In the upcoming year and beyond, I aspire to acquire a parcel of land to serve as a grazing field for our cows, as the current land we have is limited in size. To achieve this, my husband intends to secure a loan from his employer. Despite this goal, we remain grateful and satisfied with the progress we have accomplished thus far.

Since GiveDirectly began its operations, we have been treated with the utmost respect, and the community's involvement has been impressive. The field officers made certain that they emphasized the unconditionality of the transfer and that their conduct was exemplary. However, since it is a cultural obligation, I think it would be appropriate for the staff to eat with the beneficiaries at their homes.

As two teachers with two children, my husband and I are grateful for our blessings. When I received my second transfer, we decided to invest in a 32-inch television to provide entertainment for our family and any visitors. We spent $120 on the TV and then used $180 to purchase a solar panel and a battery, which we couldn't afford before due to financial constraints and more pressing needs. With the remaining funds, we fenced our land with a chain link fence to prevent our chickens from laying eggs outside the homestead and causing us financial loss. We appreciate the support that has brought so much joy to our lives and are forever grateful.

My house was in the process of being repaired when I received confirmation of the first transfer from GiveDirectly. Because I had no money and was unaware that the transfer had been received, I had to ask my builder to be patient so that I could pay after receiving the transfer. He was fortunate enough to have learned that some of the villagers had received their share. I had to check my phone, and when I did, I was greeted by a message. While it could not identify the source as GiveDirectly, the amount indicated was exactly what we expected to receive. I was with my husband, who was just as excited as I was, and before we made the first payment, we informed our children, who were also overjoyed. We then paid the labor charges and other outstanding bills that needed to be paid on the same day.

So far, the biggest difference in my daily life has been the addition of a lactating cow to our assets after spending $350 from the first transfer to purchase. Buying milk is no longer an issue because we hope to breed it next season after weaning. We continue to receive at least two liters per day, which would have cost us $2 per day. We haven't raised our debt ceiling as much because we have been able to pay for any item we want from the store with the money we have been saving.

I had been keeping my neighbor's lactating cow with the three other cows I had previously owned. I needed another cow to increase milk production for both domestic use and as a source of income. I could not pass up the opportunity to be the rightful owner because my neighbor wanted to sell the cow I had been keeping. As a result, I paid $350 and am now enjoying those extra 2 liters daily while waiting for its next breeding period. I also spent $82 on food shopping, which included a sack of maize and a 25-kg bag of rice, which my family of four is still consuming. In addition, I added seven chickens to my flock for $28. Since then, I have been collecting at least 10 eggs per day, selling them once a week, and using the proceeds to fund an informal savings group that my neighbors and I started. My husband and I both work in nearby schools, and our salaries have always ensured that our children attend one of the best boarding schools in the area. I am glad the money we received from GiveDirectly helped us in most areas, as we used the last of it to buy new clothes for every member of the household.