I am a motorcycle taxi rider for hire. I do not own my own motorcycle. I do not make much since most times the cash I get from the business goes to service charges as well as daily charges to the motorcycle owner. I would like to increase my income and I know this is only possible by buying my own motorcycle. I am buying goats and chicken which I will eventually sell and use the money to get a motorcycle of my own. I can see this dream being fulfilled thanks to receiving transfers as I now have 5 goats and 5 chicken.

I am a proud beneficiary of Givedirectly transfers. My family and I have benefitted greatly in so many arenas of our life since we got the transfers. I have been able to take my children to school as well as feeding them from this transfers. I spent $30 paying school fees and $24 on feeding them. I also got a goat for $32 and three chicken at $14.

As a motorcycle taxi driver, my long-term goal has always been to become self-employed. To achieve this, I plan to invest my earnings in purchasing goats, with the hope that they will multiply over time. My aim is to sell the goats in the future, using the profits to buy my own motorcycle. Achieving this milestone is very important to me, especially as my family is growing. I also plan to expand our current one-bedroom house into a three-bedroom home. Once I am self-employed, I intend to use the revenue from my business to fund this expansion, ensuring that our home can comfortably accommodate our growing family.

With the recent transfers, I had to prioritize our immediate needs. We had run out of food, so I used $26 to ensure my family had enough to eat. My younger brother, who is still in school, needed extra tuition to help with his studies, so I allocated $4 to cover that cost. Additionally, my twins were ready to start school for the first time, and using $28 to enroll them brought me great joy. To support my wife’s business, I spent $10 on egg-laying chickens, planning to sell the eggs and use the proceeds to boost her venture. Lastly, I invested $34 in a goat, hoping it will multiply, allowing me to sell the offspring and eventually pursue the business I've always dreamed of.

My primary goal is to finally own a motorbike and establish my own business, a step towards securing a stable income to support my family. Beyond personal gains, I dream of opening a shop for my wife in our village, as there are less shops to meet the needs of the villagers.The gratitude we feel for the support provided is immeasurable hence we are forever grateful.

As a motorbike rider with dreams of becoming self-employed, I decided to invest in purchasing a goat for $25. My plan is to allow the goat to reproduce, gradually expanding my herd to at least 13 goats. When the time comes to sell them, I anticipate fetching at least $780 – enough to propel me closer to my goal of acquiring a slightly used motorbike. My wife, unfortunately, is unemployed, she is not able to contribute to our needs.Despite the financial constraints, I allocated $47 for Christmas shopping, ensuring my two children could revel in the festivities and welcome the new year with joy. Additionally, with the remaining $30, I seized the opportunity to pay my younger brother's school fees. In the face of my parents' separation and the sole reliance on my mother's small business to sustain us, life has taken unexpected turns. Yet, despite the challenges, I find solace in the progress I've made and the ability to support those I care about.

As I said earlier I do not make much from my business. I am an employed motorbike rider and I need to pay my employer $4 daily. I only end up making about $1.5 to $2 of my own daily which isn't enough to sustain the family. I spent my transfers on getting goats and chicken and my aim is to ensure that they become so many that I can sell them off and invest in getting my own motorcycle which will in turn increase my daily earnings.

I have a young family, my wife and my two year old twins. I make a living by providing motorcycle rides. I do not make much from my work and hence the transfers has been a huge boost in ensuring myself and my family can eat and be clothed. I am also able to now take care of my siblings since my mother has a huge burden on her of people to take care of. I used my June transfers to buy 4 chicken at $18 , I also bought food worth $16. In July I paid my brothers school fees of $30 and bought food at $4. In august I got a goat at $25 and also got clothes for the children to wear at $4 and also got food for the family at $5.

I'm looking forward to becoming self-employed. Currently, I work as a motorcycle taxi driver. My goal is to save up and purchase my own motorcycle, enabling me to generate income and sustain myself financially. With my own motorcycle, I would be able to transport my children to school and ensure their well-being, while also being able to provide for myself and meet my own needs.

