I have been struggling to raise money to build a house to live with my family. I was however not successful since my main source of income, that is, charcoal burning wasn't enough to build a new house. My life is currently different because after receiving the financial support from GiveDirectly, I purchased enough building materials and built a decent house. I also bought some livestock which includes a pair of oxen and seven goats. I am expecting the goats to reproduce and have many of them as my own assets. As for the pair of oxen, it will help me to plough my farm on time.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly has done well in promoting our living standards since we are now able to fulfil the very basic needs that we couldn't meet like buying foodstuffs. Some of us were skipping meals since we couldn't afford a daily meal. We are also sheltering in decent houses and also having oxen to help us in ploughing our farms for productive farming. I don't see anything that GiveDirectly does not do well.

It's has been my desire to improve my farming since I mainly depend on subsistence farming for food. When I received my transfer, I spent KES 44000 on buying a pair of oxen and an ox plough. Having the pair will help me in ploughing my farm on time for an increased harvest. I have been hiring from neighbours during the planting season but now I will be hiring to them at a fee thus earning an income. I spent the remaining amount to purchase some foodstuffs and paying for other households basic.

Owning the goats has made my life to be very different. I settled in buying goats because, first, they can live in any climatic condition, they can easily be maintained, they reproduce twice a year and they mature faster compared to other domestic animals. I have been longing to rear them for a long period of time but I could not afford it because they were costly and only depend on casual jobs that are normally unreliable and pay very little. The coming if GD had changed everything in my life completely because I finally managed to buy the goats that have currently started reproducing. This gives me hope as a farmer. When the off springs mature, I will sell them and buy a dairy cow. From the benefits I will be getting I will be able to pay school fees for my children with ease unlike before when I used to strain to get their school fees. I will be able to sustain myself even after Give Directly have finished their program in this village.

I remember vividly it was around 3 am when I heard the message notification on my mobile phone. When I checked what the message was all about, I realized it was an Mpesa message from GiveDirectly informing me that they had sent my first transfer as they had promised during enrollment. I was overwhelmed with joy and I couldn't go back to sleep. I immediately started having a positive outlook on life. I was full of hope and ambitions.

I spent part of my first transfer in buying seven goats. Since the other domestic animals are very expensive, I had to settle in buying them. I then paid school fees for my children to avoid being distracted by being sent home. Apart from that I also bought a few building poles that I will use in expanding my house, I wanted to add another room for my children who are fast approaching teenage years. I also bought for my children and I. Our previous ones were torn and looked indecent. We would always shy from attending ceremonies to avoid being laughed at. This has now changed because we look decent like everyone else. I spent the remaining amount to buy enough food for my family.