I currently own two cows and have joined a merry-go-round group to expand my herd. By year-end, I expect to receive $300 from the group, which will enable me to purchase a dairy cow. My plan is to milk the cow and sell the milk, using my role as a shopkeeper to manage sales effectively. As my herd grows through breeding, I plan to sell offspring for additional income. This investment aims to improve my children's lives and bring prosperity to my family.

I am a mother of three children, with one currently attending school. My main focus is on ensuring her education for a brighter future. To prevent her from being sent home, I spent $20 to clear her school fees. I also allocated $14 for food to ensure my children do not go hungry. Anticipating the rainy season, I wanted to make the most of my one acre of land. I invested $34 to hire someone to till the land and planted sweet potatoes. I believe this effort will yield enough to provide for my family's needs. In addition, I recently joined a merry-go-round group to invest in acquiring a dairy cow. I set aside $20 from my earnings to contribute to the group. With the remaining $14, I purchased two chickens, adding to my existing total of eight. I am confident that these chickens will multiply, enabling me to easily sell them and cover future school fees for my children.

My aim is to construct a house with brick walls to replace our current structure, which is built with mud walls. The present walls are vulnerable to damage during heavy rainfall and are displaying signs of weakening. Additionally, I intend to invest in a dairy cow, considering it a valuable asset that can generate additional income, particularly when they reproduce and can be sold. To achieve these goals, I will utilize a portion of the cash transfers along with my savings. Accomplishing these objectives will not only provide us with a better living space but also offer an additional source of income, bringing me a deep sense of fulfillment.

My husband and I run a kiosk in our village, selling essentials like flour, oil, and beans to sustain our family of five. Previously, our business struggled due to a lack of capital, and we faced food shortages during a severe drought. However, circumstances have improved significantly. We now enjoy ample meals, and I can comfortably pay school fees and purchase clothes for my family. Out of the transfers received, I set aside $20 in our savings club to enhance our business in the future. Additionally, I allocated $10 to cover school fees for the new term. Furthermore, I invested $30 in purchasing additional stock for our kiosk, thereby strengthening it. I also used $30 to settle a debt I had borrowed from my savings. The remaining $8 was spent on buying food and cooking oil for my family was our supplies had run low. These transfers have truly transformed my life for the better,and I am deeply grateful for the assistance.

My goal is to build a house with brick walls to replace the current structure made of mud walls. The existing walls are susceptible to damage during heavy rains and are showing signs of collapsing. Believing that brick walls are more durable, I plan to use a portion of the cash transfers and a loan from my savings group to finance this construction project. By this time next year, I hope to have accumulated enough funds to initiate the building process.

Running a small kiosk business, I sell fast-moving consumable items, and the cash transfers have significantly boosted my enterprise. Allocating $20 from the cash transfer, I repaid a loan from the savings club I had acquired to buy more stock, ensuring that the business remains well-capitalized and well-stocked. Additionally, I invested $30 in purchasing a goat, increasing my livestock count to four. I aim for them to reproduce, providing a potential source of income when my child is ready for high school in a few years. I also settled a $10 school fee debt accrued from the previous term, alleviating any financial burden for the next academic term. With the onset of rains, I spent $20 to have an ox plow one acre of my land, providing a respite from manual plowing. The remaining funds were utilized for household expenses, including food, and I deposited my children's Christmas attire, a tradition in our family.

In the coming years, my goal is to have a thriving livestock herd, comprising cattle, goats, and poultry. My primary wish is to acquire a dairy cow as it offers numerous advantages. As it reproduces and expands the herd, I can sell the offspring to boost my kiosk business in the future. Moreover, I can sell cow's milk to generate additional income. At present, I already have three goats, which serve as inspiration for me to continue growing the herd. I am determined to work hard and achieve my dream of a prosperous livestock farm that can support my family's needs and provide a stable financial future.

