In the coming year, my main goal is to get a replacement for my lost primary school academic certificate. Without it, I can’t apply for a TSA number, which is essential for me to find employment. It has been a struggle, but I am determined to move forward. Getting the certificate costs at least $150, so I have started saving little by little each month. Though it feels like a slow process, I know that every bit I save brings me closer to my dream of being eligible for employment. Once I have the certificate and my TSA number, I will be able to apply for jobs and finally stably provide for my family.

I am a mother of one and a trained teacher, although I haven't been able to find a job yet. I rely on my husband, who works as a primary school teacher, to support our family. With the last three transfers, I knew I had to make smart decisions for our future. First, I saved $60 because I want to apply for my certificates. Some time ago, I lost my primary school academic certificate, which has been a major setback for me in obtaining the TSA number needed to secure employment. By saving this money, I am taking a crucial step towards recovering my documents and securing employment. With the remaining $42, I bought one hen and some chicken feed. Currently, I have ten chickens, some of which have chicks. These chickens have become an important investment for me. They not only provide us with eggs and an income but also offer hope for a better future. Each chick is like a step forward, bringing us closer to financial stability. I am grateful for the transfers, as they have helped me invest wisely while working towards my goal of getting employed.

I have set everything else aside to focus on saving enough money to recover my lost certificates. Although I am trained in Early Childhood Education, I cannot get a job without these documents, which is incredibly frustrating. Every month, I save part of my transfer to accumulate the necessary funds to process my certificate to enable me process my Teachers Service Commission number. The lack of these documents has caused me significant frustration, and I am determined to resolve this so I can work as a trained teacher. Initially, I considered starting a business, but due to the pressing need to secure a job, I decided to focus all my efforts on retrieving my certificate.

I am trained in Early Childhood Education, but unfortunately, I lost my documents, which means I am not allowed to teach without tangible proof of my qualifications. As a result, I have been saving part of my transfer towards acquiring these lost documents. This month, I spent $55 from my most recent transfer towards this effort. Occasionally, I get jobs to teach, but once the head teacher realizes that I lack the necessary documents, I am dismissed and asked to return with the certificates. This is why I am striving so hard to retrieve them. Additionally, I have a child who will be starting school soon, so I need to save up to support him. I also spent $22 to buy five chickens. In our area, we experience prolonged droughts, making poultry rearing the best option since chickens consume less water, and their feed is relatively inexpensive. I also bought chicken feed for $8.50. Investing in poultry is practical because the market is readily available, and I can sell them if I face any financial difficulties. Finally, I used the remaining $16.50 to buy personal items like soap and body oil for personal use,

Looking ahead, my goal is to start a vegetable business to supplement our income, given its profitability in our area. I also aim to obtain the necessary qualifications to resume teaching, restoring our previous stability. I will be using my upcoming transfers to achieve these goals. The profits from my business, along with my teaching salary and savings, will go towards securing my son's education, providing us with peace of mind. I am genuinely happy and grateful for this opportunity to change our lives for the better.

My husband and I worked as primary school teachers, but unfortunately, I had to stop because I lacked the required credentials and papers to continue teaching. Life was challenging, especially during a severe drought worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. This left many relying on charcoal sales and livestock, making it tough to earn a living. GiveDirectly's timely assistance became a lifeline for our family of three, providing support during those difficult times. Thanks to the assistance, we managed to sustain ourselves, and now, with ample food from good rains last year, we have even invested in livestock and poultry. During the December festivities, I allocated $34 to purchase clothes and shoes for my son and myself, while setting aside $20 for his future education. Additionally, I invested $14 in acquiring three chickens and a $34 goat, which I plan to raise and eventually sell for profit. This assistance has brought about a positive change in my life, and I'm truly grateful for it.

My primary focus is on expanding my livestock farming operation through the transfers, which will not only increase my income but also allow me to save for my child's future. Additionally, I plan to save a portion of the profits from my livestock endeavors. With this savings, I intend to open a grocery shop in my village. The lack of access to groceries has been an issue for the community, and I see an opportunity to address this need while also creating a sustainable source of income for my family. This way, I hope to make a positive impact on the village's accessibility to essential goods.

