It was on the 14th in the afternoon, and I was just relaxing with my grandson when I heard a message notification on my phone. I always have my phone close, so I checked it immediately. When I saw that it was the GiveDirectly transfer, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with joy. At that moment, I knew I could finally cover the school fees for my children and buy food items for the household. It was such a relief, knowing that the help had come right when I needed it most.

Poultry farming has always been a passion for me, but for the longest time, I had the chicken coops without any chickens to fill them. When I received the cash from GiveDirectly, everything changed. With that money, I was able to buy roosters, and now they are growing fast. It's such a relief to finally have something that I know will bring me profits in the next few months. Every morning when I walk into the yard, seeing the roosters thriving makes me so hopeful for the future. It’s comforting to know that soon, the income from selling the chickens will help ease some of the financial burdens. When I receive the second transfer from GiveDirectly, I plan to expand my poultry farming by buying more roosters. With each step, I’m getting closer to building a sustainable source of income, and I can't thank GiveDirectly enough for giving me this opportunity.

When I received the cash transfer, I used $50 to pay my granddaughter’s school fees. She’s in Grade 8, and her mother wouldn’t have been able to cover the fees, so I saw it as my responsibility to help. I also used another $50 to clear the school fees arrears for my daughter, who is in Form Four. Since she’s a candidate preparing for her exams, I didn’t want her to be distracted or sent home due to unpaid fees. Her education is important to me, and I want her to focus fully on her studies. In addition to this, I invested $50 in buying 20 young roosters. They were just a month old at the time, and now, at three months, they’re growing very quickly. They are low-maintenance and mature fast, so I know this will be a profitable venture. I’ve raised roosters before, and the business was successful, but I had to stop due to financial constraints. This time, I’m confident that in six months, I’ll be selling them for $12 each, which will generate a good profit in a short period. Lastly, I used the remaining amount to buy food items for the household. I take care of my grandson, and I don’t always have time to find casual jobs to earn money to cover for food costs. Ensuring we have enough food is crucial, and while I depend on farming to provide for us, the cash transfer allowed me to secure our food needs without worry. It has brought some much-needed stability to our household.