I have a passion for helping those in need, but I am currently living in poverty and have nothing to offer them. However, my dream of helping others will never fade. With the proceeds from my farm, I plan to purchase a tailoring machine and grow that business until it becomes very successful. Once it's big enough, I will employ people to work with me and save little by little to help those in need and improve my own life as well.

I am a Kalenjin living in the Ilchamus community, and what I appreciate most about GiveDirectly is that you never discriminated against me. You enrolled me just like everyone else in this area, and that has truly touched me. I am very thankful for that and feel blessed. I don't see any areas for improvement; you are doing a great job. Keep up the good work!

When I received my second transfer, I bought a motorbike to use as a boda boda for business. This has been a great help, providing us with daily income to meet our needs. I am very thankful to GiveDirectly for such great support.Although my husband has been out of the country for about two months and hasn't started providing for us yet, I am very happy because we never lack anything to eat, thanks to the motorbike.Initially, I thought of buying a tailoring machine, but it was too expensive, so I invested in farming instead. With my last transfer, I used $320 to plant watermelons. Watermelons grow well here and will bring in a good profit when harvested. I plan to use the profit to buy a tailoring machine, as I have the skill to make clothes.Lastly, I used the remaining $130 to stock up on food at home to ensure we never run out while waiting for our crops to ripen. I am very thankful and appreciative to GiveDirectly for improving our lives. I am confident that by the time my child is old enough to attend school, I will have enough savings to cover her school fees.

I plan to open a tailoring business using my last transfer. I have the necessary skills, I pursued tailoring in school, but finding a job has been difficult. I plan to start this business close to home, where there are no existing tailoring shops, and I won't have any competitors. My services will include clothing repairs, designing, and selling clothes. I intend to rent a shop, with the rent being around $25 a month, which is affordable and makes economic sense. My goal is to expand the business in the future. The income generated will help support my family and allow me to give back to the community, even if it's just a little.

The support from GiveDirectly has been incredible and has truly changed lives, including mine. It has improved our living standards. During the enrollment process, there was no discrimination or tribalism, which was very important to me since I am not originally from the community, yet I still received support. GiveDirectly is doing commendable work. I hope they continue in the same way

Before receiving my second transfer, my husband and I had discussed spending the money on purchasing a second-hand motorcycle. Immediately after I received my transfer of $450, we proceeded with our plan. We bought a second-hand bike for $400, although this bike was acquired on credit and still has an outstanding balance of $800. We hired a rider who earns us $5 a day. From this, we use $2.5 to pay off the pending arrears, and the remaining $2.5 to cover our daily needs. I work alongside my husband in producing charcoal, a job we turned to after he lost his job as a petrol station attendant. We sell a sack of charcoal for $6, which helps us provide for our 2-year-old daughter. However, this work is challenging. Sometimes we get hurt by the thorny trees, and cutting them is difficult since we do it ourselves; we cannot afford a power saw. Moreover, the work often results in back pains. Finding logs is also becoming a challenge as we have exhausted the trees on our farm. We now source them from our neighbor’s farm and share the profits with them, paying $1.5 per sack. The number of sacks we can produce depends on the logs we manage to get. This pushed us to acquire the motorcycle as an alternative source of income. Additionally, I had taken food items on credit from a shop worth $25, which I managed to clear. From the remaining $25 I spent $10 in charcoal production and $15 I bought food to sustain us for a few days. Thank you, GiveDirectly, for your support.

As I toiled away in manual labor at home, my two-year-old playing nearby, a message arrived that changed everything. A surge of joy filled me as I realized the opportunity before me. Determined to make this moment memorable, I invested the $200 I received into farming. I bought maize seeds and secured additional land through a three-year rental. With each planted seed, I nurtured a hopeful future for my family, transforming a simple message into the beginning of a new agricultural journey.

Since I began receiving the transfers from GiveDirectly, the most significant change in my life has been the newfound ability to immerse myself in what I love most: cultivating the land. Now equipped with the means, I can lease additional land and invest in quality maize seeds, transforming my passion into a flourishing venture. The transfers have not only enriched my fields but also granted me the opportunity to sow the seeds of prosperity.

With the recent transfer from GiveDirectly, I seized the opportunity to invest in a promising future. Allocating a portion to purchase maize seeds, I secured a plot of land for farming by directing $200 towards a three-year lease. The fertile soil became the canvas for my maize plantation, a testament to newfound possibilities. Not only did I sow the seeds of economic empowerment, but I also nurtured family well-being by wisely acquiring essential provisions. As my maize begins to flourish, so does the happiness within my home, a testament to the transformative impact of your thoughtful financial choices.