For now, my primary focus in the coming months is to complete building our new house, which is already underway. Currently, my family, including my three children, lives in a cramped one-room house that offers no privacy. Additionally, the house is on the verge of collapsing, which has been my greatest fear as a parent. The new house will be a permanent, two-room structure with plenty of space, providing much-needed privacy, especially for my children. To make this dream a reality, I plan to use part of the transfers I’ve saved in my savings group, along with support from my husband. Once the house is completed, I will be deeply grateful and overjoyed. I have longed to give my children a separate room, which will restore my dignity as a mother and allow my children the privacy they deserve.

When I received the cash transfers, I knew exactly how I wanted to use the money because my husband and I had already planned for it. We owed money to the workers building our new house, which is still under construction, and their labor was at risk of stalling due to the unpaid debt. I decided to use the $102 to pay them in full, ensuring they could continue their work uninterrupted. I can't wait to see the house completed. We've been living in a small house that can no longer accommodate my family of five, and it has been a source of constant stress. Although the new house isn't fully finished yet, I'm deeply grateful that it's close to being ready, and we will soon move in. I also want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the organization because a large portion of what we've spent so far came from the transfers we've been receiving each month. I saved diligently for this purpose, with additional support from my husband. Being jobless, I had lost hope of ever owning a decent home, and I never imagined this dream would come true. Now, as I see the house nearing completion, I feel immense joy as a mother. Soon, there will be no more squeezing into a cramped space, and because the house is permanent, I will no longer have to worry about harsh weather.

In the coming year and beyond, I want to build my dream house. My family, which includes my three children, currently lives in a one-roomed house. Due to the lack of space and privacy, I plan to build a more spacious two-roomed house. This will provide us with more room and privacy. To achieve this, I plan to use part of my transfers to gradually buy iron sheets and other building materials. Once I have acquired the necessary materials, I will start the construction work. My initial goal was to invest in goat keeping, and I am glad to say that I now have six goats. I will pause my investment in goat keeping to focus on accumulating resources for building my dream house. I am grateful for these transfers, as they have significantly improved my life and helped me progress from one level to another.

These transfers have allowed me to obtain valuable items I never imagined I would have. I have invested in buying goats, which was my dream. Now that I have acquired six goats. I am optimistic that they will multiply and increase in number. In the coming year and beyond, I plan to invest in building materials. When I received my most recent transfer, I spent $90 to buy five modern iron sheets. This is because I want to build a spacious house that can comfortably accommodate my three children and my spouse. Our current one-roomed house is too small. With the remaining $12, I spent $6 on transportation fees and $6 on food for my family since we didn't have any at home.

My dream for the coming year and beyond is to maintain a sizable herd of goats and cows. I firmly believe that this investment will play a pivotal role in securing a brighter future for my children, particularly when it comes to their education. While they're still in the lower grades at the moment, I'm acutely aware that in just a few short years, they'll be making the transition to higher levels of learning. This is where livestock becomes invaluable. By carefully tending to and growing my herd, I hope to provide a stable source of income that can be channelled towards their educational needs. My ultimate aim is to break the cycle of poverty that has gripped my family for generations. With determination and perseverance, I'm committed to creating opportunities that will change their lives for the better and ensure that they have the tools they need to thrive beyond our current circumstances.

With $90 in hand, I saw an opportunity to secure my future through an investment in livestock. Purchasing three goats may seem modest to some, but to me, they represent stability and security. As someone who relies solely on livestock rearing, these goats are more than just animals; they're valuable assets that I can depend on during times of financial uncertainty. I have great faith that they will multiply, providing me with a steady source of income in the long run. The decision to invest in goats wasn't just about immediate gains; it was a strategic move to ensure my financial resilience and independence in the years to come. With the remaining funds, I made a practical decision to invest in sustenance. As someone who lacked a consistent source of income, ensuring my basic needs were met was paramount. Buying food not only provided immediate relief but also sustained me during lean times. It was a simple yet profound gesture that alleviated the burden of uncertainty. Now, as I navigate life with my newfound assets and the security they provide, I am grateful for the transformative power of unconditional cash transfers. They have not only provided material support but also instilled a sense of empowerment and optimism for the journey ahead.

I recently closed down my food vending kiosk because of my health. Due to this, we've had to solely depend on my spouse for most of our bills. I am glad that I am currently recuperating well and I believe that I will back on my feet very soon. For this season,my main focus right now is to start saving my transfers so that I will later use it to revive my business. With this, I will be able to continue supporting my spouse in paying some of our bills at home.

