For many years, I have supported myself and my family through physically demanding construction jobs. However, as I grow older, I am finding it increasingly difficult to continue with this line of work. I understand that these jobs pay meagre wages, and I need to look for other options to provide for my family. I have seven children who go to school and depend on me for their support. To secure a better future for them, I have decided to start a grocery shop that specializes in selling fruits and vegetables. I plan to save my transfers and sell some of my goats to raise the capital required to start this business. My aim is to create a reliable source of income that will not only help me support my family but also provide for my children's education. By doing so, I hope to reduce our dependency on manual labour jobs that are often scarce and unpredictable. Through this grocery shop, I want to create a stable and sustainable business that will help me secure a better future for my family and provide them with educational opportunities beyond the challenges posed by manual labour.

Upon receiving the transfer, I immediately directed funds towards the urgent medical needs of my ailing wife and two children. Allocating $68 for their treatment brought me immense relief, and I am grateful that they received proper care. This enabled my children to promptly return to school following their recovery. Managing the medical bills independently could have delayed the treatment, underscoring the importance of the timely financial support provided. In addition, I invested $30 in acquiring a goat, expanding my livestock holdings. Given our reliance on casual jobs, such investments prove valuable, supplementing the meager income from casual jobs. Currently, I own five goats, and I intend to foster their reproduction for a larger herd. This investment holds significance, not only as a safety net for potential disruptions in my children's education but also as a means to generate funds for their academic pursuits. With seven children in school, the prospect of utilizing the goats to cover school fees and support their educational journey brings me optimism. As a mason, subsistence farmer, and charcoal burner—occupations that often yield modest returns—the financial assistance received through transfers has been a significant relief. Witnessing my family in good health and experiencing the positive impact of goat ownership underscores the meaningful progress I've achieved thus far.

I have always held a desire to start a vegetable-selling business, but financial constraints, especially regarding food, have hindered me from pursuing this dream. I am glad that the recent rainy season enabled successful farming, and we were able to harvest enough food to sustain my family for the next few months. This provides me with an opportunity to invest the cash transfers into the business, and I am excited to take the first steps. My long-term vision is to expand this business into a kiosk, but for now, I want to establish a strong foundation. The income generated from this business will help cover school fees for my seven children and ensure they have enough food, even after the cash transfers cease.

As the primary breadwinner for my family, I rely on occasional jobs in house construction or charcoal making to provide for my wife and seven children. However, these jobs are highly unpredictable, and even when I do find work, the income I earn is often insufficient to cover our basic needs like food and school fees for my children. Fortunately, the cash transfers have lightened this burden by enabling me to meet these essential expenses. From the recent cash transfers, I allocated $8 to reduce the school fee debt for my children, which had accumulated from previous terms. I make it a priority to clear these debts to ensure that my kids do not miss classes, and I'm grateful that the cash transfers have made this possible. I also invested $9 in purchasing three hens and a goat worth $32. My main objective in acquiring these animals is to rear them, allow them to reproduce, and eventually sell them to cover my children's school fees. There was also a period when both my wife and I fell ill, and I used $25 to pay for our hospital bills. I'm relieved that we have fully recovered. With the remaining funds, I settled the debts at the shop where I had obtained food on credit over the past three months when we had not yet harvested from our farms.

The condition of my house is run-down and the iron sheets on the roof have many holes, which results in significant water leakage during rainfall. In the past, I had to endure harsh cold weather and deal with property damage due to rainwater seeping into the house. My primary objective for this year is to achieve a major milestone by completely renovating the roof. I intend to purchase iron sheets gradually until I have enough to replace the damaged ones. Additionally, apart from renovating my house, I plan on using my monthly funds to pay for my children's school fees, and I aim to clear any outstanding balances by the end of the year.

My wife and I are peasant farmers who rely on selling surplus food crops in the market for our livelihood. Unfortunately, this has become challenging due to persistent drought conditions over the past six years. To make ends meet, I have taken on manual labor jobs like constructing mud houses and burning wood for charcoal. However, the income from these jobs is insufficient to support my family of twelve, including nine children who depend on me to pay their school fees. When I received my April transfers, I prioritized clearing my children's school fees debt of $4, which was mandatory for them to sit for their end-of-term exams. With the remaining funds, I purchased five packets of 2 kg of maize flour for $9, providing much-needed food for my family. The $25 remaining was used to purchase a goat, which I consider an investment and a fallback plan in case of unforeseen financial challenges. Despite the hardships, I was grateful to have the means to address my family's immediate needs.

Due to the fact that I don't generate much money from the charcoal I burn for sale, providing for the requirements of the eleven of us in the family has been difficult. Prior to my enrollment in the program, the kids may frequently be sent home for not making their tuition payments on time. Since I joined the program, I am relieved that this is not the case because the monthly remittances have made it easier for them to pay for their educational expenditures. This year, I want to make sure that I pay their tuition on time so that they have plenty of time to study. In addition, I want to purchase a goat and three hens this year to raise as a future investment.

I have nine kids. Seven of them are in school and two are still very young. The $40 I make from my charcoal business each month is insufficient to meet all of our demands, including our children's educational costs. Enrolling in the program was the finest move because the transfers increase our household's income. The transfers I got over the past three months covered $45 of their school-related expenses and $39 of our family's food costs. As an additional investment for the future, I spent a total of $18 for six hens that I intend to raise.

Givedirectly has made my village develop. Most children are going to school which gives me hope.

My wife and I make and sell charcoal at the nearby market. I have ten children, nine are still in school and one is married. Taking care of them is a challenge but the money from the charcoal business mostly sustains us. I used the recent transfer to buy maize flour at $19, school fees at $4.6, and two chickens at $6.

I was at home with my wife on the day I received my transfer. It was late at night, and I had just returned from the site where I had worked all day. Because I was exhausted, all I wanted was a good night's sleep. Surprisingly, after checking her phone, she smiled at me. Before I could ask her what was wrong, she announced that our transfers had been sent. I was overjoyed when I checked my phone. I regained my strength and joined her in celebrating the Lord's goodness.

Because my main challenge in life had been my inability to support my family, the first transfer enabled me to purchase food that would last us several days. This has helped me because we haven't missed a meal as a family since then. It has allowed me to concentrate on my casual job of making charcoal for sale with less stressful moments. Without the initial transfer, I would not have noticed any difference in my life. I am extremely grateful to GiveDirectly.

Because I do not have a steady source of income, I resorted to charcoal making. However, the funds I raise from it are insufficient to support my family. As a result, I occasionally miss meals for my family. As a result, as soon as I received my transfer, I spent KES 800 on food for my family. I am relieved that we have had some food in the house since then. Furthermore, my other income has been used to supplement other family needs. Finally, I spent KES 400 on two hens to help me achieve my goal of poultry farming.