Looking ahead to the coming year and beyond, I aspire to start a business selling vegetables here in the village. This is not only to generate profits for my family but also to meet the demand for vegetables, especially during the drought season when the weather does not support farming. The income from this venture will help cover school fees for my child who is now in grade seven.

I paid $14 in school fees for my child in junior high school. There was an outstanding balance that had accrued since the beginning of the term, which had caused him to stay home for a week. His father had not been able to raise sufficient funds from his job working on people’s farms. I was relieved to pay off the balance, and he was able to return to school. Additionally, I spent $7 to purchase a new battery for my phone, as the previous one was damaged and not functional. The remaining $13 went towards household expenses like food as there were days we had gone to bed hungry from lack of food. Also, I bought three goats for $68 to rear, intending to allow them to multiply so that in the future I can sell them to provide for my family. Currently, I have five goats. This is an important stream of income that I intend to continue growing.

My focus is on a simple yet impactful agricultural venture. My goal is to expand my herd of goats, with a strategic plan in mind to eventually exchange them for a cow. I've calculated that this progression will not only diversify my livestock but also pave the way for a more lucrative opportunity: selling milk. With the going rate at around 50 per liter, I see a promising avenue to generate income. The prospect of nurturing a growing herd, witnessing it evolve into a valuable asset, and ultimately deriving a sustainable livelihood from selling milk fills me with anticipation. As time progresses, I envision not just a flourishing livestock enterprise but a reliable source of income that will bring stability and prosperity to my life.

The recent unconditional cash transfer brought a wave of relief into my life. With a portion of it, I fulfilled a long-cherished dream by purchasing a goat for $25. These animals were always on my wish list, but their high prices made them seem like a luxury I couldn't afford. The primary reason behind acquiring them was to establish a sense of security for myself. In the face of financial emergencies, it used to be quite challenging, and the goats, I thought, could serve as a financial buffer. It's a comfort to know that I have a tangible asset that can be a source of support in times of need. The rest of the funds were devoted to my son's well-being. I allocated $9.7 to buy him a new school uniform. His previous ones were worn out and torn, a condition that not only affected his self-esteem but also had the potential to impact his focus and productivity in school. As the main breadwinner with limited earnings, providing for even the basic necessities like meals was a constant struggle. Therefore, being able to invest in my son's education and self-esteem through a simple uniform purchase is a significant step forward for both of us.

My primary objective is to focus on investing in livestock as a lucrative income source. Fortunately, we have experienced abundant rainfall recently, leading to promising prospects of a bumper harvest. This increased food supply at home will enable me to allocate my monthly stipends towards livestock investments, thus establishing a fresh stream of income to meet my needs effectively.

I am delighted to have been able to pay my son's school fees at Kabatheni Primary School. He is in class 6, and I also covered his exam fees. It brings me immense joy to see him continue his education. As the sole provider for my family, the financial assistance I receive through transfers is invaluable in meeting some of our needs. Unfortunately, my husband is currently unemployed, which makes it difficult for him to contribute to our growing expenses. In addition to the school fees, I invested in the future by purchasing a goat for $25. I'm pleased to share that our herd is slowly expanding. Raising livestock not only helps us accumulate wealth but also provides a source of income. If the need arises, I can sell some of the goats to address any financial requirements that may arise. Overall, I am grateful for the opportunities that have come our way, enabling us to secure a better future for our family.

I cannot thank Gve Directly enough for enabling me to own a goat through cash transfers. Am sure that when these animals reproduce and increased the flock, I could easily sell them to support the need of my family. For this reason, I wish to continue acquiring more goats in the future to grow my wealth. Apart from that, I want to start saving part of my cash transfer through a self-help group. I hope that these savings will prove useful in paying school fees for my son in the future as well as providing food. 

