A longtime dream of mine has been opening a grocery shop. To have a place where i can display quality, healthy produce and sell it at a competitive rate would be my dream business. Also, it would be in line with every parent's goal of giving their kids the best life they can. The extra money will mean I can take care of them better.

GiveDirectly has completely transformed the lives of myself and my children. The changes brought about by the funds they provided us have been so drastic and occurred in such a short period of time, that it is mind-blowing. GiveDirectly excels at impacting and transforming lives on a scale few can imagine.

A long-term project I have been working towards is the improvement and modernization of my house. The generosity of GiveDirectly through their transfers was the final piece of this plan that I had been waiting for. I purchased ten iron sheets and installed them in my two bedrooms with a verandah. Four goats, three female and one male, also came into play as I quickly purchased them and began breeding them. In line with my construction theme of accomplishing long-term goals, I decided to purchase a bed and mattress for myself. Finally, I am sleeping in conditions I have long desired. My wife and I have seven children, five of whom are all married and have, at least, one child each, and the youngest two are still dependents of their father and I. Needless to say, a portion of the GiveDirectly funds went to paying their tuition at Gira Primary School, needing $6 per year for my youngest and my second-youngest, who have just cleared Form 4. The funds enabled us to accomplish far more than our combined earnings from burning wood for charcoal could ever have allowed us to. After selling a sack to villagers in Mnazimoja for $5, we don't have much left over for project savings. GiveDirectly transformed our lives in a huge way. We will never be the same, which demonstrates the positive impact GiveDirectly has had on us.

I was in a burial ceremony of my relative who passed away after suffering from a brief illness. My phone rang out loudly, attracting my attention. I checked it out and found out that I had received my first transfer. Wow! My heart melted with joy but could not express it outwards. I waited until I was back home and shared the good news with my relatives who together broke into a dance as we celebrated the moment.

Building the extra room to accommodate both my children and grandchildren has made a big difference in my life since I received the transfer. Some of my children slept on the bare floor because of the tiny house I had. I am glad that there is plenty of space and they are all sleeping comfortably on top of a mattress unlike before.  

For the past ten years, I have been sleeping on a sisal twine bed without a mattress. This affected my health and caused severe back pains. When I received my transfer, I spent KES 14000 on buying a bed and a mattress that will ease my pain and help me sleep comfortably. I bought 10 pieces of iron sheets, building poles, nails, and sisal twine ropes I used to build a new extra room for my children. My family is growing and my one-roomed house is not enough to accommodate all the members of my family (husband, 6 children, and 4 grandchildren). I spent KES 4000 on buying a solar lamp after struggling for so long to light my house. I mostly used a torch to light the house during the night because the lantern lamps require paraffin, which is currently very expensive. Finally, I spent KES 10000 on buying 2 goats as a future investment. Once the goats multiply, I can sell some and use the money to attend to my most pressing needs.