For this year and the years to come, I am determined to focus on farming and move away from the hand-to-mouth lifestyle of doing odd jobs. I have already leased a farm, and I’m eagerly awaiting the third transfer to fully invest in my farming plans. Farming has always been my dream, but I never had the capital to make it a reality. Thanks to the support I’m receiving, I now have the opportunity to pursue this goal. I believe that farming will provide me with a stable income and allow me to save money for my children's school fees. This marks a significant step toward building a more secure and prosperous future for my family, and I am excited to see these plans come to life.

GiveDirectly has done an incredible job in uplifting the lives of people in my community, and what stood out to me the most is how they handle everything with respect and care. They always ask for consent before enrolling anyone into their cash program, and they never harass or pressure anyone. This approach shows their genuine concern for people's dignity. One recommendation I have is that there are still many vulnerable people, like myself, who could benefit from this support. I truly hope they can expand their reach so that others can have the opportunity to improve their lives as we have.

Recently, I received $450 from GiveDirectly, and as a single mother of two children, I was thrilled and grateful. I knew I had to make smart decisions to secure my children's future. With this money, I spent $370 to buy a plot of land in a safe area, far from the risk of floods. In the past, we lived at my family's home, but I didn’t want to burden anyone with my children. This is why I decided to buy the plot, so my children can have a place of their own. With the remaining $80, I bought two goats, which will help generate income. I plan to raise these goats and sell them for my children's school fees. This will make things more sustainable, providing us with a steady source of income. I'm thankful for the support, as it has allowed me to take steps toward building a secure and independent future for my family.

The message came around 4 p.m. when I was coming back from casual jobs with some of my neighbors—there were six of us. I heard my phone vibrating and took it out of my pocket. When I saw it was an M-Pesa message, I felt really happy and excited, but I decided to keep it a secret. I was surprised that money would come on a Sunday and wondered if it was a mistake, like the computer accidentally picked my name. I thought maybe GiveDirectly sent the money yesterday, but mine was delayed until today.After saying goodbye to my neighbors and getting home, the first thing I did was thank God for such a blessing. I had been living in very bad conditions, sleeping on the bare ground with just sacks. I told myself that the next day, I would go to town and buy a mattress because it had been bothering me for a long time. I was embarrassed to invite visitors to my house because it was completely empty—no bed, no mattress, no chairs. I’m really thankful to GiveDirectly for being the turning point in my life.

One of the biggest differences in my life after receiving the cash is that I am finally free from stress. Previously, I would even talk to myself while walking, like a mad person, because I was constantly worrying about how I could afford a mattress or even chairs. But now, thankfully, I have them, and I am happy for that.

I separated from my husband three years ago because he used to beat me severely for no reason, and he was also a drunkard. After the separation, I went back to my parents' home, where they built me a small room made of iron sheets outside their compound. I stayed there to take care of my three children, but now, two of them are old enough and have gone to town to fend for themselves, leaving me with the youngest.When I left my husband, I had nothing, so the house was completely empty, and I had been sleeping on the ground. When the money came, I decided to use $80 to buy a mattress, two plastic chairs, one plastic table, and a flask, just to make the house a little more comfortable. I had nothing in that house except some cooking pots and utensils. I am very happy now because, even though my house doesn’t look like others, at least it’s much better than before.I also set aside $80 to invest in agriculture by planting green grams because I’ve seen they have a ready market and require less expense compared to maize, which is managed by the Kenya Seed Board and involves a lot of deductions when selling. With the remaining $20, I bought food since I used to rely on casual jobs that paid $2 a day, which wasn’t even enough for food, let alone clothes or shoes.I am very grateful to GiveDirectly for changing my life and putting a smile on my face when I first received the cash.