In the coming year, I hope to purchase a solar lighting system for our home. Currently, I use a paraffin lantern, but paraffin is costly, and this method is not sustainable. To make this happen, I plan to save from my future transfers so I can put down a deposit on the solar lighting system. Once it’s installed, I will make small monthly payments, allowing us to enjoy reliable and cost-effective lighting. I am deeply appreciative of the support that’s helping me improve our quality of life.

I live with my young granddaughter, who is currently attending primary school. I support her education by covering her school fees, and recently I spent $30 to ensure she could continue attending without any interruptions due to unpaid fees. I am thankful that she was able to complete her third term and sit for her end-of-term exams without any outstanding balances. With the remaining $72, I purchased food and water for us. The ongoing drought has dried up our nearby water sources, so I now have to buy water from vendors, who charge very high prices. Walking long distances to fetch water is difficult for me, so I am grateful for the financial support that allows me to cover this need. Although I am unable to farm due to the lack of rain, these transfers are helping me provide for myself and my granddaughter.

My goal for the coming year and beyond is to save more money and pay for my granddaughter's school fees. When I was young, girl child education was not a priority, and I never received the education I wanted. I want to secure my granddaughter's future by ensuring she gets the best education possible. This will provide her with a bright future. I am very appreciative of the financial support from the cash transfers, which have helped me live a better life.

As an elderly woman, I rely heavily on farming as my primary source of income. However, this year has been particularly challenging due to climate change. The hot and dry weather has made it nearly impossible to grow crops, severely impacting my ability to earn a living. Thankfully, with the help of financial transfers, I was able to meet my immediate needs. I spent $30 on school fees for my granddaughter, allowing her to stay in school and sit for her end-of-term exams. Unfortunately, I fell ill and had to spend $20 on a hospital visit and medication. I'm happy to report that my health has improved significantly. With the remaining $52, I purchased food and water, ensuring that my granddaughter and I had plenty to eat. The financial support has been a blessing, helping me provide a good education for my granddaughter despite our unstable income.

Now that I have secured a roof over my head, my next goal is to invest my upcoming transfers in purchasing livestock, particularly goats. I see this as a wise investment strategy, especially considering that the financial transfers will cease after five years. By acquiring goats, I anticipate their multiplication over this period, providing me with a sustainable source of income beyond the five-year timeframe. I am immensely grateful for the support I have received from the transfers, as it has significantly improved my quality of life and provided me with hope for the future.

After my husband passed away a few years ago, I moved in with my grandson for companionship during a difficult period of loneliness. However, after a year, I felt it was time to return to my marital home, only to find that the house had collapsed. With the financial assistance from my grandson and the $34 received from the transfers, I was able to construct a new two-room house with mud walls and an iron-sheet roof. I am grateful for the funds from the transfers, as they provided me with a comfortable and secure place to live. Upon returning to my marital home, I could not bear the idea of living alone, so I brought along my granddaughter, Rukia, to live with me in the same house. She is a second-grade student, requires monthly school fees of $18, totaling $36 for the last term to ensure her uninterrupted education. The remainder of the transfers, $32, was used to purchase food. Last year, heavy rains and flooding washed away all the crops we had planted, resulting in a meager harvest of only one full bracket of maize. Despite my advancing age and diminishing strength, I continue to work on my one-acre farm and remain hopeful for a better harvest this year, which will ensure an adequate food supply for both my granddaughter and I. I am deeply grateful for the transfers, as they have significantly contributed to providing me with a dignified and comfortable life amidst various challenges.

In my upcoming transfer, I have made plans to address a few important needs in my house. Firstly, I intend to install a door to enhance both my personal safety and the security of my belongings. This addition will provide a sense of protection and peace of mind. Another item on my list is purchasing a bed to improve my comfort while sleeping. Currently, I rely on a mattress placed directly on the ground, which can feel chilly at times. Having a proper bed will not only offer better insulation but also ensure a warmer and more comfortable sleeping experience. Additionally, I am considering investing in a solar panel. This will serve multiple purposes, including illuminating my house effectively and enabling convenient charging of my mobile phone. By harnessing solar energy, I will be able to save money that would have otherwise been spent on phone charging services. These planned improvements are aimed at enhancing my overall living conditions, providing a safer and more comfortable environment, and allowing for increased convenience in daily life.

