I am grateful for the financial support I received from GiveDirectly. It has helped ensure that all six of my children can stay in school without any interruptions. At the moment, two of them are in college, two are in high school, and two are in primary school. It has been a challenge to raise enough money for their school fees due to financial constraints. But thanks to the transfers, I managed to clear the outstanding fees, which has given me some breathing room to prepare for the next semester's fees. I've been able to save some of the little money I earn from my voluntary work in community health in the village. My husband, who does casual construction jobs, also supports me. Our goal is to make sure that our children can achieve their educational aspirations in the coming year and beyond. I believe that once they succeed in their academic pursuits, they will be well-equipped to take care of themselves and be self-sufficient.

GiveDirectly did well in educating us first about the risks associated with receiving the transfers, since most of us were not well-versed in many aspects. Also, they taught us how best we could use this opportunity to upgrade our lives once we received the transfers. These great insights were valuable to us since we had little knowledge on matters concerning financial management. Notably, it's through this knowledge that we were able to use the transfers to better our lives by investing in livestock, building new homes, and taking children to school. Overall, our lives are no longer the same again. It's only that the program has ended, but how I wish it could continue so that we could improve our living standards even more!

I have enrolled two of my children in college; my son is taking a plumbing course, and my daughter is studying hairdressing. As a parent, it's been my priority to see my children succeed academically. They were due for internships to put their skills into practice, but they needed to clear some arrears first to be eligible. I cleared the arrears on time by using $200 from my recent transfers and also bought the necessary tools, such as a toolbox for my son. I'm grateful for this opportunity as it will help them gain practical experience and prepare them for future employment. In addition to supporting my children's education, I also cleared the fee arrears for my two other children who are in high school. I paid $160, and now they are comfortably back in school, giving me some time to prepare for the next payment. With the remaining amount, I invested in building an extension to our home to accommodate my children better. I purchased iron sheets, building poles, and timber, and completed the construction. After this, I bought them a new mattress and bed, replacing the old worn-out bedding. I'm glad that this has improved their wellbeing, as they no longer have to struggle with inadequate shelter.

As a Community Health Promoter, my job is to ensure that people in my community live a healthy life according to government health standards. My job is purely voluntary, so I do not earn a reasonable amount to support my family. My husband works as a mason, and therefore, with his meager earnings, we depend on him to support our family, which includes six school-going children: two in college, two in secondary school, and two in elementary school. With his earnings, paying for school fees and supporting my family has been a challenge for him. As a result, the children in secondary and elementary school had a school fees balance, and the current school fees totaling $225 were yet to be paid. On this late afternoon, I was at home alone, preparing dinner for my family, when a message popped up on my phone and I saw that it was a mobile money notification from GiveDirectly. A rush of joy and happiness flowed through my body as I sang, danced, and praised God while I was cooking because it felt like a miracle to me. This was a gleam of hope for my family because the first thing that rushed into my head was the thought that my children's school fees were sorted, and they wouldn't have to worry about being sent home to collect school fees, as this was the issue that was currently pressing us so much.

Before receiving the financial support, we struggled to cover school fees for our children, which created stress and uncertainty about our education. However, after receiving the transfer, we were able to clear the outstanding school fees and provide accommodation for the college students. This ensured that all our children could continue their education without interruption, allowing them to focus on their studies without the burden of financial worries. Also, our home, made of mud walls and lacking a concrete floor, was constantly dusty, leading to frequent illnesses. Despite our desire for a healthier living environment, financial constraints prevented us from making necessary improvements. However, with the transfers, we were able to renovate our house, resulting in a dust-free environment, hence reducing the frequency of illnesses. Additionally, purchasing mattresses for the children ensured they could sleep comfortably, contributing to their overall health and well-being. Witnessing our children sleeping peacefully and free from illness brings immense happiness and joy to the family.

My husband works as a mason, and his little earnings are crucial for supporting our family, which consists of six school-going children. As a Community Health Promoter, I work on a voluntary basis, earning very little, which is not enough to significantly contribute to our family's expenses which makes it challenging for my husband to cover school fees and support our household as well. Our children in secondary and elementary school had unpaid school fees totaling $225. Additionally, two who are in college required assistance with accommodation, which amounted to $70. Thus, I used $295 of the transfer to settle the school fees and provide accommodation so that they could all settle in school and focus on their studies. Also, our home, constructed with mud walls and lacking a concrete floor, was constantly dusty, posing health risks and leading to frequent illnesses for us. Despite my desire for a dust-free environment, financial constraints made it seem unattainable as our little earnings were focused on our children's education and providing food for our family. However, I allocated $110 to renovate our house, resulting in a dust-free environment that has significantly reduced the frequency of illnesses. Furthermore, I spent $100 to purchase mattresses for our children, as their discomfort while sleeping on mats troubled me deeply. Witnessing them now sleeping peacefully and free from frequent illnesses brings immense happiness and joy to my heart.