I am currently responsible for taking care of my two high school grandchildren. It has been challenging for me to afford their school fees, especially since one of them is in a day school and I have to pay for his rent. Unfortunately, I do not have a steady source of income that would allow me to comfortably provide for their educational needs. However, receiving financial transfers has been a huge relief for me because it has enabled my grandchildren to continue their studies without any interruptions. My only goal now is to ensure that I pay their fees on time and help them achieve their educational aspirations despite my financial hardships.

I engage in subsistence farming in the village, which has always ensured that I do not face food shortages in my household. Getting food from my farm after a successful harvest means that I will not incur the cost of buying food for my household. When I received my recent transfer, I spent $20 to hire a pair of oxen, which helped me effectively utilize my acreage. I am now expecting a bountiful harvest in three months since I was able to do a timely cultivation. This will help me ensure that I have plenty of food in my household from my farm. Additionally, I also used $30 to pay fees for my two grandchildren, who are currently enrolled in high school. I am relieved that I managed to clear their fee arrears and also purchased them the necessary stationery, like books for their studies. I also paid rent, which amounted to $10 for my grandson, who attends a day school. I also purchased a goat worth $36, which I am keeping as an asset. I own four goats now, which I acquired through the monthly transfers. I plan to breed them and let their numbers increase. Since I don't have any source of income, these goats will help me in case of a financial need, such as raising school fees for my grandchildren. I used the remaining amount to buy food and other household items that I lacked, including some toiletries.

GiveDirectly has made a significant impact in my village, evident in the flourishing businesses, increased school attendance among children, and the overall improved well-being of the community. I am thrilled to be a part of this positive transformation. Looking ahead to the coming year, my aspiration is to start a goat-rearing business. With the current abundance of food, the challenges we once faced have diminished, allowing me to allocate the upcoming transfers towards this endeavor. The profits generated from this venture will provide me with the means to comfortably cover my grandson's school fees, bringing me a sense of peace and security. I express my heartfelt gratitude to this organization for its support.

In the past, we endured a prolonged three-year drought that subjected us to significant suffering, leaving us without the basic necessities of food and water for survival. Gratefully, my life has undergone a positive transformation, enabling me to purchase food, pay for my grandson's school fees, and provide him with books. Since he lost his father, the responsibility of caring for him has fallen upon me. My livelihood relies on farming, specifically the cultivation of maize for personal consumption.Out of the financial support received, $40 was allocated to farming activities, including hiring labor for land tilling, given my inability to engage in strenuous work due to an arm injury. Subsequently, I invested $34 in acquiring a goat, but unfortunately, it succumbed to a sudden illness. the remaining $28 was instrumental in covering my grandson's school fees, rent, and food expenses, especially given the considerable distance he resides from home. I find joy in the fact that I am now able to independently fend for myself, and the support from GiveDirectly has instilled hope in our lives.

Taking on the role of caregiver for my grandson, who is currently enrolled in secondary school, has become my utmost responsibility. Following the tragic loss of his father, I have wholeheartedly embraced the task of providing for his needs. As I look ahead to the future, one of my primary objectives is to secure a sufficient amount of savings to support his education throughout the upcoming year and beyond. In addition to prioritizing my grandson's education, I have set my sights on acquiring a bull that will significantly aid me in my farming endeavors, particularly during the wet season. This investment will prove invaluable in enhancing the efficiency and productivity of my agricultural activities. The bull's assistance will not only contribute to my personal sustenance but also create opportunities for additional income generation.

Towards the end of July, my house faced an unfortunate incident when the mud wall at the back collapsed. The relentless heavy rains caused excessive dampness, resulting in a marshy area. As a consequence, the wooden poles supporting the wall started to rot and eventually gave way. This collapse left an opening that exposed me to the chilly night weather, making it uncomfortable to sleep. Fortunately, the August transfers I received from Give Directly proved to be a lifeline in addressing this situation. With the funds, I was able to purchase sturdy replacement building poles valued at $35. These new poles were essential in rebuilding the wall, restoring its strength and integrity. To ensure the completion of the reconstruction, I utilized $20 from my savings to compensate the skilled mason who offered his services for the project. I am overwhelmed with happiness and relief that I can now enjoy the comfort of a warm house. The successful completion of the wall construction has significantly improved my living conditions. I am immensely grateful for the invaluable financial support provided, especially during the challenging period of drought when resources were scarce.

