Once I've acquired the necessary 16 iron sheets by the end of this week, my next focus will be on procuring the additional building materials required, such as poles, nails, timber, and saving up to pay the mason. However, I have encountered a challenge in finding a reliable source for building poles, as sellers claim they are difficult to obtain. Despite this setback, I remain optimistic that by the end of November, I will have gathered all the necessary materials and completed construction on my house, ready for occupation.

I earn a living through odd casual jobs, such as tending to other people's livestock and working on their farms for a wage. Unfortunately, some individuals have taken advantage of my mental condition, refusing to pay me for my labor. Consequently, I do not have a steady job and rely on my mother, who sustains us through her work as a peasant farmer, selling surplus agricultural produce. My longstanding aspiration, since reaching adulthood, has been to own my own home. Over the years, I have moved between various relatives' homes in search of accommodation, longing for a space where I can have privacy and stability. With my mother's assistance, I have already acquired 5 pieces of iron sheets towards this goal. Additionally, since the beginning of the year, I have managed to save $102. Upon receiving my April transfers, I plan to visit the hardware store to purchase an additional 11 pieces of iron sheets, totaling $132. These 16 pieces will provide sufficient material to construct a modest yet comfortable dwelling for myself. It fills me with immense joy to witness myself edging closer to achieving my dream of owning a home. I am profoundly grateful for the financial support I receive. Despite the challenges posed by my mental condition and past experiences of exploitation, I am optimistic that I will soon realize my goal of having a place to call my own.

Looking forward, my plan is to start building my house early next year. The thought of finally fulfilling one of my long-term goals fills me with immense happiness. I am extremely grateful for the financial boost provided through the transfers, as it will undoubtedly bring about positive changes in my life.

Due to my mental condition, I am unable to work and rely on my father for my daily survival. However, my father, who is a casual laborer, struggles to meet the needs of our entire family, including my four siblings who also depend on him. Currently, I do not have a place to call home and often have to seek accommodation from relatives. My ultimate goal is to save enough money to purchase all the necessary building materials, such as iron sheets, building poles, timber, and nails, in order to begin constructing my own house. So far, I have successfully saved $90 towards this endeavor. The prevailing poverty in our household has been a significant barrier to achieving my dream of owning a house. Nonetheless, I am filled with confidence that I will soon be able to make this dream a reality, thanks to the financial aid I have received. With $12, I was able to purchase sugar and some food to share with my family.

With a prosperous harvest securing an ample food supply for my household, my attention has shifted towards an essential endeavor: building a new home. My current residence, although with a neighbor, lacks the tranquillity and sense of ownership I yearn for. It is my fervent desire to establish a dwelling where I can experience true peace and autonomy. The longing for such solace stems from the fact that my previous house collapsed several years ago, and my financial circumstances at the time did not permit immediate reconstruction. Thanks to the invaluable financial support from GiveDirectly, I have taken meaningful steps toward my goal. The acquisition of building poles marks a promising start, and I am now determined to secure the necessary iron sheets to complete the construction. The prospect of owning my own house encompasses my most fervent aspiration, as it means peace and stability for me.

Currently, I lack a residence of my own, which has led me to seek refuge with my neighbours for shelter. In the past, the idea of constructing a house seemed like an unattainable goal due to my unemployment and the inherent challenge of providing sustenance for my family. However, a positive shift has occurred, as the recent rains allowed me to harness the potential of my acreage, resulting in a bountiful harvest that has significantly eased food scarcity within my household. This newfound abundance has afforded me the opportunity to embark on the construction of my own dwelling, thereby liberating me from the reliance on neighbouring accommodations. To initiate this project, I allocated $30 from the recent transfers to acquire building poles, a crucial step in the construction process. Furthermore, an additional $40 was wisely invested in hiring oxen to plow my two acres, ensuring the timely planting and cultivation of crops. The full utilization of my land ultimately culminated in a successful harvest, fortifying my family against the problem of food shortages. The contrast is stark compared to the times when we did not cultivate the land and had to resort to purchasing expensive food. This transformative experience has relieved me of the burden of food scarcity and granted me the means to construct a dwelling that will provide comfort and security for my family in the future.

I am more focused on building a new house than I have ever been before. Sharing a space with my married cousin feels very uncomfortable because am depriving them of privacy. Things have changed from when we were both bachelors co-habiting in a room. I want a permanent and more spacious structure, which is why I am going for a two-room house made with bricks instead of mud walls. I have already started saving $24 from every transfer to effect this project. If it were not for the financial aid, this would have probably just remained as a dream because I cannot work to raise funds by myself; am mentally unstable.

Being mentally vulnerable, sometimes it is challenging to routinely work to support the needs of my family and me. My two brothers, who both rely on casual jobs, actively contribute towards household expenses, particularly food. Given the unpredictability of their income, with one of them having seven children and the other six children, the burden sometimes becomes too heavy to bear. I feel happy when I contribute $10 every month towards the purchase of food and lift some weight off of their shoulders. Besides that, I always save the remaining $24. I intend to accumulate a large sum of money to build a house. This is because my cousin, whom I have always shared a shelter with, recently got married. I want them to enjoy their privacy as a family as I also enjoy my space.

Personally I want to thank the organization for the help that it has given us through the transfers. The finances have definitely played a huge role in my day-to-day life. For instance, with the funds I am planning to start up my own business which I am sure will help me provide for myself and my family. Apart from that, at the moment I don't own a house but I am looking forward to eventually building a house with this transfers.

I was honestly quite happy when I received the transaction this time around because I had a project in mind that I wanted to begin. I had plans of starting up a business at the comfort of my home where I opened up a grocery store and sold vegetables, sardines and coconuts as well so that I could be in a better position to sustain myself. Therefore with this recent transfers I decided to save up all my money which was KES 3,400 so that I could wait till I received more money to start the business.

I was taking a nap inside my home while I awaited the sun to go down so I could move the livestock outside to graze. I received my first transfer, my uncle told me when he dropped by my house. I was so ecstatic that I shouted at the top of my lungs. As soon as I heard the good news, I started to dance.

The transfer helped me change my appearance, which has had a significant impact on my life. Because of the poverty at home, I was unable to purchase new clothing for more than a year. I completely rely on my mother, but because of her financial struggles, we occasionally have to go to bed without eating. I currently look presentable because I am wearing new clothes and shoes.

I bought a new pair of shoes and some new clothes with the majority of my transfer money. For the past year, I have managed to get by on three worn-out pairs of clothes and no shoes. Due to my physical and mental limitations, I help my mother a lot with livestock raising. Unlike before when I wore tattered clothes that made people laugh at me, I am glad that I have new clothes and look presentable. Along with purchasing clothing and footwear, I also bought food for the family and assisted my mother, who struggles to find part-time jobs to provide for us. We never went to bed hungry because the food I bought kept us fed for three days.