The distressing situation my daughter-in-law is currently enduring has placed a significant financial burden on me, particularly due to the substantial expenses incurred in purchasing her medication. I fervently hope for her condition to improve, allowing me to focus solely on providing food for the family and covering my grandchildren's school fees. Nonetheless, I am profoundly grateful for the financial assistance provided by Give Directly to my family. Without this support, I am uncertain how the situation would have unfolded for my daughter-in-law and grandson.

Over the past five months, I have assumed the responsibility of caring for my grandson, who is barely two years old, and my daughter-in-law, who has unfortunately experienced mental instability and left the young child. Being the only close relative available to help, I took the initiative to care for them both. I allocated $20 to procure essential medication for my daughter-in-law to alleviate her mental condition and maintain stability. The remaining funds, amounting to $82, were utilized to purchase food for my family, which comprises nine members, including my son, daughter, and seven grandchildren. As the sole breadwinner, I shoulder the responsibility of providing for my family, despite earning minimally from casual labor jobs involving farming for others and charcoal sales. The assistance from Give Directly serves as a significant support in meeting the essential needs of my family, and I deeply appreciate this financial aid.

Ensuring that my grandchildren have access to education and enough food is my utmost priority and greatest accomplishment. Given that my income from charcoal sales is limited, my plan is to allocate my future transfers towards financing their education and providing them with nourishing meals. Additionally, I aim to invest in livestock that can multiply over time, offering valuable support and resources in the years to come. By focusing on these goals, I hope to secure a brighter future for my grandchildren and provide them with the opportunities they deserve.

My daughter-in-law recently fell ill and unfortunately developed mental health issues. As a result, she is currently receiving treatment and is admitted to Mariakani General Hospital. Meanwhile, her son, who is less than a year old, has been entrusted to my care. Being a widow, my primary source of income is through the sale of charcoal. However, the earnings from this business are insufficient to adequately support all seven of my grandchildren who are under my care. In light of these circumstances, I utilized my August transfer to purchase essential food items, including milk, to ensure that my young grandson receives proper nourishment and grows strong. The funds I received hold tremendous significance for me, particularly because I faced the misfortune of being unable to harvest any maize due to a lack of financial resources. This support I now receive gives me renewed hope, especially considering that the well-being of my grandchildren is solely dependent on me.

If it were not for the pressing financial constraints like food and school fees for my grandchildren, I would have spent most of the cash transfers to create a stable income stream like owning livestock. Right now I have a huge burden of responsibilities because my son, the father of five children, lacks an income source to provide for the family. Three of these children are yet to be enrolled in school because of a lack of funds. Despite all these obligations, I wish to purchase goats for rearing. Am sure that as these animals multiply, I could sell them to support the education of the children and contribute towards some of the household needs such as food.

To be honest, the most pressing issue concerning my family right now is hunger and a lack of tuition for my grandchildren. It breaks my heart to witness my grandbabies cry from hunger when there is nothing to give them. Though one of my sons occasionally helps us out with food, it rarely lasts the entire week. Most of the time, I take odd jobs, such as working on people's farms, to get money for food. Furthermore, at my advanced age, there isn't much I can do to provide daily meals. So, after I received the cash transfer, I used $12 to pay off unpaid tuition for my granddaughter and the rest $22 on food. I am grateful that my family has never gone hungry since the financial aid commenced.

It is unbelievable how Give Directly engineered a program of giving people from poor communities aid in the form of cash. In an environment like mine, money is the answer to most hardships, the greatest of them being hunger. Considering the tough times my family and I have endured especially throughout the drought period, am relieved to be among the beneficiaries identified by Give Directly. My only wish is to continue receiving cash transfers every month without fail.

Honestly, the greatest difficulty affecting my family right now is hunger. It is heartbreaking to see my four grandchildren often cry from starvation, with nothing to offer them. Though one of my sons sometimes supports us with food, it barely serves us the entire week. Most are the times I take on odd jobs like working on people's farms, which rarely come by, to get money for food. Besides, given my advanced age, there is not much I can handle to provide daily meals. Receiving the cash transfer was one of my answered prayers; I channeled every cent toward the purchase of food. Even though it was only enough for a week, am grateful the children got to enjoy regular meals.

My kid knocked on my door to see how I was doing just as I was beginning to get out of bed. I gave him my phone after a brief period of conversation so that he could check and read any texts I had received. He informed me that I had received my first transfer, which caught me off guard and left me feeling really emotional. Happy tears streamed down my pudgy cheeks in the shape of number eleven. I gave my kid a strong embrace and we both said a little prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord for the miracle.

The unconditional transfer has significantly improved my life. Due to a lack of cash, my lone son was having difficulty paying for my medication and meals. His dire financial situation caused him a lot of stress, which also had an impact on his health. I am appreciative that I got the transfer and bought food. Purchasing food will significantly assist him in his financial planning and allow him to use his money to cover other things like my medical bills.

Due to my advanced age, I am completely dependent on my son, who is also responsible for caring for me. Ten years ago, my spouse died following a protracted battle with an unusual illness. My son is a casual worker who mostly undertakes short-term contract projects like home construction and water delivery. These jobs pay extremely less, leaving no money for savings or investments and can only be used to buy food. I feel terrible that I am unable to lessen the strain of my son caring for me. When I got my transfer, I was overjoyed since I used it all to purchase food for the family. I purchased enough food in bulk to feed us for two weeks. My son no longer had to bear the tremendous responsibility and strain of providing for the family.