Both my husband and I burn charcoal to cater to the needs of the household. The money we generate from the practice barely provides daily food for the family or keeps our son in school. By the time I received the cash, he had missed school for one day due to an outstanding tuition balance. I used $9 to clear the debt and he happily resumed classes.  Am grateful to Give Directly because if it were not for the money, my son would still be at home as we speak. After that, I bought a goat using the remaining $25. Since the earnings from charcoal making are unstable, I believe owning goats will provide financial stability in the future, when the herd expands.

Over the next three months, I want to purchase goats. My long-term objective is to raise the goats, sell them once they procreate, and use the money to buy a dairy cow. In this manner, I will have the chance to sell milk, make some money, and support my family. With my husband's loss of his livestock-rearing job, we are currently going through a difficult time. Being the only provider for the family, it is difficult to meet all of their needs while only making $3 per day.

My aim when I received the transfer was to buy a goat, but the amount was insufficient to meet other expenses as well. At the time, the household had more pressing concerns such as food and school tuition that required immediate attention. My husband, a carpenter, had not worked in about two months since his business had not received any orders. In addition, my charcoal-burning venture had been fruitless that week owing to a lack of demand for the product. This is why I had to forgo my intentions of getting a goat since not only had my household run out of food the day before, but my son had also missed three consecutive days of school because of a lack of funds. Instead, I spent $14 on three chicks for rearing. I used $5 to pay my son's tuition, and he gladly returned to class. I also spent the remainder of the funds on food. My heart is full right now since we have enough food to last us four more days and my son has not been sent out of class again. 

It has been difficult to rely on my husband to provide for our family because his job as a herdsman does not pay well. His salary is sometimes delayed for two months, and he is unable to send anything home. To avoid being a burden to him, I make and sell charcoal to meet the needs of the household. Due to the prolonged drought and scarcity of trees in my areas, it takes at least two weeks to produce two sacks of charcoal. Even after selling the product, I only make KES 800 in two weeks, which is insufficient to secure food and pay my son's school fees. That is why the transfer was beneficial in meeting these requirements. Since my son had missed school for an entire week due to unpaid school fees, I deducted KES 1300 from the transfer to clear the balance. I am glad he is back in class and doing well in his studies. At the same time, my family had run out of maize flour for two days in a row. So, the remaining funds were used to purchase food.

The choice and training of the GiveDirectly staff were good. The staff was very polite and well-mannered. I was impressed and satisfied with the service they offered me. I would like to urge the organization to increase the transfer amount and help us overcome the high prices of items currently in the market.

I have relied on subsistence farming for over 10 years now, however, the emergence of the drought rendered me jobless. I shifted to burning and selling charcoal to earn a living. The job is very tedious and with a very low income (KES 900 per month). My husband earns a monthly salary of KES 7000 by raising livestock for other people in a nearby village. He faces serious challenges of delayed salaries and no payment at all. If this happens, my son and I have to skip meals and sleep on empty stomachs. Therefore, when I received my transfer, I spent KES 1000 on buying food items (12 packets of maize flour, 2kg of sugar, and 2 kg of beans) because we had spent two days with nothing to eat. Besides buying food, I spent the remaining amount of KES 1900 on buying a goat to replace some that I had lost because of the effects of the drought.

I was out in the field burning woods to make charcoal. With no other jobs available, I solemnly depend on the charcoal for my survival. While working, I received a text message on my phone. I confirmed I had received my first transfer, and I instantly became thrilled and started ululating very hard. I even left what I was doing and went back home, where I shared the good news with my relatives.

The money has brought a big difference to my life. I now own a goat, something which I was just dreaming about. In our culture, the wealth is measured by how much livestock you have. I am happy that I have started the journey of creating wealth with the help of the money from GiveDirectly.

Having been through a difficult time with lots of uncertainties, I spent my first transfer in buying a goat. The reason for buying the goat was to invest in something that later would benefit me in case I had a problem. After a period, I bank the goat will have multiplied in numbers and I can sell some and use the money to buy a dairy cow. With my next transfer, I am planning on buying another goat to complement the one that is existing.