I faced the unfortunate closure of my hotel business due to challenges in raising the rent from its own proceeds. This led me to seek an alternative income source, and I secured a job as a nanny. While contemplating my next steps, I am mindful of the program's imminent conclusion and aspire to create a lasting memory from it, coupled with the establishment of a growing investment. In light of this, I have decided to invest in livestock, specifically goats, which thrive in this environment. Upon receiving the cumulative savings from my monthly savings plan, I plan to allocate them towards the purchase of goats. Having sufficient time on my hands now allows me to care for and nurture them effectively. These goats hold significant value for me. They serve as a financial resource during emergencies, providing a safety net. Moreover, when I finalize a new business idea, the goats can be sold to generate the necessary capital. This strategy ensures that the investment continues to yield returns even after the program concludes, offering both stability and the potential for future entrepreneurial pursuits.

I have been setting aside $10 from my monthly transfers, creating a savings fund that provides me with the flexibility to address needs beyond what the regular monthly allocation covers. This financial cushion has proven invaluable for pursuing more substantial goals, like investing in livestock or acquiring higher-priced household items. The remainder of my transfers has played a crucial role in meeting ongoing commitments, particularly in supporting my child's education. In October, a portion of the transfer, amounting to $10, contributed to covering part of the required school fees. These funds have been instrumental in ensuring my child's access to education, including the provision of school uniforms. Additionally, the transfers were pivotal in sustaining a hotel business I operated. They helped meet the rent requirements for the premises, but unfortunately, due to the business's challenges and inability to be self-sustaining, it eventually collapsed. Since the closure of the business, I have come to depend on the transfers for essential needs such as food and clothing, as they have become a lifeline in the face of this setback. Despite the challenges, the $100 monthly savings remain a beacon of hope, enabling me to work towards larger aspirations and navigate the financial impact of recent business hardships.

My aim has been to leave a Mark in my life through this Givedirectly transfers. I purchased a water tank, a bed, goats and chicken which will serve as a reminder of the change that being a recipient of this cash transfers had on my life. I am planning to buy my child a mattress since she is currently sleeping with me so she can have a place of her own to sleep. I also would like to strengthen the foundation of our house by adding a stone layer as the house is a mud house to ensure it does not crumble and fall for any reason.

The transfers I have received from Givedirectly have proven productive in my life. I have been able to purchase food, support my husband who works in the city, join a savings group as well as bought livestock. In July I spent my cash transfers paying exam fees for my child $2, I bought a chicken worth $4, I bought shopping exceeding $10 over the month. In August I spent $2 again on exam fees, I saved $10 to an informal savings group, and also got food at $10. In the month of September I sent my husband $5 as he was stuck financially, I bought medicine for my goat worth $5.5, I bought toiletries at about $5, I got shoes at $1.5 and clothes for my child at $2, I bought food rolling over the month worth more that $15 from my transfers.

My main goal is to ensure that my daughter gets her own bed. I have a daughter aged 7 years, and it had always been my wish to get her her own bedding since currently, we share one bed with her, and considering her age, I believe it is not the right thing. I had already paid some amount of money to a carpenter and before the month comes to an end, I shall have paid the remaining balance and later buy her a mattress with some savings that I already have.

I received the transfers at a time I was in dire need of money because I had some pending projects that I needed to complete. I have a daughter aged 7 years, and it had always been my wish to get her her own bedding since currently, we share one bed with her, and considering her age, I believe it is not the right thing. I had therefore started paying for her bed and till now, I had some pending amount that I needed to settle. The recent transfer that I received was of great help because I managed to pay an amount of $20 and I know that in the few coming weeks, I shall have acquired it. I also paid for her examination fees worth $3 which was needed to allow her to sit for the tests. With the remaining amount of 11.70, I managed to buy food to take us for a few weeks. I will forever remain grateful for the support that GiveDirectly accord us.

I had owned a little eatery but I temporarily closed it. We eventually spent the majority of the funds intended for the stock because it was at that point our primary source of income. Since then, I haven't been able to reinstate it because I lack the funds, but now that GiveDirectly has guaranteed me a monthly stipend, I want to do so. To accomplish this, I plan to gradually buy the necessary stock each month with the goal of launching the business in six months. I'll buy my daughter, who is seven, a bed and mattress with some of the profit I get from it once it's up and running. When the father is not around, we share a bed, but when he travels from Mombasa town, where he works, it becomes difficult

I am a mother of one daughter with a small food kiosk in our village. Although it does not generate more income, I am grateful that I can always use it to supplement my food budget. My husband, daughter, and I make up our family of three. My husband works as a matatu driver. We always run out of food because our incomes are insufficient. There was no food at home at the time the transfer was sent, so I spent $ 12 on food for my family. In addition, I spent $10 to promote my business, which is growing but not very well due to the increase in food prices. Finally, I spent $12 on a water tank to store water for my family's consumption. These have had a positive impact on my life, and I am grateful to GiveDirectly for its prompt assistance.

A month before I started receiving funds from this organization I had actually open my own business where I ran a restaurant. Lucky for me, soon after I started receiving donations from Givedirectly and this has been helping me keep my business afloat. Similarly this time around I used KES 2,050 out of the transfers that I received and purchased six packets of wheat flour, three kilograms of beans and a sack of charcoal of which all went to my business. I followed by using KES 450 to acquire two packets of maize flour, groceries and sardines. Eventually I was left with a balance of KES 500 which I ended up using on buying two pairs of shoes one happened to be mine and the other one for my child.

GiveDirectly is doing an amazing job because through the funds it has offered me sustainability of my business. Through the funds I can keep my business running incase of any financial shortages I experience which helps me be confident that my business will succeed and keep standing.

During the month of March I decided to venture into starting my own business where I opened a restaurant close to a school due to high chances of having customers in that location. Before opening the restaurant I had no job and that is why I decided to start something for myself that would keep me busy and help me sustain my day to day needs and that of my family. So as soon as I received the funds, I added it as part of my capital that will help me keep the business afloat, that is why I invested KES 2,000 from the funds I had received and bought a couple of items that included five packets of wheat flour, two kilograms of sugar, charcoal, two kilograms of rice, three kilograms of beans and tea leaves just to mention a few items. Meanwhile I used the balance that had remained which was KES 1,000 and finished paying for my daughters tuition.

I received a notification of an incoming message from my phone just before going to bed. When I read the message it was money received in my mpesa account. I was excited but confused as to where the cash came from.I called some of my friend to confirm whether they received the same message. I was so pleased that night to know that the money came from GiveDirectly.

The biggest difference in my life is the support I received in my business through the cash transfers. I am happy that the money helped me and supported my business at its lowest.I am also planning to buy a new bed and bedding for my six year old child who has been sharing the same bed with me and his father.

My passion has is venturing into the food industry .During my enrollment in the support program ,I opened my cafeteria because currently food is the only business I could think of especially with the drought and farmine took the best of our farm produce.I received my transfer when the business was thriving.I spent the entire amount to expand my business by buying some of the foodstuff like charcoal, flour sugar and cooking oil.Business is flourishing and am glad that at my lowest am making a profit of KES 200 per day and on the highest am making KES 400.