For quite some time, I have harbored a deep desire to introduce livestock into my compound, a dream that has now become a reality thanks to GiveDirectly. With each passing month, I eagerly invest in this venture, purchasing one or two animals to expand my small herd. During the last quarter, I allocated $40 towards acquiring a chicken, three ducks, and a goat, along with essential poultry feed. The prospect of their growth brings a sense of security, knowing that they will not only multiply but also provide a valuable financial resource in times of need. In addition to investing in my livestock, I prioritized my children's education. I used $25 towards school fees and purchased stationery for my three primary school-going children. Gone are the days of worrying about their education being disrupted due to unpaid fees; now, they can focus wholeheartedly on their studies. Furthermore, I diligently saved $10 in my Merry Go Round, a small step towards my long-term goal of purchasing oxen. These animals will not only benefit my own farming endeavors but also provide a valuable service to my neighbors, creating a steady stream of income. With the remaining $20, I secured enough food to sustain my family through the upcoming dry season, ensuring that we can weather any financial challenges that come our way with resilience and determination.

My main goal for the coming year and beyond is to finally build a new permanent house. The leaks and old roofing in our current home have become unbearable, especially during rainy seasons. Every time it rains, the stress of dealing with the leaks weighs heavily on me, and I can't help but pray for a change. I know that once we have our own sturdy, leak-free house, it will bring immense relief to me and my family. We've endured a lot, particularly during harsh winter seasons, which only strengthens my resolve to see this plan through. To make this dream a reality, I've been diligently saving every penny I can through transfers and cutting back on expenses wherever possible. With each passing day, I'm getting closer to achieving this goal, and I can't wait for the day when we can finally move into our new house and leave our worries behind.

I am a mother of four, one girl, 9 years old, and 3 boys, 7 years, 5 years, and the youngest 1 year and 6 months. I am so grateful for Givedirectly transfers as they have brought some ease to my tensed up life. In our culture the boys are usually expected to be circumcised around the festive period. I signed up the three for circumcision at $10. This did not all go well because the youngest developed complications after being circumcised. I had to return him to the hospital where I paid an additional $10 where he was nursed for the botched circumcision. The other child who is five years also developed a cold during the period, an unrelated illness which I spent $5 to treat. The boys were having a difficult time eating and so the $9 went into buying sugar and flour as tea and porridge became a staple, until they were all healed. We usually buy clothes for the circumcised after their isolation and I bought clothes, shirt and pants for each at $34. When they were all healed in January we had to think of school and so I spent $20 for the school fees of my two eldest, and admission fee of my 5 year old child. I also reinvested some of the money in a business venture I was doing selling groceries and small fish. I also spent part of the transfers getting chicken at $5.

Givedirectly transfers have allowed us to dream of a better life. My husband is a casual construction worker, I sell groceries and food from home. We do not make enough in our combined incomes to think about doing financially heavy investments, however a need arose that we want to factor in the cash transfer we receive to take care of this need. We live in a two roomed house which houses the kitchen, space for sleeping and the living room area. We are a growing family and now this space feels small and not sufficient. My hope is I will buy enough material using the Givedirectly funds to start on this project. I now 10 iron sheets but I need 26 more to get the three roomed house we hope for. I also wanted goats but since this is a more pressing need I hope to buy chicken at the very least which will yield more chicken which I can sell to get goats.

The financial assistance provided by GiveDirectly has made a significant positive impact on my family's life. With the funds, I was able to address some pressing issues that had been weighing on me for a while. Firstly, it enabled me to send my two children back to school by covering a portion of their school fees, relieving me of the anxiety that they might miss out on their education. Additionally, I was able to invest in my chicken rearing project, purchasing two more chickens to expand my flock. This not only promises increased income but also a sense of empowerment as I take steps to secure our financial stability. Lastly, the remaining funds were crucial in alleviating our food insecurity, allowing me to provide better meals and nutrition for my family. Overall, the GiveDirectly money has brought much-needed relief and hope for a brighter future.

