My plan for the coming years is to lease a farm when I receive my third transfer, as I believe farming will greatly improve my life. Farming has always been a reliable way to provide for my family, and having a larger piece of land will allow me to grow enough crops for both food and income. In addition to crops, I intend to purchase livestock, which will graze on the grass from my farm. This approach will not only make good use of the land but also help me save on buying animal feed. With livestock, I can sell milk or animals when needed, creating a stable source of income. I am confident that this investment will strengthen my ability to sustain my family and secure a better future.

The officers from GiveDirectly treated us with respect and kindness, speaking to us in a polite and professional manner. They asked questions appropriately, ensuring we understood the process and felt comfortable sharing our needs. I appreciated how they took the time to educate us about the unconditional cash transfer program and offered guidance on making wise decisions with the money. Their approach made us feel valued and empowered to improve our lives. Honestly, I didn’t notice anything wrong with GiveDirectly’s program or how it was handled. Everything was well-organized, and I am truly grateful for their support.

Life had always been challenging, especially with the demands of raising four children and running a household. The biggest issue was water; we had no storage tank at home, and every time it rained, all that precious water went to waste. So, I decided to spend $100 on a water tank to solve this problem. It feels good knowing that now we can store water when it rains and not rely on fetching it from far away. Furthermore, I allocated $80 to construct a pit latrine because we used bushes as a toilet, which was embarrassing, especially when visitors came. Having a proper latrine has brought dignity and comfort to our home.In addition to these improvements, I focused on boosting our family’s livelihood. I used $100 to restock my business shop, as my profits had been consumed entirely on food, leaving my stock depleted. Adding more stock to the shop has made a significant difference, and I feel optimistic about generating more income to support our needs. I also spent $100 to pay for school fees, as education is important to us, and I want to ensure my children have a brighter future. This has been a relief because we used to rely on selling livestock to cover fees, which was not sustainable.The remaining $70 was used to buy food for the family, ensuring we had enough to get by without solely depending on the shop’s income. My husband and I are both farmers, and although farming helps, it doesn’t always meet our immediate needs. This support has lightened our burden, allowing us to plan better for our family’s future. We feel more stable and hopeful now, knowing we can take care of basic needs and grow our business.

I was at home milking my goats when I heard a beep on my phone. I ignored it, thinking it was just a promotional message. About two hours later, my neighbor came to ask if I had received something. I asked, "What do you mean?" She replied, "Money from GiveDirectly." I hurriedly checked my phone, and, to my surprise, I had received the transfer. I was so excited! When my husband returned from the farm, I told him, and he was happy as well. We then budgeted the money and began spending it two days later.

Seeing my daughter stay home for two weeks because of school fees broke my heart as a mom, especially since I didn’t have the money to send her back to school. I relied on crop farming, but I lost my entire five-acre maize farm to floods. Receiving my first transfer from GiveDirectly was indeed timely. It allowed me to reduce my daughter's school fee arrears and send her back to school. I am hopeful that with the next transfer, I can clear her fees entirely and see her complete high school studies, which would bring me joy. Thank you, GiveDirectly.

We have been living without a latrine for about two years since ours was destroyed by floods. We have been sharing with our neighbor, but sometimes they lock it, and we have to beg for the key, or they are not home. We have been unable to build a new one due to a lack of funds. Although we have been doing crop farming, we face losses from issues like water shortages, and this year we lost 5 acres of crops to floods. We also have other needs for our family of six. When we received the money, we decided to buy building materials for a new toilet, costing $100. Unfortunately, we couldn't construct it at that time because my daughter, who is in high school, had been sent home for fees and had stayed home for two weeks. This situation was stressful, so I decided to use $100 to reduce her arrears, leaving $300. I plan to use the next transfer to clear the remaining fees and continue the construction of the latrine. Thank you, GiveDirectly.