My goal for the coming year and beyond is to complete the construction of my spacious two-room house. This will allow my grandson and his wife to have the privacy they deserve. I plan to buy more iron sheets for the roof, saving money from each of my upcoming transfers to purchase the sheets one by one until I have enough to finish the roof. I’m truly grateful for the financial support that has brought me this far, and I’m filled with happiness as I work towards achieving my dream of having my own home.

A year ago, my old and fragile house finally gave way and collapsed, leaving me with no choice but to move in with my grandson. As an elderly woman, I’m no longer able to work, so I depend entirely on him for support. He works as a casual laborer and earns very little, which makes it difficult for him to care for both his family and me. While I’m deeply grateful for his help, I worry about the strain it places on him and feel that I’m intruding on his privacy. Determined to regain my independence, I’ve been working hard to build a new home. Thanks to the transfers I’ve received, I was able to purchase seven pieces of iron sheets and spent $102 on building poles and labor costs. The construction of my new two-room house is already at the roof level, and I plan to use my next transfers to buy the remaining timber and iron sheets needed to finish it. I’m filled with joy and relief as I see my dream of having my own home again come to life. These transfers have truly been a blessing, helping me rebuild after losing my previous house.

My objective is to complete the construction of my own house. Several years ago, my house collapsed, and since then, I have been living in my grandson's home. Currently, I am in the process of acquiring building poles and iron sheets to commence the construction. To achieve this, I have joined a merry-go-round where I am contributing $10 every month. I plan to use the savings when my turn comes to purchase the materials in bulk and commence the construction.

I am currently in the process of purchasing building materials, specifically iron sheets and building poles, to construct a new house. For years, I have been living in my grandson's house after my own collapsed. At the time, I did not have the financial resources to immediately rebuild. However, I now have the means to construct my own home, thanks to the monthly transfers I receive. To achieve my goal, I joined a village merry-go-round composed of ten people. Every month, I contribute $10, and when it is my turn to receive the money, I plan to use my savings to purchase iron sheets. Additionally, I used some of the transfer to buy a goat for $35, which I now own and keep. I currently have three goats, which not only serve as valuable assets that can be converted into cash but also as a form of security for my future financial needs. Finally, I also spent the remaining amount of the transfer on buying foodstuffs and some toiletries that I lacked in my household.

While I am in the process of purchasing building materials for my upcoming house construction, I am also contemplating the idea of investing in livestock as a means of ensuring future security and generating income. Even after the expiration of the five-year period, this venture will continue to provide a sustainable source of earnings. Investing in livestock and poultry is a strategic choice that I aim to pursue in the following year, as it aligns with my long-term aspirations. The financial support I have received has played a significant role in enabling me to pursue these goals. I am incredibly grateful for the assistance provided, as it has paved the way for me to achieve my longstanding dreams.

Throughout last year and the entirety of this year, I have been residing in my grandson's house as my own dwelling collapsed due to a heavy rainfall. Unfortunately, the lack of financial resources has prevented me from rebuilding my house. My grandson, who works as a casual laborer and earns a modest income, is my main source of support. To initiate the process of constructing my new house, I utilized my previous two transfers, totaling $64, to purchase building poles. Currently, I am in the midst of procuring all the necessary materials required for the construction. Looking towards the future, I made a deposit of $30 towards the purchase of a goat. Upon receiving my next transfer, I will settle the remaining $20 balance, officially becoming the owner of the goat. I am filled with optimism that in the coming months, the goat will multiply, thereby increasing my initial investment. In the event of an unforeseen emergency, I can rely on the option of selling the goat to address the situation. The prospect of soon being able to construct a new house for myself, thanks to the financial assistance provided by the transfers, brings me immense happiness.

Many years have passed since the unfortunate collapse of my previous residence, which forced me to seek refuge at my grandson's home. While I am grateful for his hospitality, my ultimate goal is to create my own haven where I can live peacefully. To this end, I have embarked on the gradual acquisition of building materials, a pursuit that has seen me acquire seven pieces of iron sheets for construction purposes. My goal is to purchase a total of 20 iron sheets, which will be enough for a large house. I am also relieved that my harvest was a success, as it provided me with plenty of food. This has given me the opportunity to redirect my financial transfers toward achieving my housing goal. Simultaneously, I have been diligently saving $10 in our village savings group, a dedicated fund intended to supplement my construction efforts. As my savings grow, they will become an indispensable source of assistance in the eventual realization of my dream.

