality of hunger loomed large. With a heavy heart, I allocated the remaining $70 to procure sustenance for my kin, ensuring they don't go hungry even as our home awaited its full transformation.

A persistent issue for my household has been the frequent shortage of food, sometimes leading us to skip meals due to its unavailability. Fortunately, I am now liberated from this challenge. Following the recent rains, I successfully cultivated my acreage and reaped a bountiful harvest, putting an end to our food scarcity woes. With ample supplies, my family no longer faces the hardships of insufficient nourishment. Empowered by the recent harvest, I am considering expanding my resources by investing in livestock. I plan to acquire more goats and chickens, as they seem to be a promising venture. Given my current lack of substantial work opportunities, I view these animals as a valuable investment. Owning them provides a financial safety net; I can sell them when the need arises, ensuring that I no longer face the financial struggles of the past. These assets offer a newfound stability that I can rely on in times of financial uncertainty.

The timely financial assistance saved my home from imminent collapse caused by the recent heavy rains, leaving it weakened and on the brink of becoming uninhabitable. Thanks to the transfers, I promptly spent $30 towards purchasing essential building materials, enabling the much-needed renovation. My house is now in a stable condition, alleviating my concerns about its resilience against future rainfall. Additionally, I paid the mason for his dedicated work. In addition to this, I also invested $35 in acquiring a goat and two chickens, recognizing the potential value they bring to my life. With my primary focus now on subsistence farming for my family, these livestock serve as a valuable long-term investment. I anticipate their multiplication, providing both sustenance for our needs and the possibility of generating income in times of urgency. Moreover, the financial support has effectively addressed the issue of food shortages in my household. I spent the remaining funds on purchasing ample food supplies, ensuring that my family no longer faces hunger. I am delighted that, thanks to this support, we can now enjoy three meals a day without the previous struggles.

Looking ahead, my primary goal is to repair the damaged wall in my house. With the recent rainy season, the mud walls on one side collapsed, leaving a significant hole. I have been slowly working on repairing it, but financial constraints have slowed down the process. However, now that we have had a recent harvest, I am optimistic that I can allocate a significant portion of the incoming cash transfers to secure more building poles and finally seal the large hole in my house. Once the house repairs are underway, I plan to start purchasing goats to add to the two that I already own. This will help me gradually build up a small herd of goats and gain financial security.

My house was damaged during the recent heavy rains, especially one side of the walls which left a huge dent. To begin the repairs, I purchased building poles, which amounted to $22. I am still in the process of gathering enough funds to hire someone to fix the wall properly. Additionally, I recently fell ill with a fever, and I allocated $8 to cover my medical treatment expenses. Thankfully, I am now recovering well. I also used $4 to purchase a hen to kick-start my rearing venture. The remaining $10 was set aside to address other essential household needs, particularly food. Two months ago, before we had our harvest, food was a significant concern, and there were some nights when my family went to bed hungry. In the past, I used to make charcoal to buy food, but this activity adversely affected my health, leading to complications and a doctor's recommendation to avoid strenuous work. Consequently, I now rely on my son, who engages in casual labor to support the family. My son's income from casual labor was often insufficient to provide daily meals. That's why I chose to spend $58 on food. While there have still been some nights of hunger after our food supply was depleted, it is not as severe as it was before the cash transfers.

Now that I have finished repairing my collapsed house, which was a major concern, my focus is on starting a goat and chicken-rearing venture. Since I have no one else to rely on for sustenance, I see these ventures as potential sources of income. By allowing the livestock to multiply, I can sell them and generate funds to meet my various needs and expenses, especially food. This endeavor will provide me with a sustainable source of income and greater financial independence.

Since my husband passed away years ago, I have had no one to rely on for support. I used to make charcoal, but it caused me chest pains, so I had to stop. Occasionally, my son provides some assistance, although he doesn't have a stable source of income. Due to this, my household hardly enjoys regular meals. The previous week before the transfer had been particularly challenging due to a lack of food, most are the days I slept hungry. So I spent $19 from the transfer to buy food and sugar, ensuring that my family has at least some sustenance.  Also, due to the ongoing rains, my house collapsed, leaving me in a difficult housing situation. To address this, I purchased 10 building poles worth $15 to repair the two walls that had crumbled. I am relieved that the repairs have been completed successfully.

My main objective for this year is to build a stunning, durable, and permanent home for myself. Thank goodness I was not home when the house collapsed, and that it occurred during the day. This protected my sick body from harm. Strong poles, sand, rocks, and cement are what I want to purchase. I intend to add sturdy cement pillars to the house's sides as reinforcement, which will serve as adequate insurance for my security. I'm eager to relocate to my new home once the construction is finished and give my son his old one back.

My one-room iron sheet home collapsed two days before I got my transfers because of the weight of the roof and the overexerted poles. My son is currently away, so I am sleeping at his house. To make matters worse, the doctor had just advised me to quit my job as a charcoal vendor in the market when the house collapsed hence I lack the money to repair the house. My chest was severely affected by the large amount of sisal I was carrying on my head as I made my way to the market. Since I'm taking medication, I can no longer perform laborious manual tasks. As a result, when I received my January transfers, I spent $15 on new building poles that will make it easier to construct the house's new walls. I also bought food with the remaining $19 of my money. After my son's previous stock of food purchases ran out, there wasn't much left for me to eat in the house. I'm glad I spent the money on food because it kept my family and I from going hungry and dying of starvation.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well in sending cash transfers to every individual in our village. Through the transfers, we are able to meet some of the basic needs like food something that we are very grateful for. First, I thought it would not visit our village since I heard about the organization from our neighboring village.

I spent $20 of the most recent transfer to purchase enough food for myself. Earlier, I could go without food for more than 2day or even be forced to buy maize flour on credit at the food store. Additionally, I saved $10 at our marry-go-round group. My long-term goal is to renovate my mud-walled house by putting up new building poles. The poles that were used to construct it had rotten and it is no longer strong. I was living a worried life that it might collapse whenever there is strong winds something that would make me homeless

When I was relaxing at home at about 4 p.m., I received a message alert on my phone. I asked my helper to check it, and she confirmed that Give Directly had sent the money. This seemed like a dream come true, especially after hearing how prior transfers had benefitted my neighbors from surrounding villages. I was happy.

Prior to the transfer, my family struggled with hunger. Because there was no money, the household would go without food for at least 10 days in a month. The cash transfer alleviated the situation. I am grateful that my family has never gone hungry since the day I received the money. Furthermore, there is still enough food to last the next couple of days.

When my husband passed away, I took on the responsibility of caring for my family. However, due to continuous chest problems, I am unable to perform rigorous work in order to generate income for family necessities. This has forced me to rely on my son, a casual construction worker, for support. Because he is paid per day worked, what he earns barely covers basic needs, such as food, for the family of five, as the job rarely comes by. As a result, hunger is my family's primary issue. This is why I prioritized food worth KES 600 because we had been hungry for two days in a row. I set aside the remainder with the idea of purchasing a hen with it. The idea is to allow it to reproduce and raise a flock that will be a quick source of cash in the future.