I received the recent cash transfer while in the hospital, where I had just given birth to my baby girl. It was timely because my husband and I were short on funds to cover hospital expenses. I used $5 to buy a pair of ‘khanga’ for my daughter and me. Another $12 went towards transportation back home. Am grateful that the cash transfer played a significant role in facilitating our return from the hospital. Upon returning home, we were almost out of food, so I spent $12 to buy more foodstuff. With the remaining $5, I saved through a self-help group. Since I started receiving the cash transfers, I joined a savings group to accumulate funds and support our kiosk business, run by my husband and me. As of two months ago, I had managed to collect $220, which we invested in purchasing more items for our kiosk. The business has been gradually improving ever since, with increasing profits and a growing customer base. For the funds I received in June, I used $12 to clear my son's school fees for the ongoing term, ensuring his education remains uninterrupted. At least, I will not hurry to worry about his tuition until next term. Additionally, I saved $10 through my club and used the remaining $12 to buy more stock for our shop. I am grateful for the cash transfers, which have positively impacted my family's day-to-day lives.

In the next year, I hope to accomplish the goal of increasing the size of my livestock farm. My main goal has been to buy more goats and raise them. They are valuable live assets that will bring supplementary income to my household in the long run if they survive. As a result, I will find it so easy to pay for my children's secondary school tuition. My spouse and I will find life to be pretty easy in terms of raising additional money for food and other family development plans.

I always save $10 in a saving scheme for the last four months. I aim to build up my savings to spend them to expand my livestock-keeping venture. Currently, I have five goats, but I desire to buy more. I value them as live assets that can benefit my family even after the transfer. In addition, I spent $10 on paying school fees for my daughter Grace, in PP1. I am always filled with joy to see her going to school and coming back happier. Lastly, I spent $14 from my recent transfer on food for my family of four members; my husband, our two children, and myself. I am glad as a result of the transfer life is always bearable for us.

As soon as I received the transfers I was quite excited especially because I already had initial plans for the funds. After withdrawal of the money I immediately went ahead to deposit KES 1,000 savings because I wanted to allow the money accumulate so that I could eventually invest in buying a couple of goats. I proceeded to spend KES 1,000 on buying five packets of maize flour because there was hardly any food left in the house. lastly I used the remaining balance which was also KES 1,000 and decided to rent an ox to help me plough my farm.

I am just starting up a family with two young children who have not joined school yet. I depend on my spouse who is a shopkeeper but as time goes he might be overwhelmed with family responsibilities. I have therefore saved KES 5000 in monthly rotational and savings groups intending to start a retail shop so that we both have a source of income. I am hopeful that after one and a half years I will have raised enough capital. KES 2000 I spent on 5 packets of cornflour for the family, bought two chickens at KES for rearing, and still have KES 1000 for daily use.

The unconditional transfer I get from GiveDirectly is commendable. I am using the money to set up mechanisms that will help meet my essential needs in the future, such as paying school fees for my children. I would also urge the organization to enroll many people within a village because of the high rising level of poverty.

I spent all the money from my transfer (KES 3000) as savings in a “Chama”. I am a shopkeeper whereas my husband earns a living from raising cattle for other people (earns 5000 per month). We a blessed with two children who have not started going to school. The main reason for saving money is to plan and prepare for the future. From the savings, in the “Chama” I can get a loan and use it to take my children to school in the next 2 years. I also face some serious challenges in my kiosk business where customers purchase items on credit, meaning I have less money to buy more stock. To prevent such challenges from affecting my business completely, the money I save come in handy to rescue the situation.

I was in the kitchen cooking when I received the transfer. I was very excited. I finished what I was doing then rushed out to withdraw the money. Since I already had a plan set out, I went ahead to buy wheat flour and cooking oil for the business. After which, I went back home to prepare for the start of my business the next day.

I used to depend on my husband for financial support as I was only a housewife. Him being a shopkeeper, there are times when he would not make any profit, this limited our spendings. Now, thanks to the funds I got from give directly, I am self-employed. From the profits I make, I can also contribute towards bill payment.

I used to be a house, but when I learned of the give directly program, I was very inspired. So, I planned on how I would improve my life and that of my family. My final decision was to start a street food vending business. Therefore, when I received my first transfer of KES1200, I bought a packet of wheat flour and some cooking oil at KES700 to kick start my business which has since picked and now I make a daily profit of KES100. As for the remaining KES400, I saved it in the Chama.