A few years ago, my house collapsed, and since then, my children and I have been living in my co-wife's house. During the day, we have no choice but to cook outside, and in the evenings, we simply go inside to sleep. This situation has been very distressing for me, especially since I lack a stable source of income apart from the transfers I receive. In the coming year, I am determined to build a house for myself. I have already ordered some building poles and am waiting for their arrival. Additionally, I plan to allocate a portion of my future transfers to continue building this house until it is complete. Once my home is finished, I will feel immense relief and happiness knowing that my children and I will have our own space instead of relying on my co-wife's hospitality. Moreover, I intend to use another portion of my future transfers to pay for my children's school fees, ensuring they receive the education they deserve for a better future. I am fully committed to achieving these goals of building a house and educating my children, and I am hopeful that all of this will come to fruition thanks to the support from GiveDirectly.

We are currently being faced by very difficult times where drought and hunger have struck our region. This year, we were unfortunate and not able to harvest anything, exposing us to hunger. The transfers have been very instrumental, as they have been helping me to buy food for my family. With the recent transfers that I received from GiveDirectly, I spent $72 of it to buy food for my family, ensuring that we do not go hungry but stay healthy. I am very grateful for this assistance, as I do not know what we would have done, especially during these difficult times. Additionally, with three children in school, paying their school fees is very important, and so I spent the remaining $30 to pay school fees for them, ensuring that they would not be returned home to collect unpaid fees. I am happy that amidst all these troubles we are going through, with the assistance I get from GiveDirectly, my children are able to learn and also feed.

In the coming year and beyond, I dream of building a house of my own. For too long, I’ve been sleeping in my co-wife's house, longing for a space to call my own. The first step towards this dream is to save diligently, setting aside at least $10 every month. Though I know it will take time, each month brings me closer to the day when I can finally step into my own home, a place where I can truly belong. I envision a future where my house becomes a sanctuary for my family, a place filled with love, warmth, and endless possibilities. With the support from GiveDirectly, I am filled with hope and excitement, knowing that my dream is not just a distant wish but a reality I am steadily working towards.

I am a widow fully depending on the GiveDirectly transfers to cater for my six children. Out of the $102 from the last three months, I spent $42 on school fees for my three children who are still in school. They had been sent home due to unpaid fees, and seeing their determination, I had no choice but to sacrifice for them. Ensuring they stay in school is important to me, as I believe education will give them a better future. The remaining $60 went towards food for my family. As a widow with six children, life has been incredibly tough. Despite my best efforts, three of my sons had to drop out of school because we couldn't afford the fees. Feeding my family is a constant struggle, and the GiveDirectly transfers have been a lifeline, allowing us to survive these difficult times.

I have a total of six children, yet only three are currently enrolled in school. Despite the remaining three reaching the required school-going age, financial constraints have impeded their enrollment. The cost of purchasing the necessary school items, particularly for new enrollments is too costly for me. To prevent any further delay in their education, I am determined to utilize the subsequent transfers to enroll them in school. If unable to enroll all simultaneously, I will prioritize enrollment based on age, beginning with the eldest, who is currently seven years old. Once all my children are enrolled in school, I will redirect my focus towards expanding my poultry stock. Given their affordability relative to my income level, chickens represent a viable investment opportunity. As my poultry holdings increase in number, I plan to transition towards acquiring larger livestock through strategic trading initiatives. This progressive approach to investment aims to enhance our financial stability while concurrently fostering the educational advancement of my children.

As a widow with three children enrolled in primary school, my monthly transfers play a crucial role in ensuring their uninterrupted education. With no stable source of income aside from occasional farming and charcoal production, these transfers serve as a lifeline, addressing not only their educational needs but also sustaining our household. Regularly, I allocate a portion of the transfers towards covering their school fees, thus averting any disruptions to their studies due to delayed payments. Furthermore, these funds enable me to procure essential food supplies, shielding my family from hunger. Last November, I was able to allocate $10 from the transfers towards purchasing decent clothing for my children. This investment has notably enhanced their overall appearance and dignity. Additionally, the transfers have facilitated the acquisition of new school uniforms, sparing them the embarrassment of attending school in tattered attire, as was previously the case. In essence, these transfers serve as a vital support system, ensuring the well-being and educational advancement of my children in the face of financial challenges.

I aspire to bring about a positive transformation in the lives of both myself and my children. This journey involves the pivotal step of acquiring a new and decent house for my family. The present dwelling which is damaged, and its instability has me concerned that it may collapse anytime soon. Furthermore, I desire to delve into livestock rearing as a means of building wealth for my children’s education and needs. Right now, the casual jobs I do in charcoal burning can barely provide for all six of them; three of them have not yet joined school due to that fact. I hope that the cash transfers will play a crucial role in making this dream a reality for me.

As a widow, I bear the responsibility of caring for my six children. Unfortunately, three of them are not yet enrolled in school due to limited financial resources. While I take on occasional odd jobs to support my children, the earnings barely cover our expenses. The cash transfers have been a source of relief, helping me meet some of our needs and offering the possibility of enrolling my remaining children in school in the near future. From the recent transfer, I allocated $15 to settle the school fees for my three children, as there was an existing tuition debt for the ongoing term. This effort has been consistent to prevent the school from sending them back home due to the outstanding fees. I also utilized $9 to acquire three chickens, marking the beginning of my journey into livestock rearing. An additional $10 was spent on purchasing food. This decision was prompted by the fact that our household had depleted its food reserves the previous day, and I lacked the means to replenish them. Am grateful that my household had enough food for that day and the days after, thanks to the cash transfer.

