I am the primary earner of my family as my husband who used to work in farms to earn living can't find jobs anymore due to prolonged drought. Through selling food in a local restaurant that I operate, I can only manage to provide food and therefore as I want an average daily profit of KES 200. Paying school fees for our six children has therefore not been easy. I have always wanted to run a poultry farming business alongside my local restaurant but I have not been able to raise a start up capital by my own. When I was enrolled in the program, my goal was to start the business and over the months that I have been receiving the transfers, I have been buying at least five chicken per month. I spend KES 2000 of my most recent transfer to add more stock to my business and the balance to buy five small chicken whereby one was going for KES 200. I'm happy that I was finally able to achieve my dream and I'm looking forward to expand the business.

I used the first transfer to pay for my children's school fees. It happened on the same day that I received the transfers, my children had been sent home from school due to school fees arrears. I therefore took part of the transfer and paid school fees for them to go back to their studies and used the rest for food. I have a small scale business where I sell tea. Thus, when I received my second transfer, I used KES 1000 to boost my business, another KES 1000 on poultry and the rest I bought food with.

GiveDirestly is really helping individuals like me. The program has helped us and served as an economic cushion. There are times one would go out to get money so as to accomplish a certain activity but return unsuccessful. However, with the transfer you can accomplish your goals and when you do not get enough for food, you are able to use the transfers. I do not know of much GiveDirectly would do better in apart from the fact that we had heard of similar programs where individual got more than we are getting and it was somewhat a disappointment to us when we realised we were not going to get the same amount.

I spent the transfer in paying school fees for my children. Before receiving the transfer my children had spent the whole week at home because they had been sent home due to school fee balances. I spent KSH 600 in paying part of the school balances. I am happy that my kids are back in school and continuing with their children. In addition, I spent the rest of the transfer buying food for my family. I have a fish business, the little I earn from the business is just enough to feed my family for a day or two. I decide to buy food because my food stock was almost getting finished.

The money has brought a big difference in my life. My children are back in school courtesy of the money you sent to me. I also have food in my house to last me for the next few weeks. I am very happy that I received the transfer. It is of great help to me.

I received the text message that I had received the transfer in the morning hours. The previous day I fell ill and I had come to the hospital to seek medical attention. After I was released from the hospital I came back home and gave my son my phone and he confirmed to me that I had truly received the money. Although I was in much pain at the moment I felt some little relief that I had received the cash.