For over five years now, I had been sewing school sweaters on orders from my neighbors who know me to be doing the same. I have never gotten a chance to do it in a public setup like in towns since I have a disabled child who needed all my attention hence could not leave the compound at all times. I am glad now that he joined a school that is taking care of all his needs both in class and even after. This has given me a chance to fully venture into and expand the sewing business. This new goal involves looking for a business shop in the nearby shopping center that is strategic and can air my work to the customers who could be in need. This will not be a source of household needs but also be a source of school fees for my disabled child who has just joined a relatively expensive school.

I am happy that after receiving the first and the second transfer, I had been able to do a lot in that, the money I was given came with the freedom to spend on whatever I needed. Everyone in the village seemed to have made tangible transformation as well and are always thankful that GiveDirectly brought this support. In my opinion, all was done well, and I have no complaints about how the program was run from the start.

With the experience I have in sewing, I had been working from home, making and selling great work to the school children as a source of income. Even though that business has been slow due to the location I am operating from, I still appreciate it since I have never felt the pinch of hunger. On receiving the second transfer, I spent KES 24000 on obtaining a heifer to add to the lactating dairy cow with a calf that I already have. Milk-selling from my livestock has been the main source of income, and I saw an opportunity to invest in a young breed that will add up the production in the future. I also completed the construction of a house I had initiated with the first transfer. I needed some furniture and fitted of the ceiling board that cost a total of KES 19000. In addition, I am glad that I was also able to buy enough foodstuff to still carry us for some months to come, and new pairs of clothes for my five children with the remaining amount. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for this generous support that has changed the face of my family and given me another chance to redirect my focus in life.

I operate a posho mill business and I had a client when I received a message notification on my phone. I checked its contents afterward and my heart was filled with joy on seeing the Mpesa message. This news made me know that I would finally build a more decent house for the family. I waited patiently till evening to share the good news with the remaining members of my family and my children were the happiest, citing that they would finally have their privacy and sleep without any disturbances.

Having sons who are all grown and sleep in the kitchen is the worst nightmare of every parent and this is the situation I was in. I always prayed to God to help me build a house for them and God had been gracious to me since I had been able to buy enough timber though I had not been able to bring them home due to lack of funds for transportation. Currently, the construction is underway and I am planning to use my next transfer to cement the floor and I am grateful to GiveDirectly for making this happen.

I have four grown-up sons who used to sleep in the kitchen and this used to disturb me a lot since I would have to wake them up in the morning so that I would be able to make breakfast for the family. Before GiveDirectly came for enrollment, I had plans to build a more decent and spacious house so that we would convert our main house to be theirs while we make the newly constructed one into the main house. In preparation for this, I had bought some timber and was still looking for money to use to transport them and to buy the remaining materials. I am glad that GiveDirectly saved the situation since I was able to use KES 43000 from the transfer on purchasing the remaining materials and to pay for the labor force. I spent the remaining KES 7000 on clothes and food to last us for some time after using KES 3000 to pay school fees for my son to avoid being sent back home.