In the coming year and beyond, I hope to transform my home into a safe and sturdy refuge for my family. I have been diligently saving every monthly transfer for the past three months, determined to renovate my house, which feels weak against the strong winds we’ve been facing. As I continue to save, I also wait patiently for the rains, knowing that the renovation will need water, which is currently scarce due to the ongoing drought. With every saved penny, I dream of a stronger house, a place where my family can feel secure and protected, no matter the storms that may come our way.

I am aged, relying on subsistence farming for my livelihood, I’ve always understood the importance of stability not just in the ground beneath my feet but also in the house I have built over the years. Recently, however, the strong winds in our area have taken a toll on my mud wall house, leaving it unstable. Recognizing the urgent need for repairs, I decided to save for renovations. To that end, I pooled together the last three transfers I received, each intended for basic needs but redirected toward strengthening my home. I plan to construct pillars and add skating to reinforce the structure against the wind. Although I could have embarked on the renovation immediately, I've found myself at a standstill due to the ongoing drought that has made water scarce. The lack of water has forced me to postpone my renovation plans, as the mud and materials I need for the work require sufficient water to set properly. Every day, I keep an eye on the sky, hoping for rain that will allow me to begin the renovation. My savings, once intended for daily sustenance, have become a lifeline for my home’s stability. I am eager to see the skies open up, bringing the much-needed rains that will not only replenish the land but also allow me to restore my home, providing me with a sense of security in my golden years. Until then, I remain patient and hopeful, knowing that the weather will soon change, allowing me to turn my plans into reality.

This year and beyond, with the incredible support from GiveDirectly, I am determined to transform my family's future by making our house firmer against the fierce winds that have always threatened our safety. I aim to construct strong pillars and skate around our house to reinforce its foundation, ensuring it stands firm no matter how hard the wind blows. This will bring a sense of confidence to my family as they will be living at the house free from fear of being collapsed on.

With the recent three transfers, I used $12 to pay examination fees for my four children who are in primary school. I must ensure they have a good education, and paying for their exams is a step towards that goal. Education is the key to a better future, and I want to give my kids every opportunity to succeed. Knowing they can sit for their exams without hurdles gives me immense peace of mind. After that, I bought a goat for $55. This was a strategic purchase as it will help us in the long run. The goat can provide milk for the family and produce more goats, which can be a source of income or food. Finally, I spent $35 on food. With four children and depending on my sons who are doing casual jobs, ensuring there is enough to eat is a top priority. These transfers have helped me provide for my family’s immediate needs and invest in our future.

I bought seven goats through some of the previous cash transfers, and my goal is to continue increasing the herd. Beyond the monthly cash transfers, raising livestock serves as the sole source of income that enables me to pay the school fees for my six children. My ultimate wish is to support all of them until they graduate from college, and I rely on the cash transfers to help me acquire more livestock to achieve this goal. I firmly believe that by investing in their education and providing them with the resources they need, my children have the opportunity to excel in their studies and enhance their prospects. The livestock, coupled with the support from the cash transfers, plays a crucial role in securing their education and contributing to their long-term success.

I have six children in school who rely solely on me to pay for their school fees. Unfortunately, I do not have a regular source of income, except for the cash transfers. My primary activities include subsistence farming during the rainy season and keeping goats. Since the cash transfers are my sole income source, I prioritize saving most of the money for emergencies, particularly for food and school fees. Now that we have recently harvested and have enough food, my focus has shifted to paying school fees. For the last three months, I set aside $30 from each transfer to cover tuition, especially for the two children in junior high school. I am pleased that they are progressing well and have never missed a day of school. The remaining $4 is allocated to cover household expenses like soap and sugar. I am genuinely grateful because the cash transfers have been a lifeline, ensuring I can provide for my family's essential needs.

I have already acquired six goats through some of the previous cash transfers, and my goal is to continue increasing the herd. Besides the monthly cash transfers, raising livestock is the only source of income that helps me keep my six children in school by paying their school fees. I wish to be able to support all of them until they graduate from college, and I'm relying on the cash transfers to enable me to buy as many livestock as possible to achieve this goal.

