From the small money that I make doing the menial job, I have been saving $10 monthly which has now accumulated to $150. I intend to keep saving and later on open a small business for my wife. This will ensure that we can help each other in catering to the family’s basic needs.

GiveDirectly is the first of the many organizations that have been working in the nearby villages to give their support in monetary form. I am satisfied with the approach from the start of the program to the end when we receive the second transfer. I have no complaints at all to report.

Being the eldest child in my family, I have been responsible for taking care of my younger siblings. Seeing them through their education and providing for their basic needs as well as for my elderly parents. I have been doing menial jobs to at least be able to put food on the table. One of my younger siblings, the only one schooling had been sent home for fee balance. On receiving the second transfer, I was able to take him back to school by paying the $360 debt. My house needed some minor repairs, thus I bought some iron sheets for $150 to facilitate that. With the remaining $20 I bought new furniture for my house since the ones we had were in a bad state.

I was filled with so much joy when I received the funds from give directly. I also felt blessed. This is because the joint earnings from my wife, who is a businesswoman, and I, a welder, are very inconsistent and few. So, it was hard for us to meet all of our needs. For instance, I needed to put up a structure on the land we recently bought, food in my household was scarce and the clothes we had were old and torn. I believed that the funds would now meet most if not all of these needs.

My wife, my two children, and I stay together in my parents' compound. Last year, I got to buy a piece of land in a different location but I never got the funds to help put up a structure on it. So, when I got the funds from give directly, I was enabled to do so and furnish it with some chairs, and whatever amount remained, I bought some food and clothes for my family. I am now more content with my life.

I am married with two children. My wife and I collaboratively work towards meeting our family's needs whereby she runs a restaurant and I a welder. Other than this, I struggle with stammering, though it affects my communication, I never saw this as a weakness and I am happy my family and friends never did too. From the savings we made last year, we bought a piece of land and according to our tradition, if one has a land, they must build a house on it. However, I lacked the funds to do so then. But when I got the funds from give directly, I directed them towards this project. After completion, I bought some chairs to furnish it. I also bought some clothes for us to replace the old ragged ones we had. Whatever balance I had, I utilized to buy some food for us. In addition to this, I had plans to buy some livestock (goats and some ducks) although the funds were not enough to facilitate this, so i had to put it on hold and with my next transfer, I believe I will be able to fulfill it.