In the coming years, I aim to focus on farming, using crop rotation to keep the soil healthy and productive. After each harvest, I plan to replant carefully, ensuring steady yields that will support my family. My goal is to save part of the income from every season, so I can consistently afford my children’s school fees without worry. Farming has always been my foundation, and I want it to continue as a stable source of both food and income. With this approach, I feel hopeful about securing a good future for my family. Providing for my children’s education is my priority, and I believe that through careful planning, I’ll be able to achieve it.

GiveDirectly has truly kept its promises, always sending the money right on time, and I am so grateful for this free support. I appreciate how respectfully the staff treat us, making sure we feel valued and understood. The transfers have made a real difference in my life, allowing me to make improvements I hadn’t thought possible before. Honestly, I haven’t noticed anything negative about GiveDirectly—they’ve done everything they promised. I just hope they can continue reaching out to others in need, as they’ve done for us. This program has been a true blessing for my family and me.

I poured my heart into farming to provide for my family, but there were times when finding the resources was nearly impossible. When I had a bit of capital, I’d always manage to plant watermelons, a crop that brings hope to my family, yet sometimes I struggled to gather even that small amount. With this transfer, I finally had the chance to invest fully, using $220 to buy seeds, plough the land, and fuel the generator for watering. The watermelon crop is now flowering beautifully, promising a profit of around $1,500 for just one acre—a return that can lift us significantly. Additionally, I allocated $80 to cover my child’s school fees. Education is something I want for all five of my children, as I know it will give them opportunities I never had. In our household, farming is the primary source of income, so each season matters. This transfer allowed me to keep my child in school without risking our farming resources, giving me peace of mind about both their future and our present. To secure another part of our livelihood, I also bought two goats for $150. These goats will soon provide us with milk, which not only supports my family’s health but can also generate some income. My wife and I work side by side on the farm, tending to both crops and livestock. Life wasn’t easy before, but with these investments, I see us growing, little by little, toward a better future for our family.

In the coming year and beyond, my plan is to secure enough funds to enable my child to continue with her tertiary education next year. She is set to complete her secondary education this year, and I am optimistic that she will pass. I do not want to let her down, so I am determined to raise enough money to ensure she can join college. To achieve this, I have planted watermelon on my one-acre plot of land. Watermelon thrives in our area, and I am expecting to earn about 50% from the harvest. This income will be crucial in supporting my child's education and ensuring she has the opportunity to pursue her dreams.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly has done well by conducting community engagement meetings before starting enrollment in the villages. This ensures that the community is aware of the organization's objectives and understands what is expected of them. Furthermore, GD has kept their promises, as we received the transfers at the time they had promised. The transfers were also sent directly to our personal accounts, ensuring we received the full amount without passing through the hands of third parties. This approach has enabled us to make significant investments in our community, improving our lives.

I spent $115 on iron sheets and frames to build a small kitchen for my family. Currently, we cook in the open air, which poses challenges such as dust and insects getting into our food. During the rainy season, we are forced to cook in the house where my children sleep, and the smoke affects them, making it uncomfortable. Furthermore, I used $170 to purchase a dairy cow, which will provide us with milk and also allow us to sell offspring to help pay for our children's school fees. Additionally, I used $40 for a school trip for two of my children, as I did not want them to miss out and feel left out by their classmates. I also bought new clothes for my newborn for $40. I also bought a sack of maize for $40 and used the remaining on food ensuring we have enough while I concentrate on my watermelon farming without worrying about my children going hungry.

I received my first transfer message from GiveDirectly while I was on the farm with my wife, clearing the land. When I got the notification, my heart filled with joy. I immediately told my wife, and we were both so happy because we finally had the money to pay our daughter's school fees. Schools were about to open, and we had no money and didn't know where to get the funds. This money came at the perfect time. Thank you, GiveDirectly.

I have been planting only one acre of land due to a lack of capital, even though I own two acres. But with GiveDirectly's support, I was able to utilize the full 2 acres. I saw the hope of getting more produce this season, though unfortunately, I lost all my maize crops on the entire 2 acres to floods.

I am a small-scale farmer working on 2 acres of land, alternating between maize and watermelon. I fully irrigate my crops, although I sometimes face challenges. Recently, I lost all my maize due to floods after investing $70 from my first transfer on land preparation. During the dry season, I also experience water shortages, which makes irrigation unreliable. Additionally, I cleared the fee for my daughter in high school of $120. I've been struggling with school fees because my income is not reliable, and I have three other children in elementary school. My hope was high with the maize crop, thinking it would improve our situation, but sadly, I lost it all. With the remaining $10 from the transfer, I bought vegetable seeds, hoping to plant and get something from it to sustain us.