The coming of GiveDirectly to me was the biggest miracle because I never imagined of a day that I would own a cow and goats. If I was to buy them at my own cost, then I wouldn't be having any. Owning livestock to me is the biggest achievement I can speak of because once this cow and goats reproduce, then I will be able to sell the offsprings and earn some money. Thus having these living assets to me is a form of saving for the future. I also have a solar panel that I acquired through this money. I was previously using lamps which consumed a lot of fuel, which means that I had to incur costs in buying kerosene. With the solar panel, lighting is adequate thus relieving me the cost of buying kerosene. Now I can comfortably charge my phone and neighbors phones at a fee, I do not have to depend on electricity since accessing it in our area is costly, thus having the solar is the best alternative source of energy to me.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well in the whole process of identifying the poor households in order to help them financially unlike other organizations. At least their is a big difference now because we have been empowered financially as compared to the lives we were living before we received this money. We were in abject poverty, but now our living standards have been uplifted. I don't see anything that GiveDirectly doesn't do well.

I spent KES 33000 of my second transfer on buying a solar panel and other appliances in order to provide lighting in my household. I have been using lamps which required daily expenditure on kerosene. Having a solar panel in my household has relieved me of the daily cost on this since I now have adequate lighting in my household. Besides, I can also charge my phone and for the neighbors phones at a fee, without depending on electricity which accessing it is costly compared to the solar energy. Apart from this, I also purchased two goats, at KES 5000 which I am currently rearing in my homestead. To me these are assets which upon reproducing, I will be able to sell the offspring to help me in case of any financial need. I spent the remaining amount to buy enough foodstuffs as well as paying for my household expenses.

The biggest difference in my daily life is the fact that I now own a cow which I never thought of buying one day. I only saw cows from my neighbours and I felt they were the only people who can own a cow. I am now proud to have my own. I am happy that It will also provide us milk and upon reproducing it will cater for my children's education in the future.

I saw a message notification very early in the morning and I thought it was the normal Safaricom messages I always receive but on checking, it was from GiveDirectly confirming that I had received my first transfer, at first I couldn't believe that GiveDirectly would send the promised money due to previous experiences we had with other organizations, but I was now fully convinced that GiveDirectly had fulfilled their promise. I was very happy and the thought that now I would own my cow increased my joy.

I spent part of my first transfer to purchase a cow to keep in my compound. Previously I owned nothing which I would call my own assets since I didn't have the means to acquire any but now with the transfer, I was able to buy this cow and besides when it reproduces it will be a source of finance to educate my children who are still young. I also purchased a solar panel that would provide adequate lighting to my house and relieve me the cost of buying kerosene daily which was expensive to me because in cases when I lacked money, then we would be in darkness. With the solar panel, I will be able to charge my phone and also I will charge my neighbours phones at a small fee, which means an income for me. In addition, since I didn't have enough chairs in my house, I decided to buy three plastic chairs for my home. On the remaining amount, I did shopping for my family during the festive season. I bought some clothes and enough food for my family and we celebrated and had a good moment together.