I have two children in school and recently, the schools were reopening from holidays. Due to this, I spent $ 30 from my most recent transfer on school uniforms since the ones they had were old and worn out. In addition, I invested $67 on goat rearing project by purchasing two goats. I settled on this since they can easily be converted to cash when need be and they also increase in number within the shortest period of time. I used to run a small food vending shop which I recently had to close down since I was sick. Due to this, I used $5 on some food items that I needed.

With a blend of hotel industry experience and a well-prepared farming savings, I'm gearing up to open my own hotel. This venture will allow me to showcase and sell the delicious food I'm passionate about. It's a journey that combines my expertise and financial readiness, promising a tasty and successful future.

In my little homestead, I had four goats; but you know what I believe is that, with more goats, you are closer to your dream. So, I decided to spice things up and brought home a new goat for $29, making it the number of my goats rise to five. With the remaining transfer, I ensured my children stay on the road to knowledge by covering their school fees at $5. Balancing my growing goat squad with my children's education is all part of the adventure and it gives me greater joy.

My future goal is to have a bigger house. The house that I am currently living in is a bit small considering that I have a family which is still growing and therefore I would need a bigger space in the future. My plan is therefore buy goats for rearing hoping that they would bear offspring in the future, then later sell them after a few years and spend the money on my house construction.

I received the transfers at a time when I was in dire need. Two of my children who are all in primary school were sent home for school fees and their school uniforms were also in bad condition, but I did not have neither the money to take them back to school nor buy new uniforms due to the lack of a reliable source of income both from my husband and I. On the other hand, getting money for food and farming was also a challenge, but luckily, I received the transfer which was of great help, I managed to clear the pending school fees balances of $10, bought school uniforms worth $10, spent $10 on farming and the remaining $4 on food. I felt so happy for the support because my kids got a chance to go back to school and I also managed to finish up my pending assignments.

Two months ago, my home's iron and wooden doors dislodged. This year, I want to purchase a sturdy, long-lasting metallic door using the savings from subsequent transfers. My heart will be at ease once the door has been fixed because I will know that my belongings inside the house are secure. The other objective I have for this year and the future is to see my children do well in school. This will be made possible by making sure their tuition is paid on time and by providing financial assistance by buying the necessary school supplies.

I struggle to support my family because I do not have a reliable source of income. Every Friday, our village's market day, I make a living by cooking. I have the chance to make money because of the influx of people on this particular day. I only work one day per week, which limits my ability to increase my income. I struggle so much to make ends meet because I make such little money. I bought food worth $8 for my family when I got my January transfers. The provision of food was sufficient to ensure that my family would not go without. In addition, I bought two pairs of school uniforms for my 2 children who were starting new classes after their schools reopened. To prevent the school head teacher from sending them home, I paid $12 in school fees for both of them. They are enrolled in classes, which makes me happy, and I anxiously await my next transfer to fully pay off the outstanding balance on their school fees.

Give Direct has done well to support us through the funds because poverty is a major issue in my village and with the drought and hunger, the funds have enabled many families to fight hunger.

My husband works from a different town and he is hardly at home. I live with my mother-in-law who is old with my two children. I am unemployed and most of the time we depend on my husband who works as a casual laborer in Mombasa town. Sometimes my only source of income comes from working on weekends in a market as a cook. Upon receiving the funds, I used used$15 to buy a cock and a chicken layer. The remaining balance was used to buy food because my husband had worked for over two weeks without getting paid.

At around 8 p.m., I was at home relaxing after taking dinner when my phone vibrated with a message notification. I reached out to check what it was all about and could not believe my eyes when I found out that Give Directly had deposited the first cash transfer. I was happy. The money came as a relief given my two children had missed school for four days due to overdue school fees.

My children had missed out on their studies for four days due to overdue school arrears when I received the transfer. Their father had not sent me money to clear these fees because it was mid-month and his salary was not in yet. So, the cash transfer proved useful. I cleared the amounts that had been accrued for two months and they resumed classes. They were never sent home throughout August.

Being the family’s provider, my husband works as a long-distance truck driver from the port of Mombasa to Kampala. Sometimes, the monthly stipend he sends home fails to take the children and me throughout the month. This is why, I sell first food every Friday at the open-air market to make money and help provide for household needs, particularly food. By the time I received the transfer, two of my children had missed school since the beginning of the week due to a lack of money to settle their July and August outstanding tuition costs. I used KES 600 to clear the balance and they gladly resumed their studies. I spent KES 250 to buy a chicken and add to the existing flock of three. This was to boost the chicken rearing project I started using the cash transfers from Give Directly that will help generate funds in the future, even after the cash program ends. I spent the rest amount to buy sugar and snacks to prepare my children tea before school. It had been months since they had taken a decent breakfast.