I currently have ten goats and ten chickens, a venture I started as soon as I began receiving the GiveDirectly transfers. My plan is to allow the goats to breed so I can sell them to cover my children's school fees and eventually trade them for cows. I also take care of my neighbor's chickens and apply my skills to manage my own flock. I am confident that, over time, both my goats and chickens will thrive and multiply, providing opportunities to sell or trade them, which will help establish a reliable income stream to support my family's needs. Ensuring my children receive a good education is very important to me, and this will help make that possible. However, I have paused further investments in chickens and goats due to the ongoing drought, as I'm concerned about losing some of my livestock to the harsh weather conditions. Therefore, I want to focus on the animals I already have while monitoring the climate. Once the weather improves, I plan to resume my projects as originally intended.

I do casual jobs to support my family, and currently, I have a job taking care of chickens, which provides me with a small income. GiveDirectly has significantly eased my financial burden, enabling me to plan and budget more effectively than before I received these transfers. With my most recent transfer, I spent $12 on feed for my five school-going children, dividing the amount among them to prevent them from being sent home due to unpaid balances. I also purchased $22 worth of food for our family, as we had no food in the house. Additionally, I bought a goat for future financial security because goats are resistant to diseases and adapt well to our harsh climate. With the remaining amount, I donated $34 for my grandfather's medication; unfortunately, he did not respond to the treatment and passed away. I truly appreciate the support that has made my life easier.

I currently have ten goats and ten chickens, a venture I embarked on as soon as I received the GiveDirectly transfers. My plan is to let the goats breed so I can sell them to cover my children's school fees and also trade them for cows. I also care for my neighbor’s chickens and use my skills to tend to my own flock. I am confident that, over time, both my goats and chickens will thrive and multiply. This will provide opportunities to sell some or trade them and help establish a reliable income stream to support my family’s needs. Ensuring my children receive the best education is very important to me, and this will help make that possible.

As a father of five, I used $68 from my transfers to pay for my children’s school fees. I wanted to ensure they could continue their studies without interruptions due to unpaid fees. We also had an ongoing land case, and I spent $20 from my transfer to support the case. I was pleased when we secured the land and won the case. I am very grateful to GiveDirectly for their support and advice throughout this process. With the remaining $14, I bought food for my family to make sure we wouldn’t go hungry.

In the coming year and beyond, my sole focus is on enhancing my goat and chicken rearing ventures. With five school-going children to support, I've decided to prioritize livestock farming as my primary source of income. Previously, I engaged in low-paying casual jobs, but upon receiving my transfer from GiveDirectly, I immediately transitioned into farming. The support from GiveDirectly has been instrumental in this journey, allowing me to expand my livestock holdings significantly. I'm grateful for the opportunity, and with 13 goats now in my possession, I consider it a substantial achievement, especially considering I have one that consistently gives birth to twins. This shift towards livestock farming marks a significant turning point for me and my family. It not only provides a more stable and lucrative income but also aligns with my long-term goal of securing a better future for my children. With dedication and hard work, I aim to continue growing my livestock enterprise, ensuring a sustainable livelihood for my family and fulfilling my aspirations for their education and well-being.

Amidst the loss of a relative coinciding with my most recent transfer, I swiftly allocated $34towards necessary arrangements. A significant portion of this sum, $30 was invested in acquiring a goat for domestic rearing, a step I aimed at ensuring a sustainable income stream for my family. Additionally, I directed $400 towards purchasing four chickens, not only to contribute to our daily sustenance but also to potentially augment our earnings. The remaining funds $30were earmarked for essential food provisions, vital for addressing immediate family needs during this challenging time.

In the upcoming year, my primary goal is to venture into poultry and livestock business. With the income generated from the business, I aim to provide for my family in a more stable and sustainable manner. It will not only involves meeting their basic needs but also ensuring that my children have access to quality education. I believe that through these endeavors, the cash transfers will positively change my life and the lives of those around me.

Receiving the unconditional monthly cash transfer from Givedirectly has been a lifeline for us. I work as a caretaker at a farm earning $50 a month. It has always been a struggle to make ends meet. Recently my mother was unwell and we had an extra financial burden of her medical care. Together with my siblings we couldn't afford her medical expenses, this left us in a dire situation. I had to resort to borrowing from neighbors . Through the transfers I was able to pay $95.50 for my mother's medical expenses, my mother received the treatment she needed, and her health has greatly improved. I had $6.5 remaining, which I used to pay my children's school fees.The financial stability brought about by the givedirectly transfers has been a blessing, I sincerely hope that this support continues, as I dread the thought of it coming to an end.

