I haven’t fully recovered from my chest pain, which started years ago. As a casual laborer supporting my family, it’s difficult to avoid heavy work, especially since that’s mostly what’s available here in the village. To help solve this challenge, I’ve decided to invest in livestock. My goal is to raise goats at home, which I plan to eventually trade for a dairy cow. The cow will provide a steady income, helping me become more self-reliant. Thanks to these transfers, I’ve started buying goats and already have four. To achieve my dream of owning a cow, I’ll keep buying goats and, as they multiply, trade them for a cow. Cows are expensive, so purchasing one all at once is not easy. Additionally, once I have my cow, I’ll sell some of its offspring when it multiplies and use the earnings to start a small shop. I’m confident that if I can bring these plans to life, I’ll achieve financial stability and be able to support my family with ease.

I promised to buy at least one goat when I received my latest transfer. I wanted to invest in something that would benefit me once these transfers end and have something to remember them by. So, I set aside $50 and bought a goat. I now have four goats in total, which I’m very pleased about. With the remaining amount, I spent $18 on food for my family, as we had run out by the time the transfer arrived. Finally, I saved the remaining $34 intending to add more money to it later to buy another goat.

Since I haven’t fully recovered from my chest issues, I’ve been advised to avoid strenuous work. Given that I rely on casual jobs, this has been quite exhausting for me. To improve my situation, I’ve set a goal of raising goats at home. Once they grow, I plan to trade them for a dairy cow, which will provide a steady source of income and help me become more self-reliant. With the support from these transfers, I’m working towards a brighter future for myself and for the family I hope to start in the future.

As soon as I received the cash, I decided to buy a goat, something I had been wanting for a long time. I spent about $30 on it, with the hope of eventually raising enough goats to trade for a dairy cow, which would bring even greater benefits. Unfortunately, I fell ill and had to go to the hospital, where I was diagnosed with chest issues and malaria. I was admitted and needed treatment, but I didn’t have the means to cover the costs. So, I made the difficult decision to sell the goat and added another $30 from the transfer to pay for my treatment and clear the bills. I am deeply grateful for the support I received because I’m not sure how I would have managed without it, especially since I still live with my parents, who are also struggling. After I recovered, I used $30 to buy five chickens, trusting that God would bless me with more to help ease my financial burdens. With the remaining $12, I bought enough food, as the doctor advised, to support my recovery after being discharged from the hospital.

I aim to enrol in a driving school once I resolve the ongoing case, which will enable me to acquire a skill. Upon completing the course, I will actively seek employment. Additionally, I plan to open a retail shop within the village, providing me with a sustainable source of income and the opportunity to become more self-reliant. With the support of these transfers, I will create a brighter future for myself.

With the recent transfers I received, I used $45 to purchase food for our family of seven. My parents, who are unemployed, rely on farming to support us. Before receiving assistance from GiveDirectly, life was difficult, and my parents often sold our livestock to make ends meet. After buying food, I was left with $57, which I intend to use for transportation to the police station, where I must regularly attend due to an ongoing case. This situation has been emotionally and financially taxing, and I often wonder how I would manage without the transfers; perhaps, I would still be in police custody. I am immensely grateful for the support provided by the transfers and remain hopeful that this challenging period will come to an end soon.

I tap coconut wine. This is a business many of us in the village engage in. It is not as lucrative as it was years before. I have a child on the way as I have impregnated a lady I was living with and this means my responsibilities will be more. I hope to use this transfers in the new year to start a vegetable stall which will make enough income to provide for my child as well as myself.

After a long drought we experienced the long rains. It was a blessing but to me it came with a great loss. My mad house was washed down and was falling apart. I used all my November and October transfers to repair the house. I bought building poles and sticks and paid the Mason to come and work on the house. The work was not fully finished but the house was improved greatly. In December I encountered a misfortune which led to using this transfers to take care of this misfortune. I was arrested in December and I was asked to pay bond to be released. I used the transfers as well as selling my property to raise the total of $500 that was my bond so I could be released.

My goal of achieving financial independence involves expanding my poultry enterprise by acquiring more chickens. By increasing the number of hens in my flock, I anticipate a significant boost in income from the sale of eggs and mature hens. This venture holds great potential for long-term financial stability. In addition to poultry farming, I plan to embark on a new business venture in the village, specifically selling vegetables. Although I had previously attempted a similar venture that unfortunately failed due to insufficient funds to replenish my stock, I am determined to learn from past mistakes and ensure the success of this new endeavor. Building upon my experiences, I am confident that this vegetable business will thrive, contributing further to my financial stability.

