I want to buy a 50 by 100 plot, somewhere away from where I currently stay, so that I can move out. I am already living on a similar-sized piece of land, but I want to increase the space and secure a new location for the future. To raise the money for this new plot, I’ve leased a farm, and I’m planning to plant maize. Once I harvest, I’ll sell the maize and use that money to buy the new land. I am optimistic about the plan, confident that the maize would bring in enough funds to make this dream a reality.

When GiveDirectly came to our village, everyone was given money without leaving out anyone. This has brought about a lot of cohesion in the village because no one felt left out or less important. It was good to see everyone treated equally, and this has made people more united. Everything was well explained to us, and we understood how the process would work from the start. Everything we needed to know was explained well. To this point, I do not see anything that needs to be changed about the program.

When I received the cash transfer, my first thought was to help my brother in college. He had arrears of $100, and without clearing them, he couldn’t attend his classes. I knew how important it was for him to stay in school, so I took care of that immediately. I also had to support my niece, who is in Form 1. She had been sent home because of unpaid school fees, so I used $80 to settle her dues and get her back to school. Next, I decided to improve my living conditions. I spent $100 on a bed, two plastic chairs, a mattress, and some curtains because the ones I had were worn out, and I needed a fresh start. I also used $15 as a deposit for a pay-as-you-go solar system since I had been relying on a torch for lighting at night. Having proper light at home was a small but significant change. The rest of the money went into long-term investments. I bought construction metals for $30, planning to use them for building soon. I also used $100 to lease an acre of land where I’ll plant maize next year. This way, I’m hoping to increase my income and ensure food security. Every coin I spent was purposeful, addressing immediate needs while also securing my future.

It was around 4:00 PM, and I was in my neighbor's maize field irrigating his land to earn a living. As I hurried to finish before sunset, my phone buzzed with a message notification. Pausing my work, I checked my phone and was overjoyed to see a Mpesa notification confirming that I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. While almost everyone in my village had received theirs the previous month, I was not worried since I trusted GiveDirectly to keep their promise. Thank you, GiveDirectly, for the support!

The biggest difference in my life since receiving the transfer is finally being able to farm my own land. I've always admired my friends who farm, as it seems very rewarding. It usually pains me to lease out my land due to a lack of money for farm inputs. I do casual work to make a living, but the income from this is too little to provide for my two children and meet other expenses. Thanks to GiveDirectly, I used part of the recent transfer to buy vegetable seeds that I plan to plant. This will help me earn an income and better provide for my children.

I had been looking forward to improving my sleep because the bed and mattress I was using were very old and worn out, making it uncomfortable and risky for falling. When I received the first transfer, the first thing I bought was a new bed and mattress for $60. I am super happy that since replacing the bed, I eagerly look forward to the evening, knowing I will have a comfortable and restful sleep after a tiring day. I also bought new uniforms for my two children using $30. Their old uniforms were torn, which made them feel embarrassed and excluded. With new uniforms, they now feel more confident and included. In addition, I usually lease out half an acre of land due to a lack of funds for farming. However, with the transfer, I was able to farm the land myself. I spent $15 on vegetable seeds, planning to cultivate them for commercial purposes. I used the remaining amount to buy food for my family of four, ensuring we had enough to eat.