I have six children in school who depend solely on me to pay for their school fees. However, I do not have a source of income apart from the cash transfers I receive from GiveDirectly. The only work I do is subsistence farming when it rains, and I also keep livestock. Because the cash transfers are my only source of income, I need to save most of the money for emergencies, especially for medication and school fees. Now that we have recently harvested, I only used $3 to pay examination fees for two of my children and saved the rest. By doing this, I feel confident about the future in case of any emergencies.

My primary achievement lies in making prudent use of my monthly stipend. Since I don't have a job, farming constitutes a significant part of my livelihood. While anticipating a fruitful harvest, my intention is to allocate the funds towards purchasing both food supplies and livestock. Investing in livestock not only serves as a wise long-term investment but also acts as a contingency plan should any emergencies arise. In such situations, I can sell the livestock and utilize the proceeds to support myself.

To support my two children, who are in primary school, I used $16 from my May transfers to purchase essential stationery supplies. These included exercise books, pens, pencils, colors, and geometric sets. Being a peasant farmer, my income is limited, and my children rely on me for financial assistance. However, as a peasant farmer, I only earn enough to cover our daily food expenses. Apart from buying stationery, I allocated the remaining $18 to buy food for my family. Recently, I took advantage of some rainfall and planted maize, beans, and vegetables, hoping for a bountiful harvest. While we await the harvest, I am hopeful for financial aid from Give Directly to support my family's needs.

This year, paying my four children's tuition is my top priority because I want them to continue their education uninterrupted. I therefore intend to pay off whatever debt I may have with their schools with the money I will receive this year. In addition, I want to spend the money on food since the drought makes it difficult for my family and I to get enough to eat. Finally, I also hope that the money will enable me to invest in a couple of goats.

I have four children who are still in school, but I made the decision to take care of the needs of only two of them during the time I was getting the money. I spent KES 1,900 on them, purchasing them books, mathematics sets, pens, and a ton of other supplies since they required stationery when they started school again. After that, I spent KES 1,000 for two kilograms of beans and three packets of maize flour. I still have KES 500 left over so I  deposited  it into my savings account.

In my observation, since GiveDirectly began working in our area, there has been an improvement in the way we live. Several children had dropped out of school but are re-enrolled. In addition, those who could not afford their meals previously are now able to fend for their family. I, therefore, bear a sentiment that GiveDirectly does well in offering support. It also plays a role in creating awareness in the community through sensitization. This improved our participation. Many experienced a positive change in their lives. However, I have not seen what GiveDirectly does not do well.

Because I had no investment to fall back on, I had to rely on casual jobs and peasantry, which did not provide an adequate income. However, I later developed an interest in livestock raising. That seemed like a lucrative investment because livestock owners are highly valued in our community. As a result, when I received my most recent transfer, I spent $30 on a goat. I used to have two goats, but now I have three. It is a positive step in my life, and I hope to have more goats as time goes on. My family consists of five people.

I was in my house at 8 pm chatting with my sons, daughters, and grandchildren. My phone rang out loudly signaling that I had received a text message. I handed over my phone to my eldest son, who informed me I had received my first transfer. I was thrilled to hear the good news and together my family thanked the Lord for the good news.

The funds will make a vast difference in my life, once the plan I have comes to fruition. This will help ease the burden on my son, who has struggled to take care of the family and deteriorating health condition.

Lately, my health condition has been deteriorating. Often I have visited the hospital and also used local medicines from local doctors, but my condition has not improved. My legs are swollen and painful, hindering me from working. I fully depend on my son who is employed to work in a hardware store. My health condition is a burden to him because it is difficult for him to provide food and take care of me with his little salary. When I was enrolled in the program, I was very happy because I hatched a plan of investing money into buying some goats. Through rearing the goats, I will create wealth and this will help cater to my medical expenses and those of my family.