I reside at my place of employment, my plan is to build a bigger and better house back at home where my family is. The current house doesn't provide the necessary space and privacy for my family, especially for my daughters. In addition to constructing a comfortable home, I will venture into poultry farming as a means of generating income. This will not only address our household needs but also lay the foundation for future financial security. As I move forward, I am determined to continue with more achievements.

I have six children, two of whom are in nursery school, three in primary school, and one in high school. I work as a casual laborer in in farm, earning a monthly income of $32, which provides limited support for our household expenses. My wife and I have been separated for five years, and during this time, she has been residing at her family's home. This has left me as the sole provider of the family. I consider myself fortunate and deeply grateful to have GiveDirectly alleviate my financial burdens. I was able to clear the school fees arrears worth $65 that my children had accrued. The high school fees were the most demanding, totaling to $35. With the remaining $37, I was able to purchase essential household items and food. We didn't require a significant amount of food, since I had cultivated two acres of land. we now have enough food to sustain us for at least five to seven months.

As I said earlier I have started construction since I did not have a house of my own and was living in my brothers. I have already started building and used some of my December transfers on roofing. I am also directing an amount from my wages to contribute towards this project. I hope to finish this house this year with the support of GiveDirectly transfers. I also have been buying animals with my previous months transfers and now have 3 goats and 5 chicken. I hope to increase this heard this year and become an animal farmer which will in turn become a business that helps me take care of my family.

I have a family of six which includes me my four children and my mother. I work as a casual labourer herding cows and get paid $30 per month. I had a debt $23 for my three children in primary which I cleared with my November transfers. Due to the impending drought it has been difficult to get food and I have a difficult time taking care of all the needs due to my low wages and I have a big family. I used some of my November transfers on food and my entire January transfer on food. I have also been able to start building a house for myself as I have been living in my brothers house. I bought three sheets of Iron with my December transfers. I also was able to buy a goat from my December transfers.

I intend to purchase more goats for rearing. Since we do not have a stable source of income, the goats will be of financial help in the future especially, in paying for our children's school fees.

Providing enough food for my current family of five, as well as other basic household needs, has been a challenge in the past, given that my primary source of income has been livestock rearing. Food has been extremely expensive, and the little income that my wife and I get has always been directed toward purchasing food. I have been spending $25 of my transfer on purchasing foodstuff for my family and the remaining $9 to buy building materials as I prepare to build my own house. I am grateful that the monthly transfers have always covered the cost of food in my household.

I have been sleeping in the neighborhood for several years. It is always a stressful and unpleasant experience. I prioritized purchasing three iron sheets for $25.5 immediately after receiving my recent transfer. I want to build a house to avoid having to go to the neighborhood every night. Having my own house will alleviate the stress of sleeping somewhere else. As a result, I will be able to buy and keep my item, which I previously could not do. I also purchased maize flour because our family has been suffering from famine. Because we are a large family of eight people, this met some of our needs, and I am indebted to GiveDirecttly.

GiveDirectly is doing quite a great job in my opinion because before getting introduced to the organisation poverty had taken a hold on us to due to lack of financial stability and lack of jobs. But now the financial situation is not as dire as before. Through the funds I can keep my kids in school and even afford to purchase a goat which was impossible when I was not getting funds from GiveDirectly.

I have always wanted to grow my farm especially by including more farm animals, that is why when I received the funds from GiveDirectly I decided to purchase a goat worth KES 2,500. This was my first and only goat because I had none and with the funds I received I could only afford to buy just one. I plan to rear and breed the goat since goats are high on demand back here in the village and I could always have the alternative of selling in times of financial difficulty. I was left remaining with KES 500 from the transfers I received and used that balance to buy three packets of maize flour and sardines since there was barely any food in the house.

I received the mpesa message when the phone was charging at night.In the morning when I saw the mpesa message I was delighted and I could not contain my joy.I called my aunt who is close to me and shared the good news and she was equally happy for me.

Education is an important aspect in my life and GiveDirectly funds have created a difference in my children trend of attending their classes.I believe their performance will improve because of the undisrupted learning experience. I also would like to start goat farming because in my workline have learned that its easier and more profitable to rear goats.

Financial constraints due to my inconsistent flow of income is the biggest problem am facing .I am employed to sell livestock on behalf of ranchers and most of the time it takes time before I get my pay.My wife is unemployed and due to my financial situation my four children have been on and off from school. As soon as I received my cash transfer, I spent the entire amount to pay all my children schoolfees because had received a warning letter that stated my children will not be accepted to move to the next class once the school opens.