After misplacing my previous phone, I utilized my August transfers to purchase a new phone worth $20. Owning a phone greatly simplifies my life, enabling me to stay connected with my family and friends who provide support during challenging times. The financial assistance from the transfers has made it possible for me to acquire this essential device. In addition to acquiring the phone, I allocated $10 towards purchasing food to ensure my family's nourishment. Given the financial constraints we face at home, I was unable to continue my driving course due to the lack of funds for the required fees. Nevertheless, I remain optimistic that I can resume the course in October after accumulating enough savings from subsequent transfers. To make a wise investment, I utilized the remaining $4 to purchase a chicken. This hen holds promising potential as it will soon multiply, allowing me to sell both eggs and additional hens for income generation. This investment will contribute to improving my financial situation, offering a sustainable source of revenue. I am immensely grateful for the ongoing financial support I have received. It has played a vital role in facilitating positive changes in my life. From acquiring a new phone for improved communication to ensuring my family's well-being through food provisions, the assistance has been truly transformative.

Though I have had several goals, I have singled out to pursue a driving course this year. It is a work in progress, and I hope to accomplish it before the year ends. I consider undertaking this course because it will help me acquire skills that can help to secure a job in a transport company. As a result, I will have an opportunity to work and supplement our household's income. Since it is the first course I have taken since completing my primary education, I am looking forward to its completion.

Our region has been experiencing a prolonged drought for months. I always use any income, including wages and other support to buy food. So when I got my most recent transfers, I put them all on foodstuff. That has kept our family up despite the famine we experienced. Even though I have both parents, they are overburdened by the demands of the family. They often receive cash assistance from my siblings and me to help alleviate the issue. Four of the eight family members consistently get the transfer, and by pooling our resources, our living condition has significantly improved.

I completed my primary level of education, but I couldn't further my studies to join high school since my parents could not afford the school fees. Since then, I have been surviving on menial jobs, and my dream was to enroll in a technical college to at least gain some skills that can help me secure a better job. I have been spending the transfers on paying the tuition fees. I am grateful to Give Directly because through the monthly transfers, I am currently undertaking a six-month driving course, of which I'm in my third month. I am glad that once I complete this course, I can be employed to work as a driver, have a good source of income, and also support my siblings. If not for the support, it would have been difficult for me to raise the required fees, thus taking years to enroll in this course.

I hail from a poverty-stricken family since both my parents do not have a source of income. They rely on subsistence farming from which the crops harvested can only be used as food. This situation always pushes me to work harder towards raising money that helps me do some short courses and training. So when I confirmed my recent transfer, I spent KES 3,000 on paying for my driving course since I had arrears of KES 5,000. I am progressing well with it. I am hopeful I shall complete it by the end of September 2022 before I enroll in another course.

Give directly has done extremely well through its cash donation projects, and the experience I get as a recipient every time I call in and get to interact with the call center agents. Through the organization, the villagers, myself included, have been more hopeful in life. Our finances have been boosted and we can now work on our dreams. Outside of this, I have not encountered any bad experiences from the organization.

After finishing class eight, I couldn't continue with my studies as my peasant parents couldn't afford to put my two siblings and I through school. To help out my father (who practices pastoral farming) with the bills, I started working as a traditional wine brewer. This earned too little to cover my fees. When I got to hear about give directly, I thought of starting a career in driving heavy-duty vehicles. This will earn me more to enable me to continue with my studies. I, therefore, plan on joining a driving school. Since I have zero experience in driving, plus it is costly (KES15000) to train for heavy-duty trucks, I will start with small cars. To gather the KES 7000 fee, I saved KES 2000 and used KES 1000 for our food budget. 

I received the message confirming that I had received my transfer at around 10 am. My brother and I were on our way back home from herding livestock. On the way, we met a friend who delivered to us the good news that he had received his transfer earlier on and was on his way to the Mpesa shop to withdraw the money. I became restless and hurriedly walked back home. I quickly borrowed my brother’s phone, inserted my sim card, and a few seconds the Mpesa message pop-up confirming that I too had received my transfer. For a moment, I remained static while smiling from ear to ear. I felt thrilled and shared the news with other members of the family.

Being able to repair my house using the transfer is the biggest difference in my life. Since I am still a student, I have no means of income; meaning I depend fully on my parents for survival. My father, who earns very little from raring livestock, could not save any money to help me repair the house. I have been sleeping in that house for the past two weeks, worried the house will come crashing down on me and destroy my valuable property. Since I did the repairs, I have had peace of mind and sleep every day, having no fears.

I am a student who recently completed the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, passed with flying colors and I am now waiting to join secondary school later this year. I depend on my father, who is paid for raising livestock for other people to cater to my essential needs (food and school fees). The poor living conditions at home are my motivating factor for working hard in school. I have endured lots of hardship through my 9 years in primary school, which includes going to school barefoot and with a worn-out school uniform. My hard work and discipline have finally paid off and I am looking forward to an exciting journey as I begin my secondary school education. When I received my transfer, I spent KES 2000 buying a new cell phone for myself. The phone I was using previously got damaged and to ensure that I keep in touch with GiveDirectly, friends, and relatives with ease, I bought a new one. Besides buying the phone, I spent the remaining KES 1000 to buy poles to repair my house. The poles used in building the house are rotten, hence making it unsafe to live in, as it might collapse at any time.