My aim for the upcoming year is to make a significant investment in farming, particularly in cultivating maize on my land. This endeavor will guarantee an abundant food supply that can sustain us for numerous months. With the ongoing rainfall, I intend to capitalize on the favorable conditions by planting the crops, foreseeing a bountiful harvest before the arrival of the dry season. I am genuinely pleased with the financial assistance I have received thus far, as it has substantially improved my life and enabled me to provide for my family's requirements.

Last year, I settled a $20 school fee debt for my two grandchildren, enabling them to sit for their exams after being sent home due to arrears. I then invested $10 in their future by purchasing an asset that I aim to rear and eventually sell for additional income. Additionally, during the festive season, I spent $14 on food to celebrate with my family. I also set aside $20 in a savings group, from which I anticipate receiving $100 in two months. I intend to utilize this amount to purchase goats and repair my house, which sustained damage during last month's heavy rains. Finally, I acquired a wooden bed, replacing the uncomfortable sisal twine bed I had been using for an extended period. This improvement in my sleeping arrangement is thanks to the valuable financial support from the transfers.

In the coming year, one of my main objectives is to support my son in renovating his severely deteriorated house, which is on the verge of collapsing. Due to his occupation as a motorcycle taxi driver, his income is quite meager, making it difficult for him to invest in rebuilding his home. To aid him in this endeavor, I plan to provide assistance by purchasing the necessary building materials, thus ensuring that he has a safe and comfortable residence. The positive impact of the money I have received fills me with great joy, as it has not only improved my own life but also allows me the opportunity to extend help and support to my loved ones.

I strategically allocated my August transfers into different portions, dividing them among various savings groups. The first group I joined consists of seven members, and we contribute $20 each month. The total amount of $140 is then given to one member on a rotational basis. The recipient has the freedom to decide how and where to utilize the funds. When it was my turn to receive the money, I used it to address the issues with the roof of my house. Additionally, I was able to rebuild the weakened and deteriorated building poles, reinforcing the overall structure. In another savings group, I set aside $10. This money accrues interest over the course of the year. My intention is to utilize these funds to purchase two bulls, which will prove invaluable for both farming purposes and generating additional income. The support I have received through the transfers has brought me immense happiness. It has enabled me to make necessary improvements to my home and take steps towards enhancing my farming endeavors. I am grateful for the assistance I have received thus far and the positive impact it has had on my life.

I am currently facing financial struggles with my palm wine business not doing well. To address this, I have decided to use the money to invest in livestock. My plan is to buy animals that can multiply in number, and then sell them at a higher price to earn a considerable amount of money. This will provide me with a more stable financial situation and allow me to take care of myself.

Due to the prolonged drought in our region, the yield of the coconut plants that I harvest for palm wine has drastically reduced. This has significantly affected my income from selling palm wine in the village. With very little yield, I am unable to make enough money to buy food for my family, and we sometimes sleep on empty stomachs. Additionally, my grandchild, who is in class seven, relies on me to pay his school fees, but my financial struggles have led to him being frequently sent home from school. To alleviate these challenges, I decided to invest my March transfers in buying a goat. I am optimistic that in the next six months, the goat will multiply, thereby doubling my initial investment. This will give me a financial cushion in case of an emergency, as I can sell some of the goats and use the money to take care of my needs.

After successfully constructing my new house through previous transfers, I now plan to focus on acquiring livestock such as goats and cows. To start with, I aim to have bought at least six goats by year-end. I intend to use the cash transfers to buy these goes. This is because my business of selling palm wine cannot raise money to afford anything beyond food.

My dilapidated, grass-covered, mud house collapsed one night two months after I joined the program as a result of strong winds that passed over it at night. My home collapsed, so I was forced to move into my eldest son's home. I spent a sizable portion of my previous transfers on purchasing water, iron sheets, and building poles, as well as to pay the mason who was in charge of constructing the house. A few months later, I am happy to report that the house I am building is almost fully complete, and I recently moved into my new home. I used $22 from my most recent transfers to purchase a piece of iron sheet and additional building poles so that I could finish constructing a small portion of the house that wasn't yet finished. I am eagerly anticipating my subsequent transfer so that I can use some of it to purchase one piece of iron sheet, which will be sufficient to completely cover the roof of my home. I used the remaining $12 to purchase food in addition to building the house. I stopped selling palwine in the village because it was no longer profitable, and now I am unemployed. My daughter, a Likoni-based housekeeper, is who I rely on the most. If she doesn't send me the money, I'll go to bed hungry. Purchasing this food gave me sufficient peace of mind that I wouldn't go hungry and die.

As soon as I received the funds I decided that I was going to save the money which was KES 3,000 and this is because I had plans to renovate my house because it was quite old and was almost collapsing, but since the funds were not enough to do this so I decided to save up while I give myself more time.

I would like to commend GiveDirectly for training their staff members well. The services they offered were top-notch, and this created an environment of trust between the organization and the recipients. I would like to recommend to the organization to add more members of staff during enrolment exercises so that no potential recipient misses out.  

The house I built ten years before collapsed because of strong winds blowing during the night and almost collapsed. I acted quickly by supporting the house using two strong poles. I work as a casual laborer, burning woods to make charcoal for sale. I earn very little from my job and I have not saved enough over the years to build a magnificent house. The poles I used to build the house have weakened and can no longer support their weight. I currently live with my relative who welcomed me after the near-collapse of my house. When I received my second transfer, I spent the KES 3000 buying strong poles to rebuild my house. Once the house is ready, I will move back into the house and live without the scare of the house collapsing on me.

My daughter-in-law called to see if my transfer had arrived, as she had just received hers from Give Directly. Because I am unable to read, I requested that someone check the contents of the received message, and they confirmed the wonderful news. I was so excited that I immediately went to the mobile money outlet to withdraw the money.

My priority before the transfer was to obtain a goat. However, due to the weight of other obligations, I was forced to surrender that plan for the time being. Instead, I decided to purchase two hens. This was the most significant accomplishment I achieved as a result of the transfer. My chances of increasing an income stream rise as the chickens multiply.

When I first signed up for the program, my goal was to buy a goat using the first transfer. However, this was impossible to achieve because the money arrived at a critical juncture in our lives when we were out of food. I hope to eventually create a steady source of income from the transfers. This is due to the fact that my current job of digging tree stumps is physically demanding and pays poorly. Furthermore, because my children are unemployed and suffering, I am unable to rely on them for support. As a result, I wish to own a large herd of livestock, including poultry and goats, to ensure a steady stream of income to meet the needs of my family. So, I spent KES 1,000 from the transfer to buy two hens. In addition, because we had run out of meals the day before, I spent KES 1,000 on maize flour and sugar. The remaining funds (KES 1,000) were used to purchase new school uniforms for my grandson. His old clothes were worn, torn, and severally patched, and I thought it was time to replace them.