As a father, few things give me more pride than being able to educate my children and give them the best chance at a better future than mine. My biggest accomplishment in future is to be able to educate my kids from beginning to end. In the near term, I am striving to ensure that I restart my business , and be able to buy a few cattle to then go on to sell at market.

GiveDirectly's biggest success is the fact that it allow its recipients to live out their dreams. If by chance GiveDirectly had not seen fit to register me for these transfers, I shuddered to think how I would have accomplished any of the things I managed to. I really have no criticism of GiveDirectly other than my request that there be a third round of transfers, to possibly help complete the various good projects they have begun in all of us recipients lives.

Starting a business had been on my mind for the longest time. A plan to get financial independence has always been what I have been trying to execute and GiveDirectly allowed me to do so with the transfers. I started a business selling cows and goats at the market at Mtasar wa Tsatsu , every Wednesday. Sadly though, since the drought hit, I have been forced to stop doing so. The remainder of the funds were also allotted towards paying school fees for my 3 eldest kids, while my youngest lives in Nairobi with my wife and visits every 5 months. My eldest is in from 4 at Shaka Secondary School, my second is in Grade 6 at Bamba Primary School, while the third is in Grade 3 at Alfatiha Academy. I pay Kes. 16,000 per term , Kes. 600 per term and Kes. 9,000 per year respectively, and the funds from GiveDirectly were also funnelled towards sorting that. Between the Kes. 500 I earn a day as a mason and the little my wife makes while working and living in South b, it would have been impossible to accomplish any of this without GiveDirectly.

I was at my workstation doing my masonry job when I received the messages carrying my transfer. I felt very happy since I had a lot of problems that I had eagerly awaited for the transfer to solve. I planned with my wife before withdrawing the cash on how best to spend it.

The biggest difference in my daily life is that my kids are learning without any disturbance due to school fees something that had relieved me of all the stresses in life. I was always worried that my child will be sent home anytime due to the huge fee balances that I owe the school. Furthermore, I have a reliable source of income after starting a livestock business which earns me a profit of 3,000 per week on average. I am positive that I will be able to meet my family's basic needs without much struggle.

I spent KES 20,000 of my transfer to educate my child who is in form 3 by paying all the fees arrears. He was constantly sent home due to fee balances. I practice masonry, a job that I perform part-time, I spent KES 15,000 to start a new business of buying and selling livestock in our village. Currently, I earn a profit of KES 3000 per week on average. I also spent KES 5000 to clear the school fees of my child who is in academy school. I also bought a solar lamp for KES 5, 000 to help my kids in studying at night. They were straining a lot due to the poor light from the small lamp that I had. I also spent KES 5000 to purchase sandy that I will use to make bricks to repair my house it may be more permanent. The remaining amount I used to purchase food and some clothes for my children.