My parents cannot afford my younger brother's school fees, and I have to step in and assist. I paid his school fees which amounted to $30. Additionally, they are struggling to provide books and other school requirements since he started his secondary education. He is currently in Form 3, and as a result of all this he stays with me. In March, we spent $4 on food. I also had plans to rear chickens, sell them and accumulate enough funds to buy goats. So, I spent $15 to buy chicken. My ultimate goal is to establish a large-scale goat farming operation, followed by the purchase of cows. I'm sure will help me generate income which will serve as capital for starting a business. My other plan involves cultivating and selling vegetables to potential buyers. In April, I allocated $5 for my brother's school fees and $14 for food. We purchased enough food for the household which is consisting of five members. This was to sustain us for a week. In May, I decided to kick-start my livestock keeping venture, I invested $25 in acquiring a goat, in addition to allocating $9 for food expenses.

My daily profit as a "bodaboda" motorcycle taxi driver is $3 at most. My family's expenses, which include buying food, clothing, and medication, are not enough to be covered by this sum. My wife is unable to assist because she is unemployed. I have not had a good financial situation for the last three months (decrease in customers), so I was unable to purchase clothes for my kids. They could only get by on two pairs of clothes each. When I received my December transfers, I was relieved because I spent $18 on more clothing for them. Since there are many pairs to choose from, I'm glad my wife doesn't struggle to wash clothes every day. I spent the remaining $16 on 5 packets of maize flour, 1 packet of wheat flour, 1 kg of rice, and 1 kg of sugar. We joyfully celebrated and developed relationships with my family members as we feast over the holidays.

I am satisfied with what GiveDirectly is doing for our community. The monthly support has lifted my life amazingly. The selection criteria that were used were transparent and superb. I don't see where the organization needs to improve because they are doing a wonderful job in supporting needy people in society.

I am a motorcycle taxi rider married and blessed with two children. Receiving money from GiveDirectly has been a blessing in our lives. This is because we can comfortably cater for our day-to-day needs unlike before when we could sleep on an empty stomach due to financial constraints. Upon receiving my transfer I used it in buying foodstuffs worth $180 and additionally, bought two hens worth $120 to add to the one that I had., Having enough foodstuffs in the house makes me a fulfilled parent because I am assured that my family would have enough for their consumption. This was not easy before because I did not have a stable source of income. I am grateful for the monthly support that came to uplift our lives.

That day, I stayed away from home too long because I was hoping to find some work that would help money for buying our evening meals. I had not managed to work throughout the day. Around 8 p.m., just as I was about to give up, I received a message alert on my phone. When I checked, I was utterly amazed to discover that I had received money from GiveDirectly. I was speechless because I had not expected money from GiveDirectly though I was in desperate need of money. It was good, but surprising news that left me feeling a kind of happiness that is uncommon in my life. I did not bother waiting for the work I was supposed to do. But I chose to buy food and return home right away. That was a memorable moment for me.

Living short of my responsibility to provide meals and support my children's education was a major concern that I struggled to accept. I could feel irresponsible at times, especially when getting a customer seemed impossible. However, I gained positive energy after receiving my most recent transfer and being able to buy maize flour that would last my family for a week. Fortunately, this diluted all of my negative thoughts, and as a result, I began to be more positive and exert more effort. I am grateful to have gone through such a significant change in my life, including my motorcycle taxi service. I am extremely grateful to GiveDirectly for its exceptional support.

Because of my family's abject poverty, I was unable to further my education. With no academic credentials to pursue a formal job, I became a motorcycle taxi driver as my primary source of income. This year, however, has been difficult for us. The rise in fuel prices has negatively impacted my operation, resulting in a low income for my family. We didn't have food when I received my first transfer. As a result, I spent KES 600 on maize flour for my four-person family. I did not feel as much pressure or financial stress that week as I had the previous week. I also spent KES 600 on two chickens in order to increase the number of my domestic fowl. I am always delighted to see them when I am at home.