I'm glad that I was able to acquire two cows through GiveDirectly's financial assistance. Currently, I'm raising them in my compound. This was a major achievement for me since I previously didn't own any livestock and couldn't afford to buy any on my own. Livestock are valuable assets to me, as I can sell them and earn money as they multiply. With these two cows, I plan to breed them for more cows and also use the milk for my family's consumption, selling any surplus for extra income. Additionally, I hope to use the available financial resources to educate my five children and help them achieve their educational goals. The support allowed me to clear their school fee arrears, ensuring that their studies were uninterrupted. With the income from my casual jobs, I'm hopeful that I will be able to fund my children's education and ensure that they achieve their academic goals.

I am really impressed with how GiveDirectly handled the entire process of enrolling us into their program while keeping their main objective of helping us overcome poverty at the forefront. The unconditional transfers they provided were truly impactful, as we had never experienced such individualized support before. Having the freedom to plan for ourselves has completely transformed our lives, as we were each able to address our specific needs. We can attest that the program has been a true blessing for us. The changes brought about by these transfers have not only affected me but have also impacted my village. I sincerely wish that the program could continue so that we can experience even more positive changes!

Before I enrolled in the program, I didn't have any livestock in my compound. I really wanted to keep them because they are a good investment for us in the rural village where we practice subsistence farming, but I couldn't afford them. When I received my second transfer, I spent $300 to purchase two cows, which I am currently keeping. I believe this is a long-term investment as the cows will multiply, allowing me to sell them if I face any financial needs, such as educating my children who are in primary school. Additionally, I will benefit from the milk they produce, using some for my family and selling the surplus for extra income. Apart from the cows, I spent $120 on paying fees for my children - one is in college and the other four are in primary school. My daughter completed her primary education, but due to financial constraints, I couldn't take her to high school. Now, with the transfer, I was able to enroll her in a tailoring college, and I'm glad she will gain skills that will help her sustain herself once she completes the course. I also paid the full term fees for the other children, which gives me ample time to prepare for the next term's payment. Finally, I used the remaining amount to buy foodstuffs, ensuring that my family can have three meals a day without struggle.

I was in the farm, looking for vegetables so that we could cook and have a meal with my family when my phone rang persistently. It was not normal for it to ring like this, so when I went back home, I asked my daughter, who is my helper, to check it and tell me what was happening. To our surprise, she said that we had received money from GiveDirectly. I was very, very happy, so excited, and I wanted to burst out with ululations, but I withheld myself. I live with my husband and 6 children, 5 boys and 1 girl, all in school. We both do not have stable jobs but instead depend on charcoal burning and doing casual labor in people's farms, which earns us very little to support my family. We lived in a house that was leaking and on the verge of collapsing. Rain was literally raining on us, and we would even sit and watch as it rained. Whenever it got windy, we would run outside, scared that the house would collapse on us. What hurt me the most is that I could not do much about it, as the little money that we got would all go to school to settle school fees and food for the family. The first thing I thought of when I got the money was to build a better house for my family so that we could sleep in a warm place.

Our previous housing was leaking and on the verge of collapse. We lived in constant fear during rainy or windy weather, often running outside to avoid the potential danger of the house collapsing on us. This always made me sad as I did not know where to start to salvage the situation. Thanks to the transfers from GiveDirectly, we built a better home for my family we now feel safe in our new home. It's a relief to no longer worry about the dangers of our old house collapsing. With this improvement, we're filled with hope for the future and grateful for the positive change it's brought to our lives.

My husband and I do not have stable jobs but instead depend on charcoal burning and doing casual labor in people's farms, which earns us very little to support my family. I have a family of 6 school going children and we lived in a house that was leaking and on the verge of collapsing. Rain was literally raining on us, and we would even sit and watch as it rained. Whenever it got windy, we would run outside, scared that the house would collapse on us. What hurt me the most is that I could not do much about it, as the little money that we got would all go to school to settle school fees and food for the family. I therefore spent $480 of the transfer to build a better house for my family so that we would sleep safely without the worry of a house collapsing on us. This house is the best thing that has happened in our lives as we are now happy that it can rain and we would not be rained on. I then spent $50 to pay school fees for my children. They did not have a huge debt because my husband and I have been struggling to make sure that their education is paid for. Finally, I spent the remaining of the transfer to buy some food just to add to the little that we had so that it could push us further until the next harvest.