Having completed my hairdressing college, I am excitedly working towards starting my own salon. Although I am currently employed and saving diligently for this dream, my commission-based pay means that on slow days, I sometimes return home without earnings. With the skills and knowledge acquired from my training, I am confident in my ability to succeed in my own business. To launch my salon, I need approximately $600 to $700. I am optimistic that with careful saving, I will achieve this goal, elevate our living standards, and provide much-needed support to my mother, who has tirelessly worked to support our family.

I currently work in a salon and live with my family. Whenever I receive my transfers, I give my mother $30 to buy food for us. Since my father passed away, my mother has been supporting us, and I feel good being able to help ease some of her expenses. I also have four siblings in school, and I spent $30 to cover their school fees to ensure their education remains uninterrupted. I am working towards starting my own salon and am saving diligently for this goal. Each month, I allocate a portion of my transfer—though not a fixed amount, but whatever I can—to this venture. With this transfer, I set aside $40 towards opening my salon and used the remaining $14 for daily expenses and any activities that may arise before my next pay and transfer.

Working as a hairstylist in a salon on commission isn't as fulfilling as I hoped because I don't get to retain all my earnings. However, my ultimate aspiration is to run my own salon, where I have autonomy over my business. To realize this dream, I'm committed to diligent work and save. I've decided to allocate $15 from my monthly transfer towards this objective. The support from Give Directly is immensely appreciated; it feels like a beacon of hope shining at the end of a challenging journey. With determination and the assistance of Give Directly, I'm optimistic about turning my dream of owning a salon into a reality. By saving diligently and persevering through challenges, I believe I can achieve financial independence and fulfill my aspirations.

When my father fell ill, I had to spend $30 on transportation to and from the hospital, prioritizing his health above all else. Additionally, I set aside $10 to purchase personal clothes, ensuring I had presentable attire. A significant portion of $39 went towards buying food, crucial for sustaining our family's well-being during challenging times. Furthermore, I invested $2500 in paying fees for my younger sibling's education, recognizing its importance for their future. With my mother primarily engaged in small-scale farming, I've taken on the responsibility of supporting her financially to care for our four siblings and meet their daily needs. Despite the loss of my father, Give Directly's support has been instrumental in relieving us of the financial burden we face during this difficult time.

I am determined to open my own hair salon using the Givedirectly transfers. I will also equip it with top-notch beauty products. My goal extends beyond personal success; I aspire to create employment opportunities for others in my community. Additionally, I will position it at a shopping center, aiming to attract a diverse clientele. In the end of it I will have a stable source of income and I'm so excited about the journey ahead.

Due to receiving the Givedirectly transfers my perspective of life has really changed. I feel some sense of hope and possibilities. I made a decision to save $30 from the monthly cash transfer, my intention being to open my own salon. Currently employed and paid on commission, I believe that having my own salon will not only boost my income but also allow me to apply the skills I gained from studying hairdressing and beauty. It's a dream I've held onto for a while, and now, thanks to the cash transfer, it's becoming a reality. I then contributed $45 to support our household. My family has faced challenges, especially with my father being unwell and unable to work – he was our sole breadwinner. With five younger siblings and my mother taking care of my father, the household relies on me and the monthly cash transfers while My mother uses her funds to cover my siblings' school requirements, ensuring they are in school despite our financial difficulties. This support not only uplifts my family but also brings a sense of stability during a challenging time. Finally, I took a moment to care for myself, spending $27 on personal items. The assistance from GiveDirectly has provided me with a form of independence, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.

My goal is to establish my own salon and beauty shop following the completion of my pending final examinations in December. Instead of seeking employment, I aspire to use the skills and knowledge I've acquired during my time at the hairdressing and beauty college to create a sustainable source of income to support my family. To achieve this, I am committed to saving a minimum of $20 from my monthly earnings, with the aim of launching my business by the beginning of next year.

I received the transfers at a time when I was in dire need of money. I was enrolled in a hairdressing college, and I had already completed my studies, with only my final exams pending due to the lack of examination fees. Faced with this challenge, I decided to seek employment to gather the necessary funds, but the money I had collected was still insufficient. Fortunately, GiveDirectly sent me the transfers, and upon receiving the amount of $34.70, I wasted no time. I combined it with the money I had saved and promptly paid the full examination fee. The immense relief I felt is beyond words, and I will forever remain grateful, knowing that I will finally be able to sit for my exams in December.

