Even though the drought has been relentless, and its persistence has resulted in poor farm productivity, I still hold onto the hope of improving my farming activities, especially livestock farming. During a good season, this can be a reliable way to generate enough income from surplus produce to cover my children's school fees. My son and I continue to search for scarce casual jobs and save up to facilitate land preparation and planting in the upcoming season. I am hopeful that we will receive more rain towards December, allowing us to plant short-season crops, which is our goal.

Since GiveDirectly entered our village, they have been doing an amazing job that we all take pride in. The transformation across the entire village is evident, and we appreciate the freedom they gave us to spend the funds as we saw fit, addressing the unique challenges in our households. While others eagerly await such support, we have never stopped hoping for another round in the future. I am deeply thankful and can only hope that everyone receiving this support will use it wisely to improve their living standards.

Apart from subsistence farming, which used to be the primary source of income for my family of four until unreliable weather conditions disrupted it, I also relied on casual labor. My son and I have been working tirelessly, earning at least $4 a day, to ensure we have enough money for food and school fees for his sibling. I am incredibly grateful for the support from GiveDirectly, which has allowed me to accomplish so much. With the third transfer, I paid $100 in school fees for my two children, who are preparing for their final primary school exams. I also invested another $100 in purchasing two goats, hoping to breed them and use their offspring for future school fee payments when my children transition to secondary school. Additionally, I spent $70 on a sack of maize, which has been a crucial food supplement alongside our daily earnings from casual labor. For a long time, we used water cans as makeshift chairs because I could not afford furniture after constructing my house. I am delighted that I finally managed to acquire two tables and two plastic chairs, all for $26. As I prepare for the challenging period when my children will be entering secondary school, I have saved the remaining $154 to facilitate their transition early next year.

My goal is to make sure that all three of my kids stay in school, therefore I make sure to find and pay their tuition. This will enable them to do well in school and succeed in life, and possibly take care of me in my old age as well. When my kids graduate from school, I'll be a happy mother!

What I appreciate about Givedirectly is that I have complete control over how I spend the cash; no one can make me do anything against my will. My opinion was that everything was done well and keep doing the good work!

Three of my children and I currently reside in a single home; among them is my son, who is presently a class eight student. When my son was old enough to need his own room, I had planned to construct him one, but I lacked the money to do so. I decided to dedicate $150 of my second transfer to the project since I thought it was a fantastic opportunity when I received the transfer. My daughter, who attends the polytechnic, accounted for a sizable portion of the $180 that I spent on all three of my children's school expenses. I bought two goats for $90 with the remaining transfer, and I also paid $42 for food.

While I was at the shopping center, my son approached me with the unexpected news that GiveDirectly had sent me money. I had entrusted him with the responsibility of handling the Mpesa transaction, and I was filled with disbelief and joy. It was by far the most uplifting news I had received in a long time. Overwhelmed with happiness, we returned home and began discussing plans for cashing out the money. I am deeply grateful for the support that has significantly transformed my life.

Since receiving the cash transfers, I have achieved a lot in a relatively short period, particularly with my long-awaited purchase of plastic chairs. It brings me great joy to see my dreams come true without any obstacles. Additionally, I was able to pay for my son's secondary school fees, which would have been a significant challenge in the past. I am grateful for the assistance that has greatly improved our lives and brought happiness into our home.

After receiving the transfer, I realized that it was the perfect opportunity to buy plastic chairs for my guests, as we previously had none and resorted to using stones as seats. As a farmer, my income is heavily reliant on weather conditions, which can be harsh at times. With six children to provide for, including two still in school, I decided to allocate $14 towards purchasing plastic chairs and an additional $15 for a table. Additionally, I used $100 to pay for my children's school fees, purchase two jerry cans for water storage, and buy some food supplies. I am extremely content and grateful for all that I have been able to achieve with this assistance.