I've always had a desire to start poultry farming by raising chickens. While I had planned to begin this venture earlier this year, I was discouraged by the outbreak of coccidiosis disease in my neighborhood, which wiped out all the poultry. I intend to take a few months off before starting this venture to prevent a recurrence of this disease. I believe poultry farming offers a lucrative opportunity. Besides, with the availability of maize produce, the chicken will always have feeds. This business will provide me with various benefits. I can sell the chickens to pay for my three children's school fees or to cover other essential expenses, supporting my husband in the process.

My husband typically contributes to our family finances, but there are times when he doesn't have any income. As a mother and wife, I feel obligated to step in to help contribute to the needs of our children. However, due to my current pregnancy, I cannot undertake strenuous work. So, the cash transfers have been my main stream of income. When the recent funds, I was unwell, and my child was suffering from asthma, requiring medical attention. Unfortunately, public hospitals were closed due to a nationwide doctors' strike, so I had to seek treatment at a private clinic, which was more expensive. I used $22 for all the necessary medical procedures, medications, and transportation. Thankfully, both my child and I are now in better health. Previously, I struggled to speak and had a persistent cough, but now my condition has improved. Additionally, I spent $12 to pay off school fees debts for my three children for this term and used $14 to purchase school uniforms for my youngest child, who was starting kindergarten. I'm pleased to see them progressing well with their studies. Earlier this year, I acquired a solar lighting system on credit, which requires repayment of around $440. To start this repayment, I used $35. I'm delighted that my family now has reliable lighting. The remaining funds were used to purchase clothes for myself, as I'm expecting and will need new attire that fits comfortably.

I'm determined to embark on a poultry farming venture. The weather conditions are promising and, more importantly, conducive for such an endeavor. I've been planning meticulously, and next year, I'll put my plans into action. Establishing a poultry farm not only aligns with my passion but also presents a profitable opportunity. I'm optimistic that with dedication, hard work, and the right approach, I can build a successful and sustainable business. This venture isn't just about financial gain; it's about contributing positively to the community and creating a livelihood that aligns with my values and goals.

Investing in the productivity of my one-acre farm was a priority, so I allocated $25 of my recent unconditional cash transfer to hire someone for cultivation. Previously, I struggled with low yields as I manually tilled the land, but now, with the help of skilled labor, I am optimistic about a bountiful harvest. The impact on my farming productivity brings a sense of accomplishment and assurance for the future. Recognizing the need for sustainable energy, I used $7 to clear a debt owed to a shop where I purchased a solar panel, paying in installments. Now, with the debt settled, I sleep peacefully, assured that I have a reliable and eco-friendly source of energy. This simple addition to my household has made a significant difference, not just in terms of convenience but also in reducing long-term costs. With the remaining $2.7, I made sure to provide for the immediate needs of my family of five, purchasing food to sustain us. As a substantial farmer, the monthly profit from selling charcoal, around $10, forms a crucial part of our income. My spouse, who engages in buying and selling cows, contributes additional profits. This strategic use of the unconditional cash transfer has not only enhanced our immediate living conditions but has also set the stage for increased agricultural productivity, financial stability, and a debt-free, peaceful sleep.

The current farming season has brought us great relief as the food we will harvest could last my three children and me for at least four months. This has opened up new opportunities for me, and I have decided to invest in buying goats. In the past, I had five goats, but unfortunately, four of them perished due to a lack of vegetation. However, I am now hopeful that with the ongoing rains, there will be enough vegetation to support the goats. My primary goal right now is to continue buying goats and building up a healthy herd. I believe that by doing so, I can create a source of income that will benefit our family in various ways. In the future, when the goats reproduce, I could sell some of them to generate funds for our household needs, including education expenses and purchasing food.

With the transfers, I have been able to support the education of my children, ensuring they hardly miss classes due to unpaid fees. In July, I used $15 to clear school fees and debts for two of my children, who were often missing classes before the payment. Now, they can stay in school without interruptions, and I am relieved to see them continue their studies. I also contributed $10 towards medical expenses for my mother, who has been dealing with a leg complication. The rest of the money was used to purchase food for the family, ensuring we have enough to eat. In June, I invested $25 to weed my farm and $5 for school fees again, with the rest going towards food expenses. And in April, I spent $25 to hire a tractor for plowing during the rainy season, allowing us to engage in farming more efficiently. In May, I used $25 to plow an additional acre of land for farming, to maximize our agricultural produce. Throughout these months, the cash transfers have provided a stable source of income for our family, especially since I paused my charcoal-burning business to focus on farming.

I hope to start a livestock rearing project in the next coming year and beyond. I would want to have as many chicken and goats so that I no longer struggle to look for money to pay for my children's school fees in the future. To achieve this dream I wanted to add more chicken to the ones I already have and also buy goats at least every month with the transfers that I would be receiving and later look for a market for sale when in need of finances.

There had been a severe drought in the area making it difficult to get food, getting money to feed the family had also become a problem. Therefore the support I have so far been getting from GiveDirectly had been of great help to my family. Therefore, with the recent transfer, I managed to buy a sack of 25 kilograms of rice worth KES. 2400 to feed my family and I felt relieved because that would last us a couple of months and I would not be so worried on where to get food. With the remaining amount, I spent KES. 500 on school fees for one of my children and KES. 570 on medication.

I want to purchase goats with the transfer money. The main motivation behind this is to support my children's future educational endeavors. My two children are currently enrolled in grades 2 and 3, respectively. Their need for school fees will steadily rise in the upcoming years, necessitating a significant investment in resources to pay for their education. Purchasing livestock is a long-term solution because the herd will be sufficiently large by the time they complete their primary education. In that case, I will be free to sell a portion in order to raise the necessary funds for my children's school expenses. In addition to aiding in my children's education, the livestock will be crucial in enabling me to provide for my family once I start to make money from livestock sales.

I have wanted to build a kitchen especially since I didn't have one and on and I used to cook in my main house which most times would end up filled on smoke. Therefore the last transfers I received I decided to save them and then when I received this recent transfers I took KES 2,400 and combined it with savings to acquire iron sheets for my kitchen to come. Afterwards I decided to spend the balance of KES 1,000 by purchasing five packets of maize flour because there was hardly any food in the house since we did not make any harvest due to drought.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly is doing a marvelous job abd it has more than exceeded my expectations especially because in the beginning it all seemed too good to be true, but it kept its word and though the finances I soon will have a bed to sleep on and the I have more hope for the future unlike before.

Upon realising that I had received the transaction from the organization, I opted to save all my finances by contributing the money to a savings committee that I belonged to. This is because I wanted the money to accumulate so that when I finally received the funds I could manage to buy furniture in my house and most specifically purchase a bed because at the moment I had been sleeping on the ground on a small mattress since I had no bed.

I had reached rock bottom in terms of raising funds for my children's school. I was so happy to receive my transfer because I had woken up that morning with nothing in my pocket. I cannot thank Give Directly enough for keeping its promise to provide cash assistance to vulnerable communities.

Through cash transfers, I can support my children's education. They have never been sent home since I cleared their outstanding arrears. I am confident that they will complete their studies without interruption thanks to the financial aid.

Before the transfers, my children were frequently sent from school to collect unpaid fees. Every parent takes pride when their children can study without interruptions, as this can have an impact on their academic performance. As a result, I withdrew KES 400 from the transfer to clear the balances, and they continued with their classes. I saved the rest of the money to save at least KES 6000 for a new bed. I am currently sleeping on the floor, which is extremely uncomfortable due to the cold and dampness.