Life before the GiveDirectly transfers was a constant struggle. My husband and I are both teachers, but our income has been inconsistent and often delayed. It has been frustrating to wait for our salaries or receive them in small payments. The financial instability made it difficult to plan for our family's needs. My child's illness added to our financial burdens, I'm happy that with $39 from the transfers I was able to cover his medical expenses. With the remaining funds, I purchased livestock worth $40, which I'm currently rearing as a source of income for my family. This investment has brought us financial stability and I had to quit my previous job. I also bought food and essential household items worth $23, something that was often a challenge in our household. GiveDirectly has truly made a positive impact on our lives, enabling us to address our basic needs and work toward a more secure future.

My family is not financially stable and owing to the fact that I have a child whose father is never supportive, I would want to carry on with my chicken-rearing project and be one of the prominent farmers in the area with the main goal of having enough money to educate my child who had not yet started school so that I do not struggle with his education.

Since we live in an area that is often affected by drought, getting food for the family and livestock feeds i.e goat, sheep and cow had always been a major challenge since everything dries up, and with that situation, I decided to venture into chicken rearing because getting their feeds had never been difficult. The transfers had been of great help in starting up the project and with the most recent one, I bought two chicks worth $10 and spent the remaining $24.7 on food for my family, and ever since GiveDirectly started giving us the support, my family had been getting something to feed on and I am forever grateful.

When I had my son a year ago, I took a break from my teaching job. I have been unable to resume work since I have no one to babysit him when I am away. So I have been relying on my father, a house construction worker, for my needs and those of my child. Gladly, the cash transfers from Give Directly gave me a chance to support the needs of my family as well as start an investment in poultry keeping that could provide me financial security in the future. I used most of the recent three cash transfers,$69, on food on the water, since they are the major challenges in my household. Am grateful that this ensured that the household had enough food and water to last until my father’s pay dates. Also, I spent $12 to acquire four chickens to kickstart my quest for poultry rearing as an investment. Lastly, I used $17 from the most recent cash transfer to buy Christmas clothes for my son and me, as it is our norm. 

In my opinion GiveDirectly operations were just seamless and without any form of blemish. The officers were very kind and understanding. They made sure that we understood everything that they were passing across and were sure not to be in a hurry. I did not find anything with them that I thought should have been changed whatsover. Everything was good from the beginning to the end.

I am personally very grateful to Givedirectly fir the support that they have given us. The money has been very helpful especially during this time when the drought situation has really worsened fir us. Everything has come to a standstill and it has made it quite difficult even to do farming in our land. When I received my most recent transfer, I used the entire amount to buy food and water for my family. I have been relying on casual work to earn a living in my family and even getting such casual jobs have proven to be quite hard nowadays. GiveDirectly has been such a relief to us and we cannot thank them enough.

I was in the kitchen preparing food at around 9 p.m. when my mobile phone beeped with a message alert. After checking its contents, I confirmed to have received my first transfer from Give Directly. I felt a wave of relief and excitement rush over me. This cash would help lessen the hunger that had been experienced in my household for the previous weeks.

Since the drought kicked in over three years ago, my household has been experiencing severe cases; sometimes sleeping hungry consecutively because of a lack of money for food. In fact, since the month started, up until the day I received the cash transfer, my family had run out of food four times. This prompted me to use the entire transfer amount on food. I am glad because we have never gone to bed hungry or skipped a meal since then.

I took a leave from my teaching job one year ago when I had my son. Since I have no one to look after him while am away, I have been unable to resume work to date. This made me rely on my father, a construction worker, for provision because I lack a source of income. I am grateful to Give Directly because the cash transfer allowed me to support the family's needs. I purchased food using the entire amount to boost the existing maize flour stock. Gladly, my household enjoyed regular meals for at least one week, something that did not usually happen before.