There are several things that I wish to have achieved in the following years. First, am unhappy about the state of my current house. Due to a lack of money for a decent roof, I covered it with polythene paper, which is not appropriate for sheltering under especially with the harsh climatic conditions here. I hope to have the capacity to build a new two-room structure, with mud walls and a roof made of iron sheets. Also, three of my children are not enrolled in school because of financial hardships. This breaks my heart. I wish to be able to enroll them soon so that they study at the same pace as their peers. 

Being a widow, I lack the necessary support to fully provide for the needs of my six children. Even though I usually try to make a living out of charcoal making, the low income that I make hardly puts regular meals on the table. This makes hunger a critical concern in the household as we constantly miss meals, sometimes going to bed hungry. Whenever I receive my cash transfers, food is always at the top of the list. From the recent funds, I directed $24 towards the purchase of maize flour, which am grateful that it lasted my family at least a week. During that time, three of my children had missed classes for a week owing to overdue school fees that were carried from the previous academic year. I used $10 to reduce the deficit and they resumed school. Seeing them going to school to date gives me so much joy and relief.

My biggest obstacle has been nutrition-related, especially since my spouse passed away and left me as the household's sole provider. Despite my efforts, I was unable to locate a work; fortunately, GiveDirectly appeared. Particularly when it comes to providing for the nutrition of myself and my three children, the cash I have been receiving from the organization has been of great assistance. Similar to last year, I'll utilize the money to make sure my kids don't go hungry. As it is rather common for them to get kicked out of school when I miss paying the school fees, I will then go ahead and pay for their tuition as well. I'll make sure that they can keep pursuing their education without any interruption.

A month ago, I left home to visit my sister in Mazeras. The goal was to stay a few days but I extended my stay after I got a job selling potato snacks to students. At least, this would get me something to support my six kids back at home, where I had been burning charcoal for a living. By the time I received the transfer, three of them had outstanding school fee balances that needed to be cleared before they could take end-of-year examinations. So, I sent them $15 to reduce the debts. Also, they had been constantly calling me complaining about suffering from hunger and I gave them $10 for food. I saved the remaining amount intending to buy myself clothes to replace the worn-out and tattered old ones that I have been wearing repetitively. Honestly, being a widow, life has hit me hard, given that I have to provide for all my six kids. Though three of them are not enrolled in school, am confident the cash transfers will get them to class soon. Am so glad that since I sent them money they have not complained of hunger anymore, also the scholars took their exams regardless of there still being a huge deficit.

Raising six children by myself has been the most difficult thing since my husband passed away. To support my family, I have had to rely on odd jobs like burning charcoal and selling vegetables from door to door. With monthly earnings as low as KES 1,000, meeting basic needs such as food and school fees becomes a nightmare. Due to these financial constraints, enrolling three of my school-aged children has been quite a challenge. With what I make, I can only support three of them. Besides, they are frequently expelled from class due to unpaid balances. In fact, they had missed two weeks of studies when I received the cash transfer. Moreover, my household had run out of food the previous week, forcing us to sleep hungry for five days in a row. That is why I budgeted the transfer amount to fit both needs: KES 1,500 for food and KES 1,500 for school fees.

What GiveDirectly does well is supporting the most poor and vulnerable in the society and by so doing, they empower us. Thank you for restoring our hopes, giving voice to the voiceless and restoring our digniy.

I'm a window and I have been selling charcoal and firewood to provide for my six children. Although I have been giving it my best by working tirelessly, life has not been easy for me. We have slept hungry, slept outside in the cold and my children have walked around with torn clothes. For the longest time, I have been thinking of starting a business so that it can supplement my income but I couldn't raise capital by myself. When I received my first transfer, I started a local kiosk where I have been selling vegetables and fish. My plan was to boost the business to a point whereby it can earn me enough income to provide for my family without having to sell charcoal and firewood. I spend KES 500 of my recent transfer to add more stock to my business, KES 1500 to buy maize floor enough to last us through the month and KES 1000 to pay a debt that I had. I'm so grateful for the support as I wouldn't have done this without the transfers.

It was around 9am and I was at my usual routine of gathering logs and arranging them in a conical heap before making a fireshaft, when I had a message received tone that alerted me to have received the cash transfer.I was excited and I immediately stopped what I was doing and walked to my nearest mobile service agent to withdraw the amount.I went to my sons school and paid part of the school fees and walked home a happy mother because I was relieved that my son will not be sent home and I had food for him and his brother and sisters for the next four days.

The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving this funds is am hopeful of having a home.I have been living in a crude single room which is not spacious and comfortable for my six children .Its not ideal for a home because of the cold at night and if it rains it leaks through the rusty roof.At night we sleep in fear of being attacked by night animals because of the current house condition. I am planning to gradually start buying materials with my monthly transfers and build a two roomed house which will be enough for my family.

I am a widow with 6 children and my source of income comes from working as a charcoal burner.My recent transfer came at my turning point because at that particular day,I didn't have enough maizeflour to have a meal for my family.I used KES 400 to pay part of my child's school fees and the rest of the amount I bought four packets of maize flour which would last for the next four days as I hope to earn some money from the charcoal business.