Now that I am back home and unable to work due to my health, I plan to start livestock farming again. Unfortunately, the animals I previously acquired died because they didn’t receive the care they needed while I was away. Before diving into livestock farming, I want to focus on serious crop farming when the rains come. I intend to use a portion of my transfers for this purpose, aiming for good harvests that will sustain us until the next planting season, so we won’t have to rely on buying food. Once we have a stable food supply, I will redirect the money I was spending on food toward purchasing goats and turkeys. My hope is that these animals will multiply, providing me with a reliable source of income and resources in the future when this program comes to an end.

I have been away from home for some time, working hard to earn extra money to support my family. I take care of my four grandchildren, especially regarding their education. The transfers I receive have been crucial for their schooling. Recently, I used $20 from my transfers, along with some additional funds my family raised, to pay their school fees. I am determined to see them educated so they can have a better future. In addition to that, I spent $34 on food for myself and my family at my workplace to ensure we didn’t go hungry. Knowing I was about to return home, I also bought clothes as gifts for my grandchildren using $14 from the transfers. As a grandfather, I wanted to bring them joy. Unfortunately, the transfers came at a time when I was feeling very unwell and needed medical attention. I spent another $10 on hospital visits to get the care I needed. Although I'm not fully recovered yet, I remain hopeful that I will get better. Finally, I used the remaining $22 for transportation back home since my job had ended, my health was declining, and needed to be close to my family for better care.

My dream is to buy many more goats and turkeys to keep in my compound, which will provide a steady source of income and security for my family. I plan to use the incoming transfers from GiveDirectly, as I currently rely on casual jobs that are unpredictable and insufficient. These livestock will act as a financial safety net, allowing me to sell some animals if we ever face any financial challenges in the future. This way, I can ensure we have enough resources to meet our needs without worrying about sudden income losses. Moreover, having these animals will be a constant reminder that even when the aid from GiveDirectly ends, we have built something sustainable and lasting. This initiative will not only help us manage our day-to-day expenses but also provide a sense of stability and self-reliance for the years to come.

Since my dream has been to see my household surrounded by livestock, especially goats, I eagerly used $30 of the cash transfers to buy two healthy goats. I envision a thriving herd that not only provides us with resources but also serves as a financial safety net for any future monetary issues or household emergencies. The sight of these goats grazing in our yard brings me immense joy and hope for a secure and self-sustaining future. Additionally, I paid part of my son's dowry, $34, for his wife. He recently got married, but since he didn't have a stable job, I had to support him to avoid embarrassment and uphold our family's honour. I am happy that my daughter-in-law is at home and that my family is growing. Seeing them happy together brings me immense joy and a sense of fulfilment. With $38, I bought food supplies specifically for the Christmas celebrations. This year, Christmas was a time of abundance and joy, unlike any we had experienced before. We gathered with all my extended family, eating, drinking, and making memories that will last a lifetime. The laughter of children, the clinking of glasses, and the warmth of togetherness were all courtesy of GiveDirectly. The support provided by GiveDirectly has transformed our lives, allowing us to celebrate without the usual financial strain. As a result, this Christmas was not just a holiday but a celebration of the positive change that has come into our lives.

Looking forward, my goal is to acquire two bulls for plowing. Having bulls during the planting season is advantageous because they can cover a larger area than manual weeding with a hoe. This season, I had to hire bulls, which was expensive. I aim to have my bulls for future planting seasons. To accomplish this, I hope to channel most of the cash transfers towards acquiring the animals.

I used $34 from the cash transfers to contribute towards a traditional memorial occasion for a relative who passed away two years ago. During this event, our family typically gathers and prepares to remember the life of the deceased and hold a communal feast. I am grateful that the cash transfers helped me to contribute to the occasion. I am delighted that this year's rainy season brought a bountiful harvest, providing my family with food to last for the coming few months. Consequently, this made it possible for me to channel $25 from the cash transfers towards the purchase of a goat. My goal is to establish a strong financial foundation for my three children through livestock keeping so that even when I'm no longer around, they will have something to support them. I also faced health challenges due to a chronic and recurring case of Tuberculosis. During this period, I had not visited the hospital for a long time and had to temporarily pause my job as a gardener due to my condition. I am grateful that the cash transfers allowed me to access medication, leading to my recovery. I am happy that I have since resumed work.

