This year and in the years to come, now that I’ve already bought a plot of land, I want to build a home so I can finally relocate and stay away from the threat of floods. Having a safer place for me and my children is my main goal. Once I’ve built the home, I plan to open a business in the new location to support myself, while using my current land for farming. I believe I can achieve all of this through my farming efforts. Creating a safer life for my family and starting a business fills me with joy and gratitude.

First of all, I want to thank GiveDirectly for the incredible work they have done in my community. They are truly dedicated to their mission, carrying out their work with focus and without distractions. Moving forward, I would love to see them expand their programs beyond cash transfers. In addition to the financial support, I believe it would be beneficial for them to also focus on improving essential services like healthcare, roads, and electricity. These areas are crucial for the overall development of our community and would make a lasting impact on our lives.

When I received the $450 transfer from GiveDirectly, I used $400 to buy a plot of land in a safer area because floods had caused me many problems. I no longer want to face the threat of flooding. My goal is to build a home for my family, so my five children can have a secure place to call home, free from the fear of floods and the health risks of stagnant water, like colds and malaria. I also used $50 to pay school fees for one of my children. I want to make sure my child stays in school without any interruptions. Before this transfer, it was difficult to pay school fees since I had to rely on casual labor to cover the costs. Thank you, GiveDirectly, for this timely support.

My plan is to sell the maize from my upcoming harvest and use the proceeds to pay down the balance on the plot I bought, reducing the outstanding amount. With the remaining funds, I will pay for my son's school fees, as he is hopefully joining university next year. However, my primary focus is to finish paying off the plot of land. Once that's done, I will start constructing rental houses. The income from these rentals will allow me to open my own businesses.

GiveDirectly has done exceptionally well, starting from the Barazas where they educated us on the proper use of the money. They emphasized that we should not use the funds for illegal purposes, such as drinking alcohol or purchasing harmful items. Instead, they advised us to invest the money in development projects. As a result, our lives have significantly improved, and now everyone in my village is busy with their own agricultural work, thanks to the capital we received from GiveDirectly.On my side, GiveDirectly is doing the best job possible. The only additional support we could use would be help with constructing roads or installing electricity poles in our area. These are the main obstacles to our progress. Although we have crops from our farms, the poor and impassable roads prevent vehicles from reaching us, causing us to lose markets for our produce.

Since I lost my husband 18 years ago, I have been struggling to provide for my children. I have five children, but currently, only three are at home, as the other two are out searching for jobs. My kids used to live a better life when their dad was alive, but since his passing, life has become tough. However, I did not stay idle while seeing my kids suffer. I found a casual job as a cook at a primary school, where I earn a salary of $45 per month. This income pays for my kids' school fees and meals.I am also a farmer, but lately, I did not harvest anything due to drought. Since I invested my first transfer in farming, I am hopeful that by August this year, I will have a good maize harvest because we have had rain this time around. Upon receiving my second transfer, I used $400 to buy half a hectare plot in town, even though it was priced at $17,000. I plan to pay for it little by little until it is fully paid off. My main goal is to build rental houses as a future investment for my children and to remember GiveDirectly.With the remaining amount, I purchased enough food for my family. I am incredibly grateful to GiveDirectly and sincerely appreciate your support.

I was in town, my daughter was resuming back to school, and I had taken her to pay partially her fees. I was thrilled to receive a message with a receipt of $182.4 from GiveDirectly. I had already budgeted for this amount since I was expecting it, and I was grateful to God. I immediately notified my elder daughter in another town, whom I had promised to support her salon business because she has always been there for us. I was grateful to GiveDirectly for their timely assistance, which allowed me to fulfill my promise to my daughter and the other plans I had.

Before receiving the transfer from GiveDirectly, I struggled alone to sustain my children and even pay my daughter's school fees in her final year of high school. The weight of these responsibilities was overwhelming. However, with the support from GiveDirectly, I now have the means to tackle these challenges. I had been struggling on my own to make ends meet, but now, I have a sense of hope that I had not felt in a long time. I am truly grateful to GiveDirectly for their support, which has made all the difference in my life.

I am a single mom, and my five children rely on our crop-farming activities for sustenance. Although crop farming has been challenging at times, this year's rains have been promising, and I planted maize on 4.5 acres. Unfortunately, the floods ruined my 2-acre maize farm, leaving me with 2.5 acres remaining. Despite these setbacks, I was able to use my first transfer from GiveDirectly to pay off a debt of $50 that I had accumulated during planting. At the time, my maize was at the topdressing stage, and I used $47 to purchase topdressing fertilizer. Additionally, I used $50 to reduce my daughter's arrears of $170, leaving me with a balance of $120. The remaining $53 I used to purchase food items. Thank you GiveDirectly.