I have three children who are all going to school and very soon my elder child will be transitioning to secondary school. This means I will be required to pay a higher amount of money as compared to what I am paying right now. For this reason, I have resolved to indulge in a goat rearing project. In our area, goats survive very well in this environment. I am planning to buy at least one when I receive my merry go round contribution. This will act as my future financial security. Hence I will be selling some once they multiply to get money to pay fees and meet my family's other basic needs. I am glad that I have already bought three goats through my merry go round contribution. This is an initiative that we agreed to start with other Give Directly transfer beneficiaries to help us pull our transfers together for development. I appreciate GiveDirectly for the financial support because it has reduced our financial burden.

As a mother, I wanted to invest in a project that would continue to generate income for me once this financial support comes to an end. With school-going children, when i received my transfers I decided to invest in a goat rearing project worth $34. I see the goat as a future financial security, as I plan to sell some of them in the coming years to support my children's school fees. I also allocated $30 to contribute to our merry-go-round initiative, which is designed to help us develop in various areas. Furthermore, I spent $10 on school fees to ensure that my children are not sent home due to outstanding balances. With the remaining amount, I bought shoes for my younger child for $2 and spent $3 on sugar for family consumption. Additionally, I purchased two iron sheets worth $22 as a step towards building larger house. I express my deep gratitude to Give Directly for the invaluable financial support.

My aim is to allocate a larger portion of my transfers towards expanding my livestock holdings. As the value of livestock appreciates with time, their capacity to reproduce and grow in number presents a significant advantage, amplifying my initial investment. With a forward-looking approach, I intend to utilize the proceeds from selling the livestock to fund my children's education. It brings me great joy to witness how these transfers are not only supporting my children's education but also catering to their fundamental needs, even in the absence of a steady income.

I am a member of a local saving group called a “Chama,” which consists of five individuals. Each month, we all contribute $10, aggregating our funds into a collective pool. Subsequently, the total amount amassed is entrusted to a single member of the group, who has the authority to allocate the funds as they see fit. Using the previous funds accrued from the savings group, I invested in three goats, resulting in two of them bearing offspring. Over the past three months, I allocated $20 towards my contributions to the savings group. Upon the reopening of schools at the beginning of the year, I expended $14 to cover the school fees for my two daughters. Additionally, I allocated $4 towards purchasing a new school uniform for one daughter and $25 towards acquiring new clothes for all my children. A severe toothache necessitated a visit to the dentist, where I paid $10 for the required tooth extraction services. Thankfully, I have since recovered, experiencing a reduction in pain and a return to normalcy. Furthermore, I allocated $15 towards procuring food, ensuring sustenance for my family of five. I deeply appreciate the support I have received thus far from these transfers.

My primary goal for this year is to attain financial security. With the savings I've accumulated from my transfers, my plan is to invest in goats, with the intention of reselling them at a later date. The profits from this venture will be earmarked for the future education of my children. I am genuinely thankful for the progress I've achieved this far.

Currently, I am unemployed and my main source of income is derived from producing and selling charcoal. Running this business has not been without its challenges, as it serves as my sole means to provide for all my needs. From the transfers I have managed to accrue, I decided to allocate $30 to a savings club, a fund I intend to tap into during emergencies. I then used $34 to purchase a goat, a decision I hope will prove lucrative when the animal matures and I can sell it for a profit. Furthermore, I utilized $20 to acquire school uniforms for my children, along with settling overdue school fee arrears. Ensuring their education continues without interruption is a priority for me.Lastly, I allotted $18 to attend to my own well-being, particularly because I had been suffering from persistent stomach problems. It was essential to invest in my health and seek treatment, and I am happy to report that I am doing better.

Since we have been living in extreme poverty, I have not been able to increase the size of my livestock. However, with the assurance of my transfers, I hope to improve my livestock keeping. I will prioritize buying additional goats and improving my poultry farming. Currently, I only have one goat and two hens. With an increase in the number of goats and domestic fowls, raising cash for school fees and other emergency needs will not be a struggle for me. Presently, I feel more stressed when we have a need that requires an immediate financial commitment.

My daughter Zuhura was at home to collect school fees when I received my transfer. Her school uniform was also old, with patches around it. With the transfer, I spent $ 10 on paying her school fees so that she could resume her studies. In addition, I used $5 on her school uniform. I also spent $10 to prepare my farm for planting since we are experiencing a rainy season. Since we did not have food for that day, I used the remaining $9 to buy food for our family of five members. I am glad that I have been relieved from the financial burden my family was experiencing.

I intend to purchase more goats for rearing. Since we do not have a stable source of income, the goats will be of financial help in the future especially, in paying for our children's school fees.

The most recent transfer came when I had a lot on my plate that required a lot of money. Schools had just been opened and my two children had to report back thus I used $20 of it to buy them a pair of school uniforms each and pay for their fees. Both my husband and I are casual laborers. With the December transfer, I bought one goat worth $30 that I intend to rear at home as I add more flock. The remaining transfer I have been using to buy foodstuff and other required items in the house. My family and I are forever grateful for the transfers.

In my own opinion, the money from GiveDirectly has brought steady development by creating an equal opportunity for people in our community to enhance their living standards. So far I have not witnessed a thing that was not done well.

Receiving money from GiveDirectly has remarkably impacted our lives. I am relieved knowing that every month I would be receiving aid from the organization. I am a charcoal vendor, married and blessed with three children. Upon receiving my second transfer, I opted to use $20 to buy a goat. This is because I was looking for a long-term project that is sustainable and easy to maintain easily during harsh weather conditions. Secondly, I used the remaining $2 to buy exercise books for my children. I am so happy that I was able to make progress in my life that would have taken time to achieve if I did have the unconditional money, hence I am grateful.

I was overjoyed when I received my transfer. That was the first time I had received such unusual financial assistance. I never imagined I would be so fortunate to receive such generous assistance. I was so excited in my heart that I wanted to jump up and down. I was alone, but I chose to inform my husband as soon as he came back, and he was also overjoyed. As a result, I am always grateful to GiveDirectly for its role in alleviating poverty in our community.

In general, once I received the transfer, I was able to easily pay off some outstanding school fees for my children. It has given me peace of mind because they can now go home and concentrate on their studies. I can confidently state that the transfer was beneficial in terms of keeping my children in school. Furthermore, as a result of the transfer, I always feel better when I see my children return home from school.

My husband and I both do not have jobs but work part-time to support our family. However, this has not been easy because there are times when there are no jobs available. As a result, we sometimes fail to fulfill our parental responsibilities. As soon as I received my transfer, I decided to use KES 500 to pay off school fees for my two primary school-aged children. The remainder of the transfer enabled me to purchase food for my family.