Currently, I live in Ganze, at my husband's paternal home. However, he had acquired a parcel of land in Mombasa ten years ago. Our family goal has been to develop it and buy a home there. Our one-year goal is to build a three-roomed, mud-walled walled house. That may take us about 30 iron sheets. Building in that house will help my husband to save a lot of money he has been spending on rent. As a result, all cash he has been using on rent will be diverted into our development. Our life will become slightly bearable.

There were numerous struggles in our lives. Personally, it was a difficult experience for me to raise school fees and buy food for the family because I never had sources of income. However, with the unconditional cash transfer, I managed to offer my children the support they required. I am so excited that none of them have been sent home due to fee arrears. In my opinion, giving unconditional cash transfers and doing a follow-up are things that GiveDirectly does not do well. It has increased our faith in the program. There is currently nothing that it does not do well.

I am a peasant farmer, while my husband does a part-time job. The combined incomes of my husband and I are never enough to cover my seven children's educational needs. Before the transfer, paying school fees was hard for us. Our children were frequently at home because of unpaid school fees. My daughter, Neema, who is in boarding secondary school had arrears of $450 by the time I got my transfer. With the transfer, I managed to clear arrears and she was able to continue with her studies without interruption. Lastly, I spent $70 on paying tuition fees for her six siblings in primary school.

I received the money at around 6:30 am just when I was about to go fetch water for the day. Fetching water is my daily chore every morning. GiveDirectly had finally honored its promise of sending the money. I quickly did my chores for the money then called my husband who works away to inform him of the good news.

The biggest difference in my daily life is that once the meter is installed I won't have to take 15 minutes trips several times a day to go fetch water. I will also be able to supply water to my neighbors at a fee which will help me cater to my daily needs. The pain I get from going these rounds to go fetch water will no longer be there.

The transfers came at a time when my husband and I have been planning to have our water in our compound. Daily I've been waking up at around 6:00 am to go fetch water for the day's use. I've recently had four operations that limit my mobility but I have to go fetch water as my children are still young. Out of the total amount I used KES 38000 to buy water meters taps and pipes that have enabled me to have water in my compound. I'm now looking forward to getting my meter so that I can start distributing water to my neighborhood. The rest of the money I've used to buy food and pay school fees for my children.