My primary objective is to provide my family with a safe and comfortable living space. Currently residing in a deteriorating two-roomed house, accommodating my family of six has become increasingly challenging, especially during the rainy season when we are exposed to the rain To achieve this goal, I am committed to diligent financial planning and saving, allocating a portion of my monthly transfers towards the construction of a more better house. I plan to begin purchasing essential construction materials gradually to ensure that, by the beginning of next year, we can embark on building a new and improved house that will offer our family the security and space we desperately need.

I am a single mother of two children and I lack a steady income. My husband supports the family by working as a shepherd, while I burn charcoal to survive. As a result, we continually battle and live in luck. As a result, I would always like to allocate a portion of my donation to a cause that would remind me of the value of GiveDirectly's transfers. Therefore, I spent $5 on two hens. I used $ 21 to buy a 12-2kg packet of maize flour since we had no food. Since I had some fee arrears, I also spent $5 on paying school fees for my two school-going children, Merciline and Elijah. I am grateful for the financial support from GiveDirectly.

My main objective is to build a new house. The existing one has a rusty iron sheet roof that is old and leaks. I hope to spend my transfers to buy building materials in bits to get beyond this obstacle that puts me in danger of acute cold during the rains. They will assist me in constructing a new house. Aside from that, I also want to start raising livestock. I do not currently have any, but I am hoping that with the help of transfers from GiveDirectly, I will start raising goats and cows. If my family takes good care of them, it is a viable investment that will benefit my family for years after the transfer.

I am a housewife, whereas my husband's only work is to look after livestock. As a result, we experience a lot of financial struggles hence catering to my family's needs is always a tool order. As a result, I developed an interest in booting our livestock-keeping venture by occasionally buying a goat. With the recent transfer, I spent $18 on a goat, and currently, I have three goats. I consider them very valuable because when they increase in number, I shall have an alternative source of income. It will help me in the future to raise school fees for my four upcoming children; Marceline, Elliah, Enoch, and Simeoni. In addition, I was able to buy some foodstuffs for my family. I did that because I did not have food, and my family had run out of food.

My goal currently is to buy new iron sheets in order to renovate my roof which is dilapidated and leaks when it rains. My target is 22 pieces of iron sheets which I am hoping to accomplish through the transfers. I will be saving part of the money to buy at least two iron sheets every month. I am also planning to buy livestock such as goats and chickens to keep in my compound. These are assets to me that I can readily rely on when they reproduce and increase in number. Through the livestock, I will be able to raise fees for my two children as they further their studies in the near future.

I am a charcoal vendor married and blessed with four children, At the time I received my transfer, my grandmother had passed on, it was a sad day for me but upon receiving the money I was relieved because I knew that I would attend my grandmother's burial. Therefore I used $15 on the funeral expenses and then used the remaining $15 on foodstuffs. My husband lost his job and therefore he depend on me fully, life was unbearable before receiving the cash but for now, we are better off.

Receiving the unconditional transfer has been a blessing in our lives. I can't thank GiveDirectly enough for the support that has supported our children to have quality education without being sent home for school fees. The support has uplifted our lives amazingly thus we are grateful. I don't see any loophole in their line of duty.

My husband is the sole breadwinner of the family (wife, four children, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law). He mainly works on short contract jobs, which last a maximum of three days. Once the contract is done, it takes a while (over one month) before securing another job. The nature of his job has caused us suffering. We often lack food to eat, money to pay school fees, and buy essential commodities such as detergent. I was as happy as a king when I received my first transfer because my family was starving. For three days, we survived by eating wild fruits and half a cup of porridge. I bought food worth KES 1000 for the family and cleared a KES 200 school fee debt for my elder daughter to go back to school.

Receiving the transfer that night was a miracle that still can’t believe to date. The money made an enormous difference in my life because I bought something to eat for the whole family who was starving. I am grateful that we did not sleep hungry that night.

I was getting ready to sleep at 7 pm when I received a text message on my phone. My children were fast asleep may be because they were too hungry and exhausted to stay awake. Emotions took the better part when I realized I had received my first transfer. I galloped to the Mpesa shop and withdrew the money and bought a packet of maize flour and kales. Together with my family, we ate to our fullest and slept soundly.