Last month, as the heavy rains began, an unfortunate event unfolded when strong winds tore off the roof of our house. Given my mother's deteriorating health, she was unable to address the situation. Consequently, I found myself sleeping outdoors under the shelter of a tree, enduring the cold and chilly weather during the night.  Thankfully, my mother intends to utilize our upcoming transfers to repair the roof of our house, providing us with a more comfortable living space. The financial assistance we receive has significantly improved both our lives, and we are grateful for its positive impact.

Despite my youthful energy, my mental condition renders me unable to care for myself. For the past 15 years, my elderly mother has assumed the responsibility of caring for me. Despite her advanced age, she earns a meager income by undertaking manual labor, such as farming for others, to sustain us. Her earnings, typically $2 per day, provide us with just one meal. Unfortunately, she fell ill last year and has since been unwell. However, the support we receive from Give Directly has been a lifeline, assisting us in meeting our daily needs. My mother, using $34 from the aid, purchased prescribed medication to alleviate my condition. Recognizing the importance of proper nutrition for the medication to be effective, she also spent an additional $34 on food for us. Understanding that the financial assistance will last for five years, my mother made a strategic investment by purchasing a goat for $34. This decision was made with the intention of the goat multiplying, providing us with an opportunity to sell offspring and generate income for my care. Despite our previous circumstances of living in extreme poverty, I am grateful for the positive impact of the financial support. We now experience improvements in our meal intake, consuming at least two meals a day compared to previously having only one meal or sometimes none at all. Furthermore, my health has significantly improved, and the frequency of my disruptive behavior has diminished, thanks to the medication I am receiving.

My mother's health has not improved, and her condition has left us without a breadwinner to support us both. In collaboration with my sister, I intend to utilize my subsequent transfers to purchase food for the family. This financial assistance will greatly aid us until my mother recovers and is capable of working again. I am sincerely appreciative of the ongoing financial support that I am receiving, as it has been instrumental in helping us navigate this challenging period.

I am currently experiencing mental instability, and in order to manage this condition, I must take prescribed medication that helps me to calm down. I allocated $34 towards purchasing these medications, and I am pleased to report that they have been instrumental in improving my well-being. Unfortunately, my mother has been unwell for the past two months, and she is the sole financial support for our family. As a result, I allocated $20 from my transfers to assist my mother in receiving the necessary medical attention. Additionally, $14 was utilized to purchase food. Due to my current condition, I am unable to work, and with my mother's illness, the financial support has enabled us to procure food during this challenging time. I also acquired a goat, which I am optimistic will multiply in the future, providing us with a sustainable resource to rely on. I am extremely grateful for the financial support I have received thus far, as it has significantly assisted both myself and my mother in accessing the medical care we require.

In order to improve my health condition, I intend to consult a specialized doctor and explore additional treatment options. Enhancing my overall well-being will enable me to secure employment and generate a personal income, relieving the burden on my aging mother who herself faces financial challenges.

Over a period of time, my mental well-being has been on a decline. I have experienced severe episodes characterized by violent behavior towards my relatives and those around me. To alleviate my mental condition, I allocated $10 from my June transfers to purchase medication that helps me find calm. I am grateful that my health has shown improvement as a result of the financial support I received. In addition to acquiring the necessary drugs, I utilized the remaining funds to buy food. My reliance on my elderly mother, who works as a farmer, is significant. However, the crops she cultivates are primarily for our own sustenance, leaving us without an alternative source of income. Due to my mental condition, we have depleted all available resources, including the sale of livestock, in order to cover hospital expenses. The Give Directly transfers have been a valuable source of financial assistance, and I am genuinely appreciative of their support.

I intend to make an investment in my farm by getting a few goats, who will then support me if I ever need money. For instance, after purchasing goats last year, I ultimately sold them to use the proceeds to cover my hospital cost from an accident that took place. Because of this, I think it's crucial to maintain adding to my goat herd so that I have a way to help myself the next time I find myself short on cash. I also have high hopes that I will be able to save some money from the donations so that when I have enough I may build a wonderful, large home.

Due to my vulnerable health condition, I cannot actively work to provide for my family which consists of seven children, my sister, and my mother. My sister mostly takes on that responsibility by working on people's farms or burning charcoal to make money. However, due to the physical demands of the activities, she cannot do much to make a living. As a result, most are the times my household runs out of food. This is why I had to direct $17 from the cash transfer toward the purchase of food. I spent $10 to refill my monthly medication since I had depleted the previous dosage. Lastly, I spent the remaining $7 to buy a chicken for rearing, so that it can reproduce and accumulate more wealth for the household.

Through the organization and the funds that I received I feel quite empowered and I have gained some form of independence. This is because as I had mentioned prior my family members look after me especially my mom who is not quite mature herself. Through the donations I took can chip in when it comes to the day to day needs.

I was really excited to receive the funds when I did especially because I cannot fend for myself. I was diagnosed with a problem with my mental stability some couple of years ago which has made it very hard for me to actually acquire a job. Therefore,I end up depending on my mother who also depends on one of his grandchildren who rides a motorcycle to make ends meet. That is why when I received the transfers I decided to go ahead and use the entire KES 3,000 on nutrition for myself and my family because we barely had any food and drought has made things much more worse.

I still remember it was around 9 am when I was in my bed sick after being involved in an accident. I was with my mother looking after me when the message about the transfer landed on the phone. I felt very happy for receiving the transfer that was to aid in seeking medical care.

Able to get the medication and the fact that I was able to recover well after going to the hospital using the transfer is the biggest difference in my daily life. Seeing myself well makes me happy and thank God for the opportunity.

I spent my transfer seeking medical care. I had an accident that left me with a broken rib and the transfer was of great help. I used the transfer to pay for the treatment. I am very happy that I recovered well. I am planning to use the next transfer to purchase food for my family of two members since we are experiencing famine and no longer work because of the injuries.