My goal is to set up a shop near the road to enhance the efficiency of my electronic gadget repair business. Currently, I operate the business from home and in a remote area, and this has limited its accessibility and awareness among potential customers. I believe that having a dedicated space will attract more clients and contribute to the growth of my business. Additionally, I plan to run this venture alongside my existing barbershop, which will greatly boost my income. To achieve this goal, I intend to utilize my savings as well as my upcoming transfers. I am deeply grateful for this assistance, which has transformed my life for the better.

For the past 20 years, I have been involved in electronic repairs, specializing in radios and mobile phones, to support both myself and my family. Initially, it was challenging as the business was not always guaranteed, making it hard for me to earn a living. However, I am thankful for the assistance provided, as it has served as an additional source of income. Recently, I expanded into livestock farming and I have so far acquired four goats which I will raise and eventually trade them in for cows. With the transfers received, I allocated $68 to purchase two goats, which I added to my existing herd. Additionally, I used $15 to buy new clothes for myself, as my old ones had worn out. The remaining amount was invested in acquiring more tools for my electronic repair business, essential for improving efficiency in my work. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to improve my life and the lives of my family members.

My goal is to establish a shop space near the road to operate my electronic gadget repair business more efficiently. Currently, I run the business from home in a remote location, limiting accessibility and awareness. I believe that having a workshop space will attract more customers. To achieve this, I plan to start purchasing building materials such as iron sheets and building poles to set up the space. Despite financial constraints in providing food, I hope that the cash transfers will make this business expansion possible.

Living with only my mother, who is advanced in age, has made me the primary provider for our household. I run an electronic repair business from home, but the lack of necessary equipment hampers its success, making it challenging to cover our daily expenses. The cash transfers have provided much-needed relief, helping me ensure that my mother and I have daily meals. Over the past three months, I allocated $68 for food, primarily maize flour, ensuring that hunger is not a constant concern in our home. With the Christmas period approaching, I spent $26 to purchase food supplies for the festive day, taking advantage of buying early to avoid potential price hikes as the holiday draws near. Additionally, I invested $5 in chicken feeds and $3 in coccidiosis medicine to safeguard my chickens from the outbreak in the region, preventing losses.

I aspire to start my own barber shop that incorporates my phone charging business. By saving money from my current phone charging business, and transfers, I plan to build a place where I can pursue my passion for barbering while providing phone charging services. Through diligent financial planning and determination, I aim to turn this vision into a successful and customer-oriented reality.

In a selfless act of love and care, I used $10 to purchase food for both my mother and myself. Recognizing the importance of nourishment, I wanted to ensure that we had sustenance during this time when the economy is tough. However, a challenge arose when my solar battery was severely damaged. Determined to overcome this setback, I invested $24 in acquiring a new battery. This solar battery holds significance beyond personal use, as people in my community often rely on me for phone charging services. With the aid of this new battery, I am able to continue providing a valuable service to others by charging their phones and in return they usually give me a few coins.

Although I run a barbershop that sustains our nutritional needs, I feel the daily profits are insufficient to help me undertake other projects. Therefore, I hope that as the year progresses, I will accomplish my goal of getting a new shop for electrical and electronic services. I am an electrician, and making use of that skill will be more rewarding than working in a barbershop. It is an important business that has not been considered for investment by many people from my village hence full of potential.

GiveDirectly, in my opinion, does an excellent job of ensuring that no recipient or potential recipient is subjected to any type of discrimination. All potential recipients from the same village are always visited and registered in its cash transfer program. As a result, people from the villages where GiveDirectly operates receive financial assistance that improves their quality of life. Yet, I continue to believe that GiveDirectly can enhance its operations. It can do well by expanding its operation beyond, by enrolling more individuals in its cash transfer program.

In addition to running a barbershop, I recently began a poultry farm that is not yet well established. So far, I have been able to get five fowls and built a little structure for them. However, I desire to see my flock grow in number because that will help improve my way of life. When I confirmed the receipt of my most recent transfer I spent $5 on buying chicken feeds, there has not been food around hence practicing free range could be very risky in terms of exposing them to poultry diseases. I also spent $10 on food for our family of two. My mother does not have a job, therefore I am responsible for taking care of our entire family.

At around 2 p.m., I was in the field looking after my goats when my phone rang with a message alert. Upon checking the contents, I found that Give Directly had sent me my first cash transfers.  I had never thought that such a day would come; I was relieved. Thank you Give Directly for keeping your end of the promise and delivering my first transfer. 

I am glad that the cash transfers have allowed me to acquire poultry for rearing. Am confident that this would have been impossible to accomplish through the money I make from my electronic repair tasks. Having started this journey, am sure that securing chickens in the future will be made easier, thanks to the cash transfers. I am excited to dive more into this venture and expand my flock, which will serve as an alternative stream of income for me. 

Following the drought that has hindered crop production, we have been forced to buy food for survival. Given the high cost of commodities, there is not much food I can afford for my mother and me. The little I earn from my electronic repair job is just enough for a meal per day. I was excited when I received the cash transfers because I knew that my household would have enough food for some time. I spent $24 on maize flour, which served the two of us at least two meals daily.  Next, I used $10 to buy two hens for rearing. The aim is to let them breed and increase the flock as I could sell them in the future to raise money for my needs.