When I am blessed to receive money, my first goal is to purchase my own land. Currently, I am leasing the land for farming, and it is very costly. Leasing each year adds up, making it difficult to sustain my farming efforts. I plan to focus on large-scale farming, where I can plant a variety of crops such as vegetables, beans, and watermelons. This will not only provide food for my family but also create a source of income. By investing in my own land, I believe I can build a better future for myself and my family.

GiveDirectly did a great job by providing us with good advice on how to spend the money wisely. They encouraged us to make the most out of the support we received. I haven't noticed anything bad about their program; everything has been positive. The officers treated us with respect and genuinely wished us the best in our efforts. Furthermore, they were patient and explained everything clearly, which made us feel valued. I believe they should continue this approach and perhaps offer more workshops to help us further understand how to manage our resources effectively.

Investing in watermelon farming has always been my goal, but limited resources kept me from moving forward. This time, I finally managed to make it happen. I spent $420 to buy seeds, prepare the land, and hire a tractor to get things ready. Additionally, I needed to buy fuel for the generator to pump water from the lake. Planting one acre of watermelon was a significant expense, but now the field is flourishing, and I’m hopeful for a great harvest. In our area, watermelons tend to do very well, and if all goes as planned, I could fill one lorry, which might bring in around $1,000.Since we’ve faced challenges in the past, this opportunity feels like a turning point. I used to farm maize, but frequent flooding would ruin the crops, leaving us struggling to make ends meet. With the extra cash, I also spent $30 on food for my family, as we’ve had to depend mainly on what we grow. Unfortunately, we lost all our maize in the last flood, so this support has allowed us to put food on the table while my watermelon crop matures.My wife is an early childhood teacher, and her salary helps us pay school fees for our three children, though it’s modest. Her support has been invaluable, especially during tough seasons when farming yields were low. Now, with this new venture, I feel more optimistic about our future and the stability it could bring. Watermelon farming holds real promise, and this cash transfer has allowed us to start building a more secure and hopeful future.

My phone was out of charge at the time of transfers and word was already out in the village that GiveDirectly has sent out money. Curious, I collected my phone early the next day and to my excitement I was among the beneficiaries. I happily headed to the market where I fulfilled my plan of purchasing 2 goats.

After losing most of my crops to the floods, I was left with just a quarter-acre vegetable farm where I had planted kale and black nightshade. These crops survived the floods, but they were on higher ground, which made irrigation essential. This land was my only hope for securing my family’s food, but I constantly worried that without water, we would lose it as well. The cost of generator oil to run the water pump was a problem, and I didn’t know how long I could keep it going. Fortunately, the GiveDirectly transfers arrived just in time. I was able to use some of the money to fuel my water pump, allowing me to irrigate my farm. This is currently providing food for my family and generating some income of about $10 per week. Thank you, GiveDirectly.

For a long time my plan has been to venture into goat farming. Especially recently, my desire for goats was strengthened when I lost over 1 acre of maize plantation to flush floods. Crop production has proven to be an unreliable and high risk investment, thus the change of mind. Upon receiving this money, I therefore prioritized KES $110 to buying 2 goats to add into another existing flock of 2. I have also spent $15 to partly clear one of my child's fee arrears, $15 and $10 on food and clothes respectively for my children.