This year, my main objective is to renovate my house. The one I currently live in is quite old, with a roof that leaks severely during heavy rains, urgently needing replacement. To achieve this, I plan to utilize my savings along with any additional funds I receive. The prospect of having a better living space brings me immense satisfaction, and I'm truly thankful for this opportunity to improve my home.

For many years, our village endured a severe drought, making it hard for me to afford basic necessities like water and food. To make ends meet, I resorted to selling charcoal, but the business did not do well. However, the intervention of GiveDirectly brought about a remarkable transformation in my life. Through their support, I joined a savings group, enabling me to purchase a cow and chickens. Furthermore, I allocated $24 to buy books and uniforms for my grandchild, who was joining Junior Secondary school. Another $20 was wisely saved in our local savings group, to be used later on to buy iron roofing sheets. Additionally, $34 went towards buying storage bags to safeguard the maize I had harvested, which was at risk of spoilage due to lack of proper storage. The remaining funds went towards replenishing our food supplies, which had run out. GiveDirectly has brought a renewed sense of hope to my family, for which I am deeply thankful.

Despite my longstanding desire to build a new house, financial constraints like school fees for my grandchildren and basic needs like food have always been obstacles. The current state of my house is poor, with a corroded roof that allows water in when it rains. I hope that in the coming year, I'll be able to work towards building a new house. I plan to start by purchasing building materials such as iron sheets and building poles before hiring someone to construct the dwelling for me.

Since the beginning of the year, I have been part of a merry-go-round club with 12 members. Each month, we contribute $10 from our cash transfers, and the collected amount is given to one member in turn. Recently, I received my share of $120 from the group, fulfilling my desire to buy a calf. For the past three months, I have continued contributing $10 monthly so that other group members can also benefit. Additionally, after receiving the cash transfers, $10 is allocated for paying school fees for my two grandchildren. Following the loss of her husband, my daughter returned to the village with her two children, and I have been trying my best to support their education since she lacks a reliable income. The remaining $14 typically covers household expenses like food. I'm truly grateful for the cash transfers as they enable me to contribute to the household needs and support my family.

My goal is to obtain a cow that will serve as a foundation for growing my herd and building my wealth. As the cow reproduces, the herd will expand, providing me with a sustainable source of income. This will ultimately enable me to fund my long-term dream of constructing a better house. I want to construct a house with brick walls and a sturdy tin roof, offering improved living conditions compared to my current mud-walled dwelling, which is prone to destruction by rainwater.

Upon receiving the cash transfer, I directed some of the funds toward medical expenses for my youngest grandchild, who was unwell and in need of treatment. His father was unable to cover the cost at the time, and as the primary caregiver in the absence of his mother, I paid $7 for his medical care. I am grateful that he recovered well and regained good health. Additionally, there was a tuition debt for my grandchild in grade six, amounting to $5. I settled this debt and also purchased books for his education. I also contributed $10 to a merry-go-round club, which we organized within our compound. This contribution will accumulate over time, and when it is my turn to receive the lump sum, I intend to use it to acquire a cow for rearing. I used the remaining funds to address the pressing need for food, as there was a shortage at home and my daughter, who typically provides for the family, had not yet earned money to purchase more.

Late last year, I made the decision to join a savings committee where we gave money to one individual each month so they could make a significant difference in their lives. When it is eventually my turn to receive the funds from the committee, I am hoping to use them to purchase a few farm animals, ideally goats, chickens, and possibly a cow as well, but I'm not sure because livestock is very pricey. After that, I'm also going to use the money I get from the charity to pay my grandkids' tuition since after their father passed away a few years ago, my daughter, who is also their mother, lost her job, and it's been incredibly difficult for her to support her children. I consequently made the decision to help her pay for her tuition because she is unable to accomplish anything on her own.

My daughter was forced to move in and reside with me when her husband passed away a number of years ago. She was left behind with two children, but since she lacked the means to support them, I am housing them. I'm getting older, and my health is becoming worse. I burn charcoal for sale, but I am limited in what I can accomplish because it takes a lot of energy to dig up logs for burning charcoal. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the money because it has increased our household's income. I paid my grand kids' $24 in school fees with the transfers from the previous three months in order to pay the arrears they owed the school. In order for them to look neat and attractive like other kids, I spent $11 on new clothes and shoes for them. I have joined a group in the village where nine of us save $10 each month and distribute shares to a different person on a rotating basis. I'll buy goats to raise with the money I make from my shares. I once had some, but it's unfortunate that the drought caused them to perish. Goats are valuable animals and a wise investment. I utilized the remaining $33 to buy my family's food needs for a substantial amount of time.

I was happy from the moment I got enrolled and I'm still happy as of this moment especially because at the time we were really struggling with the drought, the hunger and just generally taking care of all our needs and those of our children. As of now we are at a better place than we were before and I'm grateful for that.

Upon withdrawing the transfers, I decided to settle a balance of KES 900 for my grandchild in tuition because she had been out of school due to the debt and at the time her folks had no money either. I also decided to deposit KES 1,000 into my savings account in case of a rainy day in the future and also apart from that I also was looking into buying a couple of goats. Lastly I remained with a balance of KES 1,100 which I used buy six packets of maize flour with because there was hardly any food left the house.

I was enjoying the porridge made from the remainder of our maize flour at home with my daughter-in-law. I received an SMS notice on my phone, breaking the dead silence we were experiencing. Since I am illiterate and did not understand, I requested her to read the message to me. She gave me the happy news that I had gotten my first transfer. I held my daughter-in-law as tears of happiness streamed freely down my chubby cheeks. As a king, I was really content.

The transfer significantly improved my life by allowing me to cover my grandchildren's past-due school tuition. Due to the significant school fee arrears that their parents have neglected to pay, they have spent the majority of the academic year at home. I'm glad that the transfer was so important in enabling them to stay in school and advance their education.

My two grandsons were sent home because they owed money for their school fees a few hours after I received my first transfer. Due to the lack of employment, their parents' attempts to find better-paying positions in the area were futile. I used KES 400 from my transfer to pay the outstanding school fees so they could go back to school. The fact that they are returning to class and pursuing their education makes me glad. I used the leftover money to purchase foodstuffs in addition to paying the outstanding school fee. I have found it challenging to meet the demands of my family as a casual worker who makes a living by selling charcoal. The meager income from the business can only be used to purchase a 2-kg packet of maize flour; there is no money left over for savings or investments.