Since the beginning of the year, I have diligently set aside a minimum of $10 per month in our village's local savings group. The objective behind this effort is to amass a fund that I intend to employ in purchasing essential building materials—such as iron sheets and building poles—for the construction of a new home. My previous dwelling collapsed some years ago, leaving me without a suitable home. Since then, I have been finding refuge within my grandson's dwelling, who is currently staying in town. Furthermore, I have managed to add more livestock by acquiring a goat for $35, thereby enhancing my assets. I see them as an invaluable resource for funding the construction of my future home, ensuring a comfortable and secure living space. I also used the transfer to pay for my three grandchildren's education and to stock up on food for my family. Prompt payment of their fees ensured the uninterrupted continuation of their studies, while the availability of sufficient nourishment has eased the challenges posed by the financial hardships I have been grappling with.

A few years ago, I lost a herd of three cows and some goats as a result of the drought that dried up vegetation and water pans. It was a low moment in my life as these animals were the backbone of my financial stability; I used to sell them for money. After the tragedy, I was not able to acquire more livestock because I did not have funds. I am grateful that the financial aid opened an ideal door toward reviving my livestock-keeping venture. So far, I have obtained two goats and two chickens from the transfers. By next year, I wish to have increased the number of goats. Despite the harsh climatic conditions, I believe these animals are more resilient in such weather.

Apart from securing food, I have been spending some of the cash transfers on buying chickens and goats. In my old age, I can only manage livestock keeping as a source of income because I lack the physical strength to take on strenuous activities. Owning these animals will allow me to contribute to the household needs and reduce the pressure on my grandson, who is our breadwinner. However, unlike previously when I obtained two goats through money, I recently bought a chicken at $3. This is because I needed to spend $21 on food. After all, my family had missed meals for more days than usual. Also, I added $10 to the savings I have been accumulating to construct a spacious house to accommodate my two grandchildren and me.

I have a lot of plans this year, especially in relation to the money I will be receiving, so I am rather happy about it. I was expecting to save the cash so that I could ultimately build a suitable home for myself because the one I currently dwell in makes it difficult to believe that anyone is living there. In addition, I must express my gratitude for the donations because they have made it possible for me to meet my daily needs rather than relying on my grandson, who barely earns enough money to support himself. As a result, I want to set aside some money so that I may concentrate on my nutrition and also hopefully invest on buying some farm animals.

I no longer have the energy to work because I am old. I am entirely dependent on my daughter, who makes a living by selling charcoal and performing manual labor for pay, such as fetching water for others. I feel terrible that with her meager income, my daughter has to carry the enormous responsibility of caring for me and her children. I spent a significant portion of my transfer, which came to about $25, on food for the family. I bought five packets of two kilos of maize flour, one kilogram each of sugar, beans, and cooking oil, as well as one kilogram of beans. My daughter was relieved of some of the burden when I bought this food in bulk. I'm relieved that our food needs are no longer a concern because she now has more time to plan and reenergize as she considers where to seek employment. I put the last $10 into a savings group so I would have enough money to construct a house. Following the collapse of my home four months ago, I am currently taking refuge in my daughter's. With the transfer money, I can't wait to get started on building my house.

In opinions, GiveDirectly is doing well for helping poor individuals with cash without tribal or religious discrimination. I feel that there is nothing that it does not do well.

I spent KES 2000 to purchase sufficient food for the family. This is because we are experiencing drought and famine in our area. It is over 5 years since we received rains that would assist us in farming. In addition, I saved the remaining amount at our women's financial groups. I intend to construct a decent house for myself. At the moment, I am living in a small structure that is used as the kitchen by my daughters-in-law. Because of the smoke from the cooking area, I had to stay outside every night until the cooking is over. With the transfer that I am receiving every month, I hope that will be able to build my own house.

No sooner had I arrived home from the hospital than I received a text message on my phone. I handed over the phone to my helper, who read the message and broke the good news that I had received my first transfer. My heart was filled with joy as I grinned. I knelt beside my bed and whispered a short thanksgiving prayer to the Lord, thanking him for the miracle.

The transfer made a huge in difference in my life by helping me buy food. I was very sick and did not have money to either buy food or pay the hospital bills. The food I bought helped me to regain strength and fastened my healing. I am happy that I am now well and working on light house chores.

I heavily depend on my son who earns a living by rising livestock. The drought has negatively affected his job. Many of the livestock (40) he took care of died because of the effects of the drought. He earns very little (150 per day) because there are little livestock left to take care. When I received my first transfer, I bought plenty of food (three packets of 2 kg maize flour, 1kg of beans, 1kg of sugar, vegetables and fruits) so that I would ease the burden of heavily depending on my son who was struggling to feed me.