I live in a fast-growing area and I am planning to build some rooms for businesses like opening a shop that we will use in selling our farm products. I am planning to start buying some building materials in bits whenever I sell my farm products as I aspire to achieve this goal.

With the current economy, it is hard to find an organization that gives people money for free. My village has developed in different ways and this has led to a change in our living standards. Thanksgiving is what is on the lips of every one of us since ever since GiveDirectly decided to visit our village, we've never seen or heard anything that we are not pleased with.

I am a subsistence farmer and it has not been reliable of late due to changes in climatic conditions. Normally, dairy farming comes in handy during this period for the people who usually plant and stock animal feeds. Upon receiving my transfer, I decided to spend KES 11000 on five goats since they can easily be converted to cash when faced with financial constraints. Also, I am planning to sell some of them after they will have increased in number and use the money to acquire a dairy cow. To add, I spent KES 10000 to hire a tractor for land preparation purposes and in the purchase of maize seeds and fertilizers in preparation for the planting season. From the remaining amount, I spent KES 5000 to pay school fees for my children and KES 3000 on their school uniforms, 11000 on three sacks of maize for our consumption KES 4000 on the purchase of a seat and a table 4000, and used KES 5000 to replace our traditional bed by buying a bed and a mattress.

My heart was filled with joy and thanksgiving when I realized that I had received the promised money from GiveDirectly. I remember it was very early in the morning when I heard my message ringtone ring as I was taking breakfast and I stopped to check it out. I felt so happy because I have never received such an amount of money before and I believed in GiveDirectly's promises. I immediately inform my family members and they all celebrated the good news.

It had always been my dream to own a dairy cow so that I can be able to reduce our daily expenditure but had not been able to due to lack of finances as I am a subsistence farmer and my income is usually unpredictable due to irregular rainfall in the region. Due to this, my family would at times take tea without milk and this had worried me so much since my children are still young and need milk as they continue to grow. Being able to own one gives me so much joy and makes my life different as I know that very soon, my family will have enough milk for consumption and sale.

I spent the money I received from GiveDirectly on buying a dairy cow at the cost of KES 32500 to buy a dairy cow and KES 3000 to buy six chickens and I am happy that I have been able to achieve this. Apart from being able to save the money that I would otherwise use in buying milk, it is an investment that I can rely on in educating my children. Also, I spent KES 15000 on different varieties of food for my family and KES 4000 to pay school fees for my daughter to avoid her being sent back home.