Unfortunately, my house was destroyed by the ongoing rains, which forced my wife and me to seek shelter in my grandson's house, where we have been staying since then. I feel like we are inconveniencing his space, which prompts me to build another house. Thankfully, I have been able to spend my savings from previous transfers to acquire building materials for the new structure. The remaining task is to secure funds for labor compensation. My goal is to build a two-room house with mud walls and an iron sheet roof, which will provide a more stable and comfortable living environment for my wife and me.

When I received the cash transfer, I was struggling with chest complications that had been troubling me for several weeks. These complications were a result of being diagnosed with Tuberculosis two years ago. This condition has prevented me from being able to work and earn an income. Fortunately, the cash transfers have been crucial in assisting me with covering my medical expenses. Recently, I used $5.50 to settle my hospital bill. Since I had to travel to a hospital far from my home to receive the treatment, I had saved the remaining funds to cover the cost of transportation back home. Besides, I am confident that these savings will also enable me to acquire additional prescriptions. Without the cash transfers, am uncertain if I would have been able to cover my hospital expenses since I had no money. I am extremely grateful to Give Directly for their support during this challenging time.

I want to buy myself a few farm animals, ideally goats, with a significant amount of the transfers I will receive. In the future, if I have financial difficulties, I hope that my investment in a few goats will be able to assist me. As a result of the bad harvest brought on by the drought, I also want to spend the money for food because it is a constant issue for us.

I had the opportunity to take the money out of my phone right away. I then went ahead and spent KES 2,500 on a goat. When the program inevitably ends, I hope that this will have been a wise investment in my future. After deducting KES 500 for two packets of maize flour and sugar, I had a balance of KES 400, which I used to pay school tuition for my two grandkids as they had been dismissed from their  school.

Givedirectly did well in sending cash transfers directly to our mobile phones. Moreover, giving us the opportunity to choose how to use it to better our living standards is something that I appreciated the organization for. In my opinion, I feel everything went well.

I spent $10 of the most recent transfers to educate my 3 children who are still in primary school. The transfer was of great help since they were about to be sent home for fees something which was bothering me a lot. Moreover, I boosted my poultry farming by purchasing two more chickens for $ 8. This is an investment that will support me financially in the future when I have an emergency like sickness, I will be able to sell one to cater for such. Lastly, I spent the remaining amount to purchase food for the family of 5 members and to complete the payment of a goat that I had bought with the first transfer but I owe the seller $12.

I was at home with my wife, discussing ways to earn some money to cover my children's school expenses. When my phone rang loudly and I checked, I was speechless to learn that I had received my first transfer. I exclaimed loudly while jumping up and down. My wife and I grinned as I showed her the text. I said a brief prayer in prayer, giving thanks to the Lord for the transfer.

I had utterly failed in my duty as a responsible father to provide for the needs of my kids. I had trouble sleeping as a result of this, and I felt anxious. I put all of my eggs in one basket, and the outcome was frightening because the farm yielded no harvest. I'd want to express my sincere gratitude to the organization for assisting me in paying off the outstanding school fees for my kids so that they could resume their studies.

My three primary school children are in classes 3, 4, and 5 respectively. The head teacher insisted that I pay off all outstanding school fee balances, despite my best attempts to keep them in school. My kids did not attend school for a full month and instead stayed home. When my crops dried up as a result of the ongoing drought, I suffered enormous losses. After receiving moderate showers, I was certain that I would have a bountiful yield, but after two weeks, the rain stopped. I found it difficult to support my family after losing everything. When I got my first transfer, I was as ecstatic as a baby gnawing on his favorite food with the new teeth. My children were re-admitted to school after I paid the school's outstanding tuition debt.