I would like to expand and improve my hairdressing business in the upcoming years. Currently, my salon lacks essential equipment such as hair dryers and blow-dry machines, which would enhance the quality of services I provide to my customers. Additionally, by bringing these services to my village, I can save people the inconvenience of traveling to distant towns for such services. To acquire these necessary items, I plan to set aside a portion of each month's cash transfers. I have confidence that the continued support of the cash aid will help me turn this dream into a reality and grow my business.

Three months ago, I embarked on establishing a hairdressing business, and with each cash transfer, I have been able to gradually develop it further. My vision goes beyond providing basic hairdressing services; I aspire to offer a wide range of hair and beauty products, eliminating the need for my clients to travel long distances to access these items. This expansion will not only enhance customer satisfaction but also increase my earnings. With every cash transfer I receive, I allocate $20 toward purchasing hair extensions and hair oil to expand my product inventory. Although I am still on the path to achieving my desired level of financial stability, I am content with the progress I have made thus far, all thanks to the support of the cash transfers. After investing in my business, I allocate the remaining $14 to support my household expenses, particularly food. Being able to contribute to the needs of my family and assist my father gives me a sense of fulfillment.

I completed my primary education, and due to some financial constraints, I wasn't able to further my studies to the high school level. My parents didn't have enough resources to take me through high school. And for sure, surviving with a primary school certificate alone was not enough, I needed a skill that I could build on, and earn some money through. As a result of the program, I enrolled in college to pursue a course in hairdressing and beauty. I was able to pay my own fees through the transfers without depending on my parents. Though my aim is to open my own beauty salon, I am delighted that I completed this training and have a job.

During the time which the transfers were being sent out, it was almost Christmas and therefore we were preparing for the festivities. The funds were a surety thar nourishment was not going to be a problem over the holiday. That is why I ended up spending KES 2,400 in buying a bag of maize flour which contained a dozen packets so that I could assist my parents as well. Afterwards I spent the remaining balance of KES 1,000 on purchasing a couple of new clothes for myself and a pair of shoes.

I am the firstborn in a family of six children and recently enrolled in the college of hairdressing and beauty. The tuition fee is $50 every month and my parents cannot raise the tuition fee because my siblings are still in school. I used $20 of the cash received for my tuition and used the remaining $10 to buy personal items like sanitary towels. The monthly transfers have made it easier for my parents to raise my monthly tuition because of the financial challenges the family has been going through. I am grateful for the support received from Give directly.

I am grateful for the unconditional funds from Give Directly. The funds have helped me pay for my school fees and ensure that I stay in school and continue with my education. However, I would like to urge the organization to increase the monthly transfer so that it can be helpful for me in paying school fees and also for my upkeep while in school.

I am a student pursuing my secondary school education as a form three student. The major challenge I have faced is the lack of school fees to pay for my education. I depend heavily on my father, who is a driver driving transport vehicles. Because of the scarcity of jobs, my father cannot earn enough from his job. When I received my transfer, I opted to spend KES 2000 to pay for my school so that I remain in school and continue with my studies. Besides paying school fees, I spent the remaining KES 1000 for my upkeep buying food. I am in day school and I have to buy food and other personal effects to help continue with my learning comfortably.

For 3 months, I have been at home due to the KES 10000 school fee arrears that my father has been unable to raise. His job as a driver does not bring in much to support my five siblings and I. On that evening when I saw the message from give directly, I was filled with so much joy, as I saw the hope of resuming my classes to finish my course in hairdressing and beauty. My plan was to save up KES 2,000 towards the payment of my school fees but since I received 1,200 as I had taken a phone, I saved KES 500 instead.

I have been through so many hardships in my life, especially, when it came to the timely payment of my school fees. My father is the sole breadwinner of the family, works as a driver, and earns very little. So, he would really struggle to meet the family's needs. Now that I'm receiving these funds, I have seen a great difference in my life. I am now hopeful that I will finish my course in hairdressing and beauty. I also do not need to ask my father for money to buy some personal essentials as I can now afford them.

I was meant to graduate this month with a certificate course in hairdressing and beauty. Unfortunately, due to the school fee arrears of KES 10000, I have not been allowed in class for 3 months now. I stayed home waiting on my father, who works as a driver, to gather the funds so I could continue with my studies, and hopefully graduate in August. When I received the transfer, I saved KES 500 towards the payment of my school fees, and the remaining KES 700 I used to restock our house with some nourishments.