The persistent drought in my region has made farming activities impossible to prosper, which has forced us to sustain our families by buying food rather than growing it. As a result, it is challenging to save the cash transfers to accomplish other goals like owning livestock. Although financial constraints are difficult to escape from, considering our growing family of nine, I hope to be able to save part of each future cash transfer to buy a goat or chickens. Am certain that keeping livestock will help me raise money for my children’s school fees. My goal is to support all seven of them throughout all education levels and to college. 

The casual activities, like charcoal making and working on people’s farms, that my husband and I handle barely put daily meals on the table. Hence, Give Directly cash transfers have become a major source of income that provides for my family’s basic needs such as food and school fees for my seven children. From the latest three transfers, I channeled a total of $69 towards my children’s tuition, who regularly missed classes due to unpaid balances. Gladly, they have recently studied without being pulled out of class to collect fees. Also, to ensure that they never went to school hungry, I spent $25 to buy food, especially on days when our jobs bore nothing. Lastly, I spent the remaining $8 on four chickens. Given the unpredictability of my income, rearing these chickens will help meet my family’s needs on tough days as I could sell them to raise money. 

Two prior to receiving the transfers, unfortunately five of my children had been kicked out of school due to the fact that I had yet to settle their debts. Therefore I was very happy when I realized that the organization had finally sent out the transactions, because it meant I could finally sort out the fees. I ended up spending KES 1,500 paying for tuition for two of my children who are in high school and then for the other three remaining who are in primary school I paid KES 1,000. I was left with a balance of KES 500 which I decided to use and buy three packets of maize flour because we hardly had any food left in the house and had already gone to bed hungry a couple of times before.

Before the transfers were sent out, seven of my children had actually been kicked out of school since I had failed to settle the debt in school fees. Two of my children who were in high-school had been home two days while the rest had been home for three consecutive days. That is the reason why, as soon as I received the funds I immediately used KES 1,500 and used it to pay for school fees. The balance I was left with was KES 1,500 which I ended up using on nourishment by purchasing five packets of maize, a kilogram of sugar, tea leaves,bread and milk.

The funds have really played a huge role in my day to day life, for instance were it not for the money I have no idea how long it would taken for me to take my kids back to school. In the past they have stayed home for months just because I could not afford to pay for fees. Therefore I an very grateful for the opportunity and glad I get to provide for my family.

After I received the money I went ahead to pay school fees for eight of my children since I had a huge debt that I had not yet cleared and my kids had been kicked out of school two days before the money. I therefore took KES 1,200 and paid their tuition fee. I was left with KES 1,800 which I went ahead and used it in buying a sack of maize so as to cater for the nutrition of the family since there was barely any food and I was scared my kids would go hungry.

Just like a normal day where I go about doing my usual chores, was also the same scenario that day. Since I am unable to read, I had to wait for my son to come read the SMS received on my behalf. I was extremely happy when he told me it was an MPESA message and that my account had been credited with KSH 1200 from GiveDirectly. It was abit late, so I wasn't able to withdraw the funds that day hence I waited until the following day when I did the transaction.

I am now very much elated with the funds since atleast there is no sleeping hungry as food is readily available. Also my kid can now learn comfortably as I am able to pay up any school fees arrears present.

The GiveDirectly funds of KES 1200 came as a strong and uplifting gesture as I was able to add to food supplements in the house worth KSH 500 and a further KES 700 was rightfully spent in clearing some of the school fees arrears ensuring my kids stay in school not missing the lessons.