I'm determined to finish building our house. I've been saving up a portion of the transfers specifically for that purpose. But that's not all. I've got another plan, I want to start poultry farming. With the profits from selling the poultry, I aim to acquire livestock, which will serve multiple purposes. They'll help with ploughing the farms for income generation, and if need arises, I can sell them for extra income. I'm glad that our lives have become better with the GiveDirectly transfers.

Every month, I set aside a portion of the GiveDirectly transfer to contribute to our savings group. Over the last three months, I've managed to save up $70, knowing that once the new year rolls in, I'll receive back what I've set aside. And let me tell you, "I've got great plans." Our current house is cramped, the roof has caved in, and cook in the same room. With three kids, including two in school, it's a constant struggle, when it comes to covering school fees. With the transfers, I paid $22 for their school fees and bought food with the remaining $10. Despite my husband's job as a house helper bringing in $60 a month, it barely meets our household's basic needs. So, I took to selling firewood, but even on the best days, I only make $2. It's been tough, but ever since GiveDirectly stepped in, things have started looking up. Our children no longer face the threat of being sent home from school due to unpaid fees, and we can afford to put food on the table every day. With the cash transfers from GiveDirectly, I'm determined to build us a new home. We are grateful for the support and assistance that GiveDirectly has provided us.

My main goal is to build a new house. Currently, my three children and I share a small one-room structure. The space is too cramped for all of us, serving as both storage and sleeping space. I plan to use the cash transfers to construct a new two-room house. I believe that with two rooms, my children will have their own space, and I'll have mine. I hope the transfers can make this dream a reality.

In the last three months, I have been using the cash I received for various things, but mostly, I've been saving some of it. During this time, I managed to save a total of $65 through a savings group in my community. I aim to save at least $200 by the end of the year so that I can contribute towards building a larger house for my family.  We currently share a one-room structure which feels small for our family. Also, recently, on my way to withdraw the transfer funds, my youngest child was bitten by a dog and needed immediate medical care. I spent $15 on his treatment, and I'm relieved to see him recovering well. There was also a time when my two school-going children missed a day of school due to unpaid tuition. I used $10 to reduce the balance, and they have been attending school regularly since then. The remaining money was used to buy food. These cash transfers have been a big help to my husband, who works as a house help. By contributing to our household expenses, I feel like I've lightened his load.

Over the next two years, my main aspiration is to construct a better and more stable house for my family. Our current structure is unstable and due to the ongoing rains, I fear it may not withstand the rains much longer. To work towards this goal, I have been diligently saving a portion of the previous cash transfers, and I plan to continue doing so until I have accumulated enough funds to purchase the necessary building materials. Providing my children with a secure and comfortable living environment is of utmost importance to me. I also have a long-term goal of acquiring livestock such as cows and goats. These animals can serve as a valuable asset and a potential source of additional income for our family. If we encounter any financial challenges, such as a lack of school fees, I can consider selling some of the animals to cover these expenses and other needs that may arise.

I used $15 from the cash transfers to settle the school fees for my son, who had accumulated debt for the ongoing term. It was a relief for me as he had previously been sent home from school for a whole week due to unpaid fees. I am grateful that he has not faced such a situation again. Also, I saved $10 through a self-help group to accumulate enough money to build a new house. Our current dwelling is in poor condition, and I worry about its stability during adverse weather conditions like heavy rainfall. After saving, I spent $4 on new uniforms for my child, as the previous ones were worn-out and tattered. I spent the remaining $5 to buy food for my family to boost the little that had been left in stock.

Due to the meager income my husband receives from his casual jobs, it is difficult for him to provide for the needs of our entire family. Throughout the year, I plan to make investments in purchasing and raising livestock. When the flock is large enough, I'll sell some of the animals and use the proceeds to help my husband with some of the family's expenses and pay for my children's schooling after selling a portion of the livestock.

I got my January transfer a week before the start of the new school year. My children, who finished kindergarten the year before, are now entering first grade. Receiving the money gave me a significant financial boost toward ensuring that I could pay my children' tuition. The two of them need to pay a total of $50 in school fees each term. I spent $24 after getting the transfers to cover some of their tuition. I'm happy that what I paid will allow them to finish their education and keep them from being expelled. We had very little food to eat at home, so I also used the $10 left over to buy food. My husband, a casual worker who provides the family's only source of income, has been looking for work for more than two weeks, so he hasn't had the money to buy food. This explains the difficult situation we were in at the time.

Give Directly is a unique charity organization, I have never come in contact with. I  remember during enrolment each one of us was informed to spend the transfer wisely on anything so long as it improves our living standard. This melts my heart but not only mine but my fellow neighbors too. Having given us an opportunity of freedom of choice was the best decision. People still appreciate this opportunity and feel that we are given an opportunity to grow in various areas. Hence I feel Give Directly does well in giving people an opportunity on decision making in terms of transfer expenditure.

I sell charcoal for a living though on small scale and my husband does a casual job to support our family. We are blessed with three children though still young. The little income we get from our hustling, we spend on taking care of our family but still not enough. Due to unreliable daily income, at times we are forced to sleep hungry due to a lack of capital to buy foodstuffs but not occasionally. When the Give Directly staff came to our home and reveal to us that we are going to be beneficiaries of their transfers, I was very excited and told myself that God has seen me. I was still doubting but decided to think about how I was going to spend the transfer since we were informed of the amount. When I received my transfer I spent $ 5 on food, just to make sure that my children had enough food that day. Secondly, I spent $ 15 on my children's school fees to help prevent him from being sent home. Finally, I thought of buying four chickens at $ 1 for rearing. I thought of starting a chicken-rearing project because it is less costly to maintain and I will sell some once they multiply to get money to support my family.

I had actually been gravely ill for about a week and unfortunately I could not afford to see a doctor since I had no money and that is why when I noticed that Givedirectly had sent out the transfers I was overwhelmed with so much joy and I immediately rushed to withdraw the money and immediately went ahead to seek medical attention.

In this particular instance, for me I would have to say the fact that I managed to finally get medical attention after a ailing for more than seven days so I am very glad for the transfers because they were literally life saving.

As soon as I realized that the Organization had sent out the transactions, I decided to use KES 1,000 into investing in poultry farming so that he can offer me financial gain. As for the KES 200 that I was left with I went on using it at the hospital because at the time I was not feeling well and I was suffering from ulcers so I needed medical attention.