In January of this year, I made the decision to return to my birthplace and engage in farming. Due to the lack of a reliable source of income and the challenges posed by the drought, I had been residing at my grandson's place. Before embarking on this new chapter, I recognized the need to construct a sturdy house, as the previous one had collapsed. To accomplish this, I procured three pieces of iron sheets for a total of $30.5. As I progressed with the project, I acquired the necessary 20 pieces of iron sheets, which would be sufficient to cover a two-roomed house. Additionally, I purchased building poles at a cost of $2 per pole. To further support the construction efforts, I diligently saved $70 to cover the labor fees associated with erecting the house. I am delighted to share that, thanks to the financial transfers I received, I am now the proud owner of a spacious house. This accomplishment has alleviated a significant burden, enabling me to shift my focus towards farming my land. After enduring an extended period of drought in our region, we are finally receiving much-needed rainfall. I am filled with gratitude for the financial assistance provided through the transfers, which has eased my difficulties. Currently, I am happily settled and dedicated to achieving self-reliance and financial stability.

At my advanced age, I cannot do strenuous activities to fend for myself. As of now, Give Directly’s cash transfers are my major source of income. My goal in the next few years is to establish an investment that will continue generating money even after the financial aid ends. I find livestock keeping to be a perfect choice since I can easily sell the animals as the herd grows to cover my needs. Despite the financial constraints on my shoulders, I wish to have bought at least four goats by the end of this year. 

Before I started receiving the cash transfers, I stayed with my grandson, particularly for provision because I had no one to take of me at my matrimonial home. As the money continued coming in, I gradually gained some independence and I decided to move back home. Ever since Give Directly’s cash aid has been my only source of income which puts food on the table and covers other expenses. Recently, I bought a bed worth $20, as I used to sleep on the floor; my previous bed had broken. Also, since the household had run out of maize flour the previous night, I spent the remaining amount on food. Am happy that am able to provide for my basic needs, without having to rely on my grandson. 

In my opinion, GiveDirectly is a life-changing organization. It came to uplift us from the poverty situation we were into another level where we also see ourselves as human beings. I strongly support cash transfer because it makes people choose their preferences rather than being imposed to do things they are not desperate for.

Since I do not have children who are in school, and I am a widow, the biggest challenge I was passing through was the scarcity of food and water. Therefore, I opted to use the whole amount of $30 to buy some food and water because I do not have anyone to look after me. Currently, I am living happily because I have access to enough food not like before when I was living a sorrowful life.

At approximately ten in the morning, I had just returned from a far-off water pan where I had gone to get water for my house usage. I got a text message on my phone when I was taking a break outside my home. As soon as I realized I had gotten my first transfer, I promptly checked the phone and was completely startled. Tears streamed down my cheeks and my heart was flooded with delight. The news that I had received the money was wonderful since it ensured that I wouldn't go to bed hungry.

I am thrilled with how much the transfer improved my life. Due to my present difficult financial condition, going to bed hungry has become a habit for me. With the transfer, I was able to stock my home with plenty of food to prevent us from being famished for more than a week.

To put food on the table for our daily meals, my granddaughter and I work very hard. I fully depend on my granddaughter who earns a living by washing clothes for other people.    She does not have any savings because her meager income is only enough to cover her daily food expenses. We occasionally have to go to bed without eating because we lack the funds to buy food. We can only afford to buy a very little amount of food merely to survive, which is one reason why the extremely high costs of commodities are a contributing component to our situation. As a result, when I got my first transfer, I mostly used it to purchase food. I purchased one kilogram of sugar, two kilos of beans, and three packets of maize flour. Along with purchasing food, I invested the remaining KES 400 in a hen for the future. When it multiplies, I'll sell some and utilize the proceeds to meet my requirements.