In the coming year, my main goal is to start building another house for myself. The one I currently live in is made of mud walls, and I have always dreamt of having a wooden house. It will not only provide better living conditions but also add a touch of comfort and stability to my life. To accomplish this, I plan to start buying construction materials, particularly timber, to begin the process. I believe investing in quality materials is crucial for the durability and longevity of the house. Once I have acquired the necessary materials, my next step will be to find the funds to hire a skilled mason. I understand the importance of professional craftsmanship in constructing a sturdy and beautiful wooden house, so I am determined to allocate the required resources to secure a capable builder. To raise funds towards this project, I will continue saving diligently in the savings group.

What impressed me the most was that they gave everyone in our community equal amounts of money. Another aspect that stood out was the constant follow-ups from GiveDirectly. They did not just hand us the money and disappear; they stayed connected with us. They genuinely cared about our well-being and wanted to ensure that we were making the best use of the funds. Throughout the entire process, everything was well explained. GiveDirectly made sure we understood how the program worked. I am grateful for their support and the positive changes they have brought about.

Life has been tough lately, with the cost of living going up so much. But I have been trying my best to make ends meet. I am part of a savings group, and every month, I save $15. It may not seem like a lot, but it really helps me. When I received the money from the savings group in April which was $80, I had to make it count. First, I used $30 to buy a door for my home. It was about time I replaced the old, creaky one that was falling apart. It made me feel safer and more secure, especially with my three children depending on me. With the remaining $50, I bought maize seeds and fertilizer to plant in my small plot of land. It is not much, but every harvest counts. It is a way for me to provide food for my family and even sell some to earn extra income. Being a widow, I do casual labor and also have some tea bushes, but this investment gave me hope for a better future. Life may be challenging, but with the transfers, I am doing my best to provide for my family and build a brighter tomorrow.

With the merry-go-round chama that is currently ongoing using the transfers, I hope to receive my contribution in October 2023. From this, I hope to purchase windows for my 2 roomed house which I commenced constructing in 2021 to house my family of 5. I will be excited that my family will move into a comfortable house by the end of the year.

With the transfers, debts have been repaid, food has been available to families and all households have been equal since the amount is equivalent and thus no begging. In my opinion, I just wish Givedirectly can increase the monthly contribution to adjusting to the inflation rate and household will further double their investments.

If it was not for Givedirectly, I am not certain whether I would be part of a savings plan. I am glad to have joined a merry-go-round chama of 10 members contributing $15 monthly using the transfers. The tea farming that my family of 5 depends on, is not forthcoming since I raise them singlehandedly after my husband passed on. The $30 I earn from the tea farming all caters for their school fees and debt repayment as the rest of the transfers assist in purchasing food for the household.

I am in the process of building a house, I started last year by buying iron sheets, then bought timber. I now want to do its finishes and I wil use money from sale of tea leaves and savings from GiveDirectly to achieve this. I will cement the floor so that it is an improvement from the one I currently live in which has a mud wall and mud floor.

GiveDirectly is giving us equal amounts of money and they educated us before sending us the money. The same can be applied in other villages.

I have been saving with a merry go round where I save KES 1000 every month . In a group where there is 10 of us, we save so as to ease the burden of looking for money by oneself when we want to do that thing that needs a lot of money. I have also been able to pay debts that I had which fosters a good relationship with neighbour.