In the coming year and beyond, my main goal is to significantly improve the living conditions in the casual structure I constructed over five years ago, when limited resources only allowed me to use iron sheets and round poles for the walls, with mud to complete them. The ongoing challenge of maintaining these walls, especially during the rainy season when they wash away, has been financially taxing due to high labor charges. My plan is to renovate both the walls and the floors of my house, replacing the dusty floors with cement and using timber for the walls. By doing so, I aim to reduce the cost of maintenance, as I have had to hire help during the repair processes in the past. I am currently working diligently and saving a portion of my daily earnings to ensure that I can facilitate these renovations within the next year, making my living space more comfortable and sustainable for the future.

It was a pleasant surprise how GiveDirectly truly excelled in helping us transform our lives. Their unconditional transfers allowed for diversified spending patterns, enabling us to address our unique needs and priorities. What impressed me the most was the impartiality of their officers, who did not judge us based on our preexisting financial status, setting them apart from other aid organizations I have encountered. Even though there were recommendations from our neighbors, GiveDirectly took the time to listen to each of us individually and ascertain the truth before enrolling us. I hope they can continue to maintain their professionalism and resist any attempts at bribery, ensuring that the support remains honest and effective for those in need just as they did in our village.

In our entire family, we have been reliant on my brother's cows for milk production, but it is inconsistent. During dry periods, everyone at home, including my parents, buys milk, which is sometimes expensive and unaffordable. Even though I don't have a family of my own yet, I saw it fitting to invest in livestock by purchasing a heifer worth $200 with the second transfer. While I await the start of my own family, my extended family will benefit from the milk once the heifer calves, reducing milk expenses and bearing offspring that I can sell to serve any emergency needs. I enrolled in the program while still recovering from an injury sustained in a motorcycle accident, which had been my sole source of income. The opportunity to buy another one when I received the second transfer could not pass by. I used the remaining $330, added to the $160 I had in my savings account, to purchase a secondhand motorcycle. It has since proven valuable for offering taxi services within the nearby shopping center. Additionally, I have carpentry skills, so whenever I am not using my motorcycle for work, I engage in carpentry jobs, providing an alternative source of income.

I did not find out about the money from GiveDirectly until around 5:00 p.m., when I met some of my neighbors in a nearby shopping center. They cheerfully inquired as to how I was feeling at the time, but I had no idea what they meant until they mentioned that they had received the money. I had to check it right away because I was not expecting it on the same day because we were given a different due date. I received a call from my father shortly after confirming the receipt and had to rush home because he needed to speak with me. He purposefully advised me to spend it wisely as soon as possible before something happened that would result in the loss of the entire sum. I took his advice and used mobile transfer for all of my purchases.

The biggest difference in my daily life is a renewed hope of soon having a plentiful supply of milk from the dairy cow I purchased. Aside from selling Napier grass to other farmers, I hope to sell surplus milk as an additional source of income. Despite the fact that I am still living alone, I believe that selling a few liters daily will provide an additional source of income.

I have been doing neighborhood construction and farming practices. For the past year, I had been growing Napier grass and selling it to neighbors who already had livestock. I also purchased two bullocks a few months ago and have been giving some of the feed to my animals as well as others for sale. I spent $300 on a six-month in-calf dairy cow after receiving my first transfer. I am hoping that selling milk will provide me with an additional source of income soon. I used the remaining funds to purchase construction materials such as iron sheets, building poles, nails, and other items that I am currently using in my construction work. I needed an extra house because I was using one as both a kitchen and a living room. Even though I am single and have enough space in my current home, I hope to make more space in the new house in preparation for starting a family. I am grateful for GiveDirectly's support, which has allowed me to accomplish much that would not have been possible with my previous income from casual labor.