My happiness will be to see my grandson Kelly study all the way to college without worrying about his tuition. I hope this season’s rains support the growth of crops so that I can cultivate enough food. This will allow me to save the money from the transfers for Kelly’s school expenses. Also, in the next few years, I wish to have renovated the roof of my house. I am not happy about how damaged and unsteady it looks right now; it can be easily blown away by the wind. 

Ever since his father passed away, my grandson Kelly has been counting on me to provide for his daily needs. Given my old age, I cannot work to raise money and actively support him. I also rely on three of my granddaughters who work as housemaids in Mombasa. They usually send me money to take care of their cousin and myself. Fortunately, Kelly studies under a full-funded scholarship, which only leaves me with the burden of paying for his rent and meals. After I received the recent transfer, I gave him $10 for his monthly rent and $6 as shopping money for food and sanitation supplies. I saved the remaining $18 to buy food for myself back in the village. Am relieved that I have some money now, which I can use to cover both my grandchild’s needs and mine for the next few weeks. 

It has been difficult for me to raise a grandson in secondary school as a widow. Life wasn't simple for me because I'm a temporary worker. Since he was a year old, her mother abandoned him, I have been raising the boy. Unfortunately, I am still unaware of the mother's whereabouts. Despite the challenges of raising him, he was fortunate to receive sponsorship when he started high school. Even though providing for his necessities outside of school costs was still a tremendous burden on my shoulders, I was extremely appreciative. I now receive a monthly transfer from GiveDirectly, so there are a few things I want to get done before the year is over. I have been sleeping on rags and cartons. This was brought on by the fact that I had to deal with duties that required me to spend money I did not have. So that I can sleep properly in a good setting, I would like to have purchased a nice mattress and some bedsheets by the end of the year. In order for my grandchild to focus on his academics, I would also like to see him not be lacking some meals or his school uniform. In order to accomplish this, I decided to save at least $10 per month for the mattress because they cost about $50. For the remaining amount after deducting for saving, I make sure my grandchild is comfortable.

As a widow of advanced age, I have been unable to engage in any income-generating activity in order to make a living. Because I am unable to do subsistence farming, I decided to venture into livestock keeping in the hopes that as my flock grew, I would be able to sell some and earn some money for upkeep. As a result, after receiving my recent transfer, I spent the entire $34 on purchasing an additional goat. I am always happy to see that goat, and it gives me hope that in the future, my struggles will be less severe than they were in previous years.

At the moment I am raising my grandson since his father who is my son passed away. It has really been a struggle providing for him financially especially because I am old and I have no job. Recently he just joined high school and he needed some items as he got enrolled. Therefore I used the KES 3,000 that I had received from the Organization and bought him a pair of shoes, uniforms, stationery and did shopping for him as well.

I love that Give Directly does not involve government officials during the enrolment, census, and registration stages. They considered fairness and equal chances for all the villagers during enrolment, making the process very transparent. I would recommend an increase in staff members who will enroll more members and avoid cases of others missing out.  

I have a daughter who completed his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education and passed with flying colors and is about to join secondary school. The major challenge I face is the lack of money to buy stationery required for my son to be admitted into his new school. My pain in my waist after engaging in physical activity has prevented me from working and providing for my family. I currently depend on my eldest son who works in Mombasa as a casual laborer, building houses. He earns very little KES (450 per day) which is not enough to take care of the family (3 children). Therefore, when I received my transfer, I spent the full amount of KES 3000 on buying stationery items for my son, who got a scholarship to join secondary school. This will provide a conducive environment for him to learn and perform well in her studies.

When I confirmed receipt of the transfer, I breathed a sigh of relief. Essentially, my happiness came from the realization that the money would solve part of the food insecurities in the household. For the first time in a long period, I was grateful for having a chance to lift the responsibility burden off my son’s shoulders by helping to provide food for the family.

The intervals between which we consumed meals significantly rose after receiving the transfer. Earlier, we would forgo breakfast and lunch to sacrifice the little we had for dinner to avoid going to bed hungry. The case is better post-transfer since I acquired enough foodstuffs to prepare meals at least twice a day.

I mostly depend on my son, a construction worker in town, to provide funds for household consumption. Sometimes his earnings are inconsistent such that on unsuccessful days, he fails to send money home. This means that our entire family of six individuals would starve throughout the whole day unless we borrowed food or took some on credit from the shop. In fact, the days before I received the transfer, we had skipped all three crucial meals (breakfast, lunch, and supper) and gone to bed on empty stomachs. Therefore, I prioritized food and spent KES 970 on the same. I saved the rest, KES 200, for any emergencies that may come along.