I currently have six goats. I want to invest more in goats and, once they multiply, I plan to sell them and buy dairy cows. This will create an opportunity for me to sell milk and generate income, especially since I am currently unemployed due to fracturing my hand in a motorcycle accident. I am determined to save enough to improve my children's lives and secure their future.

I was at home relaxing around noon when I received my transfers. I remember it well; it was a Friday. The moment I received it, I took my transfer and went to buy a goat for $20. I currently have six goats, and I am motivated to buy more and keep them as investments. I have four children who are currently in school. I also paid their exam fees, which amounted to $4. They were able to sit for their exams without any difficulties. With the remaining amount of $10, I bought food for my family for the whole week.

My goal is to grow wealth through rearing goats. By the time the cash transfers come to an end, I wish to have a herd of at least 40 goats. I am grateful that so far I have eight goats purchased through previous cash transfers. Having a large herd of goats will guarantee me some form of financial security in the future, as I could sell them to pay for my children's school fees. Having four children and relying on a motorbike taxi rider business can be quite challenging. However, I believe that owning goats will alleviate some of the pressure that comes with providing for my family.

I run a motorbike taxi business to provide for my four children. However, I recently had an accident and broke my arm. Due to the cold weather, it has been challenging for me to run the business because of the pain in my arm. I used $10 to pay school fees for my three children. They were due to sit for their end-of-year examinations, and there were outstanding fees at their school. I also bought three chickens for $15. My goal is to build a larger flock of chickens and exchange them for goats in the future. I also bought a goat for $34, although I had to top up with some savings I had accumulated because the goat was more expensive than the transfer amount. I'm happy that I now have a total of eight goats purchased through the cash transfers. Owning goats will ensure that I can sell some of them to provide for the needs of my wife and four children in the future. I also used $34 to obtain iron sheets. My goal is to build a new house when I have accumulated enough building materials. The state of my current house is poor, as the tin roof has corroded over time and developed perforations that let in water when it rains. I spent the remaining $9 from the cash transfers to buy more food for the household.

Once an active motorcycle driver, my life took an unexpected turn when I suffered a severe accident, resulting in broken arms. While recovering from this unfortunate incident, I have been contemplating new opportunities to secure my financial future. One idea that has caught my interest is investing in chicken. I plan to purchase chickens and nurture them, patiently waiting for the right time to exchange them for goats. By carefully managing this investment, I hope to accumulate enough value that can be utilized during challenging times, such as paying off any outstanding debts that may arise. This strategic approach will not only help me recover from my current setback but also pave the way for a more stable and resilient future.

In the midst of managing my finances, I found myself burdened with a $20 debt for flour. Determined to take control of my financial situation, I carefully settled my debt first so that I can have peace of mind and, I allocated the rest of my transfer in settling my bills and also in investment. I set aside $4 to settle my children's school fees, ensuring that my three children's education remained a priority. Recognizing the importance of staying connected, I invested another $4 in purchasing a new battery for my phone. With the remaining amount, I bought myself two small chickens for $6, which would provide both sustenance and joy. As I navigated this journey towards financial stability, I bought those chickens as investment and added them to the ten that I had, raising the number to twelve. Thank you so much GiveDirectly for everything.

I used to ride a motorcycle taxi but I got into an accident and broke one my arms which is not working even now. I am doing casual jobs to survive. I am a father of four and my family depends on me since I am the first born. I would like this year to become an animal keeper since for me animals are a profitable business. I want to buy goats and chicken that will reproduce and increase in number so I can sell them and take care of my family. I will also be able to sustain myself even with my broken arm if I get this animals.

My house has fallen apart due to the strong winds, I used my December transfers to make the house livable. I bought poles at $10 to help with the repairs. I have also been able to take my children to school, in November I spent $10 for my four children's school fees. I used $6 of my December transfer on school and used $14 for school fees and books. I also got a number of animals, I got 4 chicken in November @4 each, I also bought 3 hens in December at the same amount. I was also able to buy food for my family during this months. In December I bought three bags of flour a $6 and $10 in January. I was also able to set aside $10 in December for an emergency.

GiveDirectly has done well in providing funds because the drought and hunger issues are major challenges in my area. People would sleep without food and most of us would not even afford to educate our children.

I am married with four children. I used to work as a motorcycle rider but after injuring my hand, I cannot work as a rider and also cannot do most of the heavy-duty work with my hands. The biggest challenge is providing for my family in terms of food and paying for my children’s school fees. As soon as I received my cash transfers, I used $20 to buy a goat and distributed evenly the remaining amount toward food and school fees. I was grateful because I wanted my children to have uninterrupted classes.

I never knew that the program some of us were underrating could become a reality. In the evening when people received their transfers, there was unexplainable joy and happiness across the village. I could not hide my excitement too. On that day, my mind had been tossed with worries about what I could urgently raise money for my children's assessment fee. It was a timely help that remains memorable in my mind.

Since I never had any domestic fowl reared by any member of my family, with the recent transfer, I succeeded in buying three chicks. To me, it is a good start and a demonstration of a likely positive change in my life. It gives me hope that when my chicks grow and begin to lay eggs, I shall begin to witness a progressive development in my family. I think this will take me from the point of depending on my unpredictable casual jobs to raising livestock that is equally beneficial to families when they increase in number.

I am a casual laborer and I do not have a stable income. I always struggle to raise food and school fees for my children, a situation that bothers me so much. However, I am always limited to being of help to them as I would have wished to. When I received my recent transfer, I opted to buy three chicks for KES 600. Raising poultry will help me in the future to give some support to my children. In addition, I spent KES 400 on paying examination fees for my four children, and I am glad that they will not miss their mid-term assessment.