My plans involved building a better house for myself. This is because the house I lived in was occupied by me and two of my co-wives. The house itself was built by my late husband but over time it became old and needed renovation. My husband had already passed on and my co-wives and I barely had jobs to sustain our day to day life. Most times we would dread the rainy season because we were afraid we would have to fetch the water leaking inside the house.

I would have never in a thousand years thought that I would ever manage to build and live in my own house especially after my husband, who was the sole provider passed away. I am amazed at how much I have elevated myself and that is all thanks to GiveDirectly. I have seen nothing but great acts and I will continue to spread the good word concerning the works of this organization because I cannot find the right words that would even do justice for the experience I have had and the help I have received.

With my transfers I ensured I began buying the right material so that I could finally start building my house. Apart from the reasons I mentioned which included heavy rains that left the house full water due to the fact that the roof had holes all over and needed renovation, I also wanted my house, that I would own and I have my privacy because we had been living together with my co-wives for over a decade. Using the first transfers I bought most material which included timber and iron sheets. So with the second transfers I managed to pay the labourer who worked on my house KES 15,000. I also wanted to grow my farm by adding a few more livestock so that when they produced I could offer them up for market, so I bought four goats at KES 15,000. I also looked into matters concerning nutrition where I spent over KES 5,000 by buying maize and taking to the mill to turn into flour. Lastly I suffer from diabetes and I have been seeking medication and visiting the hospital which has cost me over KES 3,000 because I visit every now and then.

I was at home relaxing after coming from the aloe vera juice tapping activities that I have been depending on for our upkeep. This job is so tiresome since it requires one to wake up early in the morning and go to the bush where I would spend a lot of time tapping the juice. I had come home to prepare lunch for my family when our neighbor come to inform me that they had received their transfer. I immediately called my son to check my phone and he informed me that I was among the people who received their transfer. I was so happy about receiving the aid since I was so sure that I will no longer struggle to provide for my family.

Constructing a decent shelter for my family is the biggest difference in my daily life. This is because the house that I had been owning was collapsing and leaking so much during the rainy season. My children were constantly suffering from cold-related illnesses something that bothered me so much. I had to use most of the earnings from the aloe vera juice tapping to seek medical care for them. This is a forgotten history after GiveDirectly came for our rescue. I am grateful for the transfer that has helped me construct a new house for the family.

After my spouse died 10 years, I was left with the responsibility of bringing up my family single-handedly. Providing food and other life necessities was a big challenge since I am jobless. The house that he left us with was in bad condition and was collapsing. I had wished to construct a decent shelter but I lacked the financial muscles. Therefore, after receiving the transfer, I bought the required building materials that includes 23 iron sheets, nails, building poles, and timbers all for KES 29,000. I also set aside some to pay the labor cost. Furthermore, I used KES 5000 to purchase 2 goats a long-term investment for my family. I also bought some small household equipment for the family and saved the remaining amount to assist me in our daily basic needs like food and water.