Currently, I earn a living by making and selling charcoal. My primary goal is to transition into selling vegetables. I believe this business will improve the quality of life for my children and me. To start the vegetable business, I need $60. I intend to save from my charcoal sales and I will also spend part of my transfer to help me in starting my business. I believe through this venture, I will have a stable flow of income and our lives will improve for good.

I currently own seven goats. I spent $26 to buy another goat because I believe it's a good investment. Goats multiply easily and I can sell them or exchange them for cows in the future. With the remaining $8, I bought food for my family so they won't go hungry. I have two children, and seeing them happy makes me feel great.

This year, my main objective is to expand my house, as it is currently too small to accommodate all of us comfortably. To begin the construction process, my plan is to first purchase iron roofing sheets and cement. I intend to utilize both my transfers and savings to finance this endeavor. By expanding our house, I aim to provide my children with ample space to live in, ensuring their comfort and well-being. Being able to do this for my family will fill me with a deep sense of accomplishment, and I cant wait to see what the future holds.

I rely on selling charcoal as my means to support my family of six. We faced hunger frequently, especially during a severe drought a few years ago, which left us without enough food. I am sincerely grateful for this project, as it has transformed our lives. Now, we can afford to purchase food, save money, and even invest in raising chickens and goats. With the transfers received, I allocated $24 to purchase four chickens, which I plan to raise and sell later. Additionally, I spent $10 on purchasing food for my family to replenish our supplies. Furthermore, I invested $68 in my vegetable business, which will significantly increase our income. I am delighted to benefit from this program, as it has brought about positive changes in my life and the lives of my family.

In the upcoming year, my objective is to expand my current residence, as the existing one is small and inadequate for my family of six. I have been diligently saving towards this goal, with the hope of commencing construction by next year. The prospect of having a larger space brings me great satisfaction, ensuring that my family is well accommodated. I consider GiveDirectly a blessing, as it has played a crucial role in supporting and facilitating my goals.

To sustain my family of four children, I engage in the sale of charcoal for a living. Recently, my business has faced challenges, requiring extensive marketing efforts to attract clients. This struggle has affected our ability to secure enough food, resulting in days without sustenance and making providing for my children particularly challenging. However,I am grateful that my kids are now attending school and have consistent access to food, while my business has stabilized. Allocating the entirety of $102 received in transfers, I invested in livestock, acquiring two goats and one sheep. This strategic move is a step towards a worthwhile investment, as rearing and eventually selling these animals will pave the way for obtaining cows in the future. I anticipate benefits such as milk production and sales from this venture. The assistance and support received have brought me happiness, and I am grateful for the positive changes in my life.

Towards the end of the year, my aspiration is to invest in livestock, primarily focusing on goats. The idea is to raise these goats and encourage their reproduction. As their numbers grow, I intend to sell a portion of them and reinvest the proceeds in acquiring a dairy cow. With the cow, I'll have an additional income stream from selling milk. By following this plan, I aim to achieve financial stability and effectively support my family.

My wife and I make a living by selling charcoal, which involves a process of digging out tree stumps, burning them, and patiently waiting for the charcoal to form, taking at least four days. Despite the effort, the returns are meager, posing a significant challenge in meeting our family's needs. Recently, a substantial portion of my July income was dedicated to paying off the school fee arrears for my three children. Their accumulated debt had led to them being sent home and missing a day of school. Thankfully, they are now back in school, pursuing their education. Apart from the school fees, I also spent $14 on purchasing food. In the previous month, we endured almost five days without proper meals, which greatly affected my children's well-being and even prevented them from attending school due to hunger. I am relieved to see my family now content, as we have an ample food supply, ensuring they won't miss any meals in the foreseeable future.

I value education as well as the well-being of my family members. Therefore, in the coming year and beyond, I hope to see all my school-aged children enrolled and continuing with their education. I believe that offering them an opportunity to go to school and learn is the best gift I can give them. They will gain a lot from it in the long run. Also, as long as I continue to get monthly transfers, I will make sure that they are always used to cover my children's educational expenses.

GiveDirectly, in my opinion, does well in alleviating poverty by providing unconditional cash transfers to the less fortunate members of society. No one is forced to participate in its cash transfer program because it offers all potential recipients the necessary information. It focuses heavily on cash safety messaging and how to detect and avoid fraudsters to protect us from such vices. Also, by including everyone in the communities where it works, GiveDirectly can improve its operations. Ensuring that everyone receives the transfer can contribute to making sure that everyone's life is improved.

Since I do not have a job, my wife and I decided to burn charcoal to generate income for family support. I find it difficult to pay school fees for my children, so when the transfer payments started, I was incredibly thankful to God. Transfers from GiveDirectly are like a gift from God to us. My family has undergone considerable improvement as a result. For instance, compared to before I started the program, I do not struggle as much. From the recent transfer, I used $20 to cover my daughter Mapenzi's and my son Charo's unpaid school fees. Both had $20 in outstanding school fees. After paying the fees, I spent the remaining cash on more food to help alleviate the present famine situation.

I was in the field, at around 6 p.m., looking after my goats when my phone rang with a message alert. Since I cannot read, I waited till I got home later to have my helper check the contents of the message. A wave of joy and relief rushed over me as I received the news from my helper. Getting the money meant that my children would finally resume classes after days of missing school due to unpaid fees. Am eternally grateful to Give Directly. 

Right now, the biggest difference I can attest to following my first cash transfer is keeping my children in school. Prior to the transfer, they had stayed home for two days because I lacked the money for their fees. No week would pass without them missing out on classes. Gratefully, this has never happened after I paid the debt using part of the cash. 

To fend for my family, I make and sell charcoal, which earns me around $12 per month. This income is not enough to cover school fees for my two children and put daily food on the table. As a result, hunger is a concern in my household, which leaves us starving for at least ten days a month. When I received the cash transfer, my two children had missed classes for two days due to overdue tuition balances. Immediately, I spent $10 to pay the deficit and they resumed classes. Am relieved that they have never been sent back home for school fees since that day. I spent the remaining amount on food as my family had slept hungry the previous night. Though the food did not last long, am happy it quenched our hunger that day.