I realize that I'll need to find a job in order to raise the funds to start my cyber cafe. Unfortunately, my poultry farming investment took a hit when a disease wiped out all my chickens, leaving me feeling disheartened. I'm currently weighing my options, especially since poultry feed is quite expensive. Despite this setback, I'm determined to save up enough money to fulfill my dream of opening a cyber cafe, a passion I've had since my university days. My friends who used to operate a cyber cafe have encouraged me to pursue this venture, and I believe it has the potential to be a successful and financially rewarding business. I'm committed to saving a portion of my income every month, and a friend has suggested that I could use the $500 from my poultry farming proceeds to start the cyber cafe. This business endeavor will also allow me to provide support for my seven younger siblings, all of whom are currently in school.

Coming from a humble background has taught me to manage my finances wisely and not make impulsive purchases. With my most recent transfer, I used $60 to pay my house rent. As a teacher, I work in a school that is very far from my home. To save on daily commuting expenses, I decided to use the money this way. I also spent $2 on food, considering it a basic necessity and a source of energy for carrying out household chores. The remaining $22 was used to repair our bicycle, which is essential for movement around our home.

I currently invest in chickens, with a total of twenty at the moment. My plan is to sell them when they hatch, allowing me to acquire goats in exchange. With goats, I aim to build up their numbers through breeding and eventually sell them. My goal is to use the money I get to establish my own cyber cafe, where I can assist students with their assignments. To achieve this dream, I estimate that I will need $700 to kickstart the business. The income from both the goats and my salary will serve as the foundation for me to start my own cyber.

I am a teacher hired by the Parents, Teachers Association to teach at Msabaa Primary. Besides teaching, I invest in chickens. Currently, I have twenty chickens, and I ensure to purchase more each month. I bought chickens for $15 and spent an additional $15 on their food and medicine. Investing in chickens is beneficial as they can multiply easily, providing a source of income during financial challenges.To enhance my appearance, I used $20 from my transfer to purchase clothes. Additionally, I allocated $18 towards rent to avoid eviction. The remaining $34 was spent on food as I had nothing to eat at home.

I am eager to start a cyber business where I will assist students with their assignments. As a teacher, seeing my students succeed brings me great joy. Now, I aim to extend that support beyond the classroom, making learning about computers easier and more accessible for them. I am planning to start it when my savings and salary are enough to open the cyber. I am yet to do research on how much will be needed to start this business.

I am currently working at Main Heart Secondary School in Malindi, where I have to pay rent for my accommodation. I paid $18 for my rent with the transfer that I received from GiveDirectly. Before I was selected to receive my monthly transfers, I had begun a chicken rearing business, but unfortunately, it was affected by diseases, and all the chickens died. I wasn't financially stable enough to buy the necessary drugs and chicken feeds needed. With the transfer, I plan to buy chickens each month to restart my business. I spent the remaining transfer of $16 purchasing three chickens that made me really happy.

In the coming year, I've set goals for myself and my family. Firstly, I plan to revive my poultry business, which I know has great returns. To make this happen, I will need to investment $150 and I've already started a saving plan. My other goal for the upcoming year is to open a cyber cafe in our village. We only have one, and their services are quite limited. This venture not only fulfills a personal dream but also has the potential to provide valuable services to our community while supporting my family financially. I'm excited about the journey ahead and am determined to turn these plans into reality.

I used to run a poultry rearing business while also working as a casual laborer, but my life took a difficult turn when my job ended and an outbreak of poultry disease wiped out my entire flock. My parents are casual laborers, and often go for months without any earnings. This is so challenging for my family, especially with my seven younger siblings attending school. I can't put into words how grateful I am for the GiveDirectly transfers. First, I was unwell, I spent $34 on medical expenses. Secondly, I used $34 to clear an outstanding fees arrears that were holding my school certificates and immediately I got a job. This month, I spent the $34 to clear all my debts and relocated to my new station starting a fresh chapter in my life. GiveDirectly has brought a positive transformation in my life and allowed me to provide essential support to my family during their times of need.

