I do not have any developing goals so far and I am grateful for what I was able to achieve which was to construct a decent house. Before the organization came into my life I used to sleep in an unpleasant environment. One of the walls of the house collapsed a month ago and I was worried that I would be left homeless soon. I am happy that this dream has been accomplished because I now sleep in a better shelter.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly did a very good job in our village by enabling us to archive our goals. Most of us now operate businesses that are now uplifting our living standards. Also, decent houses have replaced the grass-thatched huts is a great achievement for most of us. Therefore, I do not see anything that GiveDirectly has not done well so far.

I spent part of my second transfer on buying a bicycle at KES 10000. This has been of help especial in transporting water from the dams which are about 15KM away from the villages. Previously, I have been using my own hands in carrying the jerrican and it was so tiring. I used to complain of back pains every evening. Also, I cleared the medical bill of KES 15000 for my spouse who was diagnosed with high blood pressure some months ago. He is now fairing so well courtesy of GiveDirectly. With the remaining amount, I bought foodstuffs and decent clothes for my children.

At around 10am in one of the fine days of September 2021, involuntarily I found myself ululating due to joy that filled my heart the moment I received the transfer message that GiveDirectly had honored their words of promise. I remember it was sweeping my home compound after arriving from fetching some water. I felt so happy because I have never received such an amount of money before and this made me to start believing that GiveDirectly is real after having some doubts thinking that their exercise of registering people had other agendas relating to 2022 politics rather than assisting the citizens.

Before GiveDirectly came for my rescue, things were bad, my living situation was pathetic no school fees, no food, malnutrition was affecting my children and also shelter was a problem. But GiveDirectly lit the candle at the end of the tunnel. My family and I live in a good house not as before. As the saying goes, “a hungry man is an angry man” my children couldn’t make it to school on daily basis with empty stomachs. As at now they are fulltime learners in school not only because they have some food but also their fees are taken care of.

I am a mother of 3 school-going children who are in classes 7, 5 and 2. On receiving the 1st transfer, I had already made some plans on how to spend the money on. Since my boy was becoming a grown-up (12 years now), I constructed him a house which cost KES 15000.00. I took other KES 15000.00 to renovate my house by putting cemented floor and also did some plastering. The act of plastering was to get rid of the chronic bedbugs which have been bothering my night peace. Since I was living in a mud house they were just hiding in the wall cracks. I also took KES 5000.00 and paid school fees for my children so as not to be sent back home for fees as before, KES 4000.00 I spent it on bedding and saved the rest for food and water since there is a serious water hardship in our area.