I look forward to improving the size of the farm so I could multiply the amount of produce and ease my financial burden. Having a larger farm would lead to good revenue, allowing me to better support myself and my family. In addition to expanding the farm, I am also considering starting a small business. Having this business would help cater to our daily needs and provide an extra source of income. These plans reflect my determination to create a more stable and prosperous future for myself and my loved ones. By focusing on improving the farm and exploring new business opportunities, I hope to achieve financial independence and better livelihood. I believe that with hard work, dedication, and careful planning, I can turn these aspirations into reality. Taking steps towards improvement and growth brings me closer to the life I envision for myself and my family. I am hopeful that these endeavors will lead to positive outcomes and contribute to a brighter and more prosperous future for all of us. With each effort made, I am motivated to overcome challenges and work towards the life I desire.

In the midst of challenging economic times, I found myself facing a difficult situation with no apparent solution. As a parent, my utmost concern was ensuring that my children had access to education, a crucial foundation for their future. However, the financial hardships were so overwhelming that I feared my children might have no choice but to drop out of school completely. During this trying period, a glimmer of hope emerged in the form of GiveDirectly transfers. Their timely assistance arrived when things were at their toughest, providing much-needed relief and support for my family. The moment I received the news of GiveDirectly's support, a wave of gratitude washed over me. The thought of their dreams being shattered due to financial constraints had haunted me, but now, those fears were put to rest.

I paid $300 to clear my son's school fees for two terms. I couldn't afford to pay the entire amount at once due to the nature of my casual work, so I made small payments over time. My main goal was to ensure that he had a smooth and uninterrupted year in school. In addition to supporting my son's education, I also invested $150 in farming. This decision was driven by the desire to provide for my family's food needs and to prepare for the future, especially when my other children reach high school and may require school fees. Balancing my casual work and financial responsibilities has been challenging, but I am determined to do whatever it takes to care for my family and secure a better future for them. I hope that the efforts I'm making in providing for my family's needs and investing in education and farming will lead to positive outcomes and opportunities down the road.

My hope for this year and the coming years is to be a good farmer, crossing fingers that the rains will not fail me. I have a large farm whom I have not been utilising so well due to lack of capital. So I am planning to use part of the third transfer to invest on buying maize seeds and the fertilizers and do proper farming. I believe the produce I will get from the farm will be enough for both domestic and as well as generate income upon sale. This will enable me to cater for my children's education this year and beyond.

In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well by assisting the very needy in the village without discrimination. I like the fact that it works independently without relying on information from our local leaders i.e village elders. I have not seen anything that GD should improve.

We used to depend on my husband to fend for the family since he is a welder but unfortunately, his machinery broke. Due to this, I had to think of ways to get income. Though I settled on hawking mandazis in the village, the income it generates would not sustain us since it's very unreliable. Upon getting the transfers, I spent 35000 KES to pay school fees for my son who was joining high school for his secondary education and 10000 KES for my daughter who was joining grade seven. I used the remaining amount to buy food for my family.

Around 4 p.m., I received a message on my phone, and after reading it to understand its content, I realized I had received the first transfer. I was not expecting anything similar, so I knew it had to be from GiveDirectly. I was extremely happy when I told my husband, who was also at home at the time. We later walked together to the shopping center and collected the entire amount before making the first purchases.

The biggest difference in my daily life is the great joy I get from running my business and not having to rely on my husband to pay minor household bills. He has been impressed by my progress, and even though the business is still in its early stages, I hope to see it grow as I expand my customer base. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for their generous support and look forward to accomplishing much more with the subsequent transfers.

My husband has been running a welding and fabrication shop in a nearby shopping center for the past year. The money he made from it has been useful in purchasing daily foodstuffs and other household goods for my family of five. Since I've been at home, I have always wanted to lend a helping hand and contribute financially, but it has been difficult because the subsistence farming on which I rely is no longer viable due to the devastating drought. The arrival of GiveDirectly and support has so far changed my story when I invested $42 on buying a bundle of baking wheat flour and cooking oil. I am currently baking and selling cakes and doughnuts throughout the village. I am pleased that I have made a good profit so far, and am motivated to keep up the sales and assist my husband with other household bills. I also spent $54 on a bag of maize, $8 on 8 kg of beans for food, and $22 on other household items like salt, toiletries, and milk. I also spent the remaining funds on new clothes for my two children.