In the past, I used to run a chicken-rearing project. Unfortunately, I had to halt the project when pox diseases started spreading in our neighborhood. To mitigate the risks, I sold the entire flock, hoping to revive the project at a later time. However, financial constraints have consistently hindered my ability to allocate funds toward restarting the chicken-rearing venture. My priority has always been supporting my siblings' education and ensuring we have enough food on the table. Nevertheless, I aspire to rebuild the project in the near future, as it would be a significant accomplishment for me. I believe I still possess the necessary skills to nurture poultry, and I have gained additional knowledge on disease containment to ensure the health and well-being of a flock.

Every time I receive the cash transfers, my primary intention is to alleviate some of the burdens my father faces and support our household needs. Being a carpenter, there are times when my father struggles to find work due to the seasonal nature of his job. During these periods, it becomes challenging for him to provide for my younger siblings, who are still attending school. This was the situation we were facing when I received the recent cash transfers. Not only were my siblings unable to attend school due to unpaid fees, but our family also constantly ran out of food. My sister even missed several days of school. To address these issues, I used $26 from the transfers to settle their tuition balances, and they happily resume their studies. The remaining amount was used to purchase more food and sanitary essentials for the household.

My main objective for the money I would receive this year is to start a chicken farming business that will help me provide for my family. Additionally, I intend to utilize this money to assist my parents in covering the tuition costs for my eight siblings. Since they already struggle to make ends meet, they will require financial assistance

My high school-aged brother had been staying with us for a week at the time I was receiving the money from the organization since my parents were having trouble paying his tuition. So I made the decision to help out my family and spent KES 2,500 from the transfers to cover his costs. In addition, my four other siblings who were in primary school at the time had also been expelled. As a result, I had to spend an additional KES 500 to pay off their debts so that they could return to school. I eventually had the remaining KES 400, which I chose to use to buy a hen.

I am appreciative to the organization for assisting us by providing us with unconditional transfers. The cash will assist me in becoming financially stable and meeting all of my daily needs by investing in income-generating businesses. However, I would urge the organization to recruit more individuals from drought-stricken communities and assist them in navigating life in this difficult period.

I finished my tertiary studies in education four years ago. By the time I finished my studies, I had acquired a total debt of $964 in school fee arrears. Our family's bad financial situation was the reason for amassing such massive debt. My mother sold all of our possessions, including animals, but we still couldn't pay off the loan. As a result, my academic papers were withheld by the institution until I paid the arrears in full. Since then, I've done odd tasks like building people's houses, fetching water, and briefly teaching students at neighboring primary schools. I was able to accumulate enough money to pay off a significant portion of my debt. When I received my second transfer, I used it to pay off the little amount of debt so that I could acquire my academic certifications. I am confident that after I get the certifications, I will be able to find a decent paying job. This would assist alleviate the financial hardship I am now experiencing as a result of extreme poverty.

I was relaxing at home at around 8 p.m. when I received a message on my phone confirming the receipt of my first transfer from Give Directly. I felt a wave of relief rushing over me. My goal of clearing my university fee balance was brought closer through this transfer.

The greatest difference in my life since I received the transfer is the ability to save more towards settling my university fee balance that has been pending since I completed my studies in 2018. I am hopeful, more than ever, that through the next few cash transfers, I will be able to settle the debt by January 2023.

After I completed my Bachelor's degree in Education in 2018, I did not graduate because of a pending school fee balance of KES 146,000. Throughout the four years, I have been taking on various jobs search as a teaching, clerical officer role, and casual tasks in house construction to clear the balance. To date, I have managed to settle a bigger percentage leaving a balance of KES 26,000. My focus right now is sourcing funds from every opportunity I get to clear with the institution, obtain my certificate, and search for employment. This is why I saved the entire transfer amount for that course. If all goes well, I intend to have cleared the debt by early next year.