I am a farmer, and although we own an acre of land, it is currently still covered by water due to the recent floods. To keep things moving, I have rented half an acre of land where I plan to start planting maize. My goal is to save money from charcoal production to prepare the land, buy seeds, and get everything ready for planting. By growing maize, I hope to not only provide food for my family but also generate some income to help with school fees. I also plan to continue expanding my farming activities, ensuring a steady source of food and income for the future.

GiveDirectly excels in delivering aid with kindness and respect. The enrollment process was conducted at the household level, ensuring privacy and dignity for each recipient. The unconditional cash transfers have been instrumental in improving our lives, allowing us to plan and allocate the funds according to our diverse needs. These transfers are sent directly to our phones, with proper education on Mpesa security, including the importance of keeping our Mpesa PIN secret to prevent theft. I have no suggestions for improvement, only gratitude for the positive impact GiveDirectly has made in our community.

Receiving my second transfer from GiveDirectly, I knew exactly where to start. Our main house had been destroyed by the floods, and for months, my family and I were crammed into our small grass-thatched house, the only structure that survived. It was especially hard on the older children, who had to sleep at our neighbor's house because we did not have enough space. I used $388 from the transfer to construct a new one-room house with an iron sheet roof and walls, giving us the space and comfort we desperately needed. Now, our children can sleep in the old house, and we finally have room. Food had also been a major challenge for us. I lost my maize crop on an acre of land to the floods, and since then, finding food has been a constant struggle. I tried casual jobs and charcoal production to provide for us, but neither was reliable or sustainable. So, I spent $47 on food to feed my family, which was a huge relief, as we didn’t have to worry about our next meal for a while. The remaining $15 went toward transport to town and bringing the items back home.

I was at home relaxing with my three children when I received a message notifying me that I had received $200 from GiveDirectly. I immediately told my children, and we were all so happy. It came as a complete surprise because I wasn’t expecting the money at all. The first thought that came to my mind was to use the money to address the school fees burden. Knowing I could now take care of this important need filled me with relief and gratitude. The unexpected blessing brought joy to our home, and I felt reassured that I could support my children’s education.

The biggest difference since I started receiving cash transfers from GiveDirectly has been in my children's education and providing food for my family. Before, my children would often have to stay home because I couldn't afford their school fees, and they would miss several days of school. But with GiveDirectly’s support, I was able to pay their fees, and for the first time, they will complete a whole term without missing a single day of studies. On the food front, the cash transfers have enabled my family to have regular meals. After the floods destroyed my farm and left me with no harvest, it was a struggle to feed my family. Thanks to GiveDirectly, we now have enough food, and I no longer have to worry about where our next meal will come from.

Recently, I received $200 from GiveDirectly, and this support came at the perfect time, as the floods that swept through my village had left me feeling hopeless. I have two children in secondary school, and I was worried about how to pay their school fees. They were on the verge of staying home and possibly dropping out of school. But when I received the money from GiveDirectly, I used $120 to pay for their fees. Now, they haven’t missed a day of school, and this fills my heart with joy and gratitude. I also used $37 to buy food since I no longer had a farm to rely on after the floods destroyed everything. At least now we have enough food to eat, which is a great relief. The recent floods also swept away my bedding, so I used $32 to buy a bed, which has greatly improved my sleep and comfort. With this, I can now rest well after a long day. Lastly, I spent the remaining money on clothes for going to events. I didn’t have any nice clothes before, but now I can go out confidently, feeling good about how I look. Thank you, GiveDirectly, for this life-changing support.