One of the evenings when I was out fetching water for my household use I got a text message confirming that I had received 55000 KES from Give Directly. This was a miracle. I never expected that Give Directly would fulfill their promise. I was so excited but I could not show anyone for security reasons. Once I filled my water container I went straight home and informed my family members and received the news positively, and we all celebrated.

For five years we had to persevere sleeping on the floor with insects and rodents all over us because we could not afford a bed. Having bought a bed is the greatest achievement in my life. The experience of sleeping in a comfortable bed is immense and in most cases, I find myself smiling. My children too are now safe with me because they do not have to seek for a sleeping space from their grandmother's house. Extending the house has created enough sleeping space for the children. This is the biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving the payments from Give Directly.

I did not have a bed but only a small mattress that was worn out which I used to spread on the floor. The moment when I received the first transfer, I prioritized my bedding at a cost of 13000 KES. We are happy we can now afford a peaceful night with no insects running all over our bodies as was the case before. 25000 KES I spent on both building materials and construction labor for an additional room. We had a single room that could not fit my family of five. It never used to be pleasant bidding my children bye after dinner while went to their grandmother's house because we could share the single room with them. The additional room will be our bedroom while they will be sleeping in the living room. It is safer and more peaceful spending with them on the roof. I used 4000 KES to clear the primary school fees arrears for my children and used the remaining 12000 KES I spent on both kitchen utensils and enough foodstuffs for my family that we can use for about a month.