I'm currently living at my brother's house with my two children, but my ultimate goal is to have a home of our own. My mother has given me a portion of land, and I’m focused on saving enough to start building by this time next year. It’s not just about having a roof over our heads; it’s about dignity and respect, especially for my children. They deserve a space they can call their own, where they have privacy and a sense of belonging. To achieve this, I’m diligently saving part of my GiveDirectly transfer, along with the little I earn from daily hustles. Once I have my own house, I’ll feel confident that my children will be safe, even if I need to leave to look for work, knowing they have a place to call their own.

I have two children in secondary school, so when I received my most recent transfer, I spent $22 to clear their outstanding school fees. I'm happy that my children can now attend school without the fear of being sent home for unpaid balances. Additionally, I'm part of a merry-go-round savings group, and I contributed $30 from this transfer to the group. I’m saving these transfers with the goal of buying goats once I have enough capital, as I believe investing in this project will provide future financial security. I also bought new school uniforms for $7 because their old ones were torn. With the remaining amount, I used $35 to boost my chapatti business, which is my primary source of income. Finally, I spent the last $8 on shoes for my children, as they didn’t have any presentable pairs.

Right now, my situation is that I'm living at my brother's house along with my two kids. But my ultimate goal, my big dream, is to have a home of my own. I'm putting all my efforts into saving up, and I believe that by this time next year, I'll have enough money to start building my own house. It's not just about having a roof over our heads; it's about dignity and respect, especially for my children. They deserve a space they can call their own, where they have privacy and a sense of belonging. So, every penny I save is a step closer to achieving that dream, and I'm determined to make it happen for the sake of my family's future.

I have been actively engaging myself with a merry-go-round in my village, a collective effort that's become a lifeline for many of us striving to improve our circumstances. Each contribution feels like a step closer to a better future. With nearly $40 saved over the last quarter, I saw an opportunity to make significant strides. Alongside this, I poured my energy into my fast food business, recognizing its potential to provide stability for my family. Every batch of chapati I sold carried the weight of my aspirations, each transaction fueling the dream of a brighter tomorrow. As a single parent, the responsibility of providing for my two school-going children weighs heavily on my shoulders. With $31, I secured their education, ensuring they have the tools they need to succeed. From school fees to uniforms, every expense was a testament to my unwavering commitment to their future. With the remaining funds, I prioritized the most basic of needs: food. It's a simple necessity, yet one that holds immense significance in our daily lives. Thanks to GiveDirectly, I could provide nutritious meals for my children, alleviating the constant worry of putting food on the table. Their laughter echoed through our humble home, a reminder of the joys that come with stability and security. Each decision made with the cash transfer brought us closer to a life of dignity and opportunity.

As I said we are currently seven of us in the merry go round, I received my share in January, I got a goat and took care of needs such as school fees for my youngest, got material for clothes and school uniform for my children. I am a single mother and hence fully reliant on myself for my needs. Being in a merry go round is something that is helping me build funds for needs that I may have with my family. I plan to continue with saving part of my transfers to the merry go round. I also plan to continue with the sacco since this is aimed at building a house for myself. I live with my mother and since my children are growing I would want them to have more space to stay in and hence my desire for a house of my own.

I and a couple of people of in our area joined a merry go round. We are seven of us and monthly contribute $10 to it. I save $10 monthly to this merry go round. I also joined a sacco where I save depending on what I have on me. In November I made my monthly contribution to the merry go round of $10 and sent $5 to my sacco. I added to my food business around $10 and bought African fabric that was to be used to make our clothes for the holidays at $18. In December I still made contribution to my merry go round $10 and $3 to my sacco, I bought food for the festivities at $20. In January I was the one receiving the cash from the Merry go round but you still make contribution, I made my contribution of $10 and made $5 contribution to my sacco. I paid school fees for my oldest of $10 and bought her books worth around $4.

I have two significant goals on my horizon: acquiring a goat, as my current livestock count is at zero, and embarking on the adventure of building my own house. While I'm currently a guest in my brother's home, the time has come to fashion a place that truly belongs to me. It's a path toward new beginnings and personal accomplishment. I am planning to save enough in my merry go round and from my business in order to make my dream come to pass.

I operate a Chapati business right outside my home. I decided to invest $10 to give my business a boost. Furthermore, I set aside $10 for my two children's school fees, one in grade one and the other in nursery school. To secure their future, I saved $10 in my merry-go-round savings group. With the remaining $4, I purchased shoes for both of my children. It's a well-balanced approach to ensure their education and overall well-being.

I participate in a savings group with six other people, and I've been saving for six months. We all give at least $5 each month. In July of this year, when I receive my next batch of money, I plan to purchase a goat for breeding. This is something I'm hoping will grow and be useful in an emergency or when I'm facing a financial hardship when I can sell it for a profit. Additionally, it will serve as a reminder of the beneficial things Givedirectly does for us.

My two children, aged six and four, used to attend a nearby primary school before I started getting the transfers from Givedirectly. A few months after receiving, I decided it would be good to have my oldest child enroll in a private school to provide her primary education a strong start. Previously, I was unable to send kids to this school since I was solely dependent on my tiny business, which generated meager profits. Additionally, I was able to buy them new uniforms for school which they were excited to wear and they could not wait to show off to their friends. I also participate in a savings organization where I contribute at least $5 in savings and the rest goes towards contribution for food.

Being a single parent, I have to prioritize my kids' needs in order to make sure they have all they need. I don't have a home of my own instead, my two children and I reside with my mother. They won't take long to demand a place to call their home. My objective is to save money in order to finance the building of a house. Additionally, I want them to be able to attend all of their classes without being sent home because of unpaid tuition. I intend to save some money, at least $10 every month for a year, in order to accomplish them.

Our region is prone to drought, and it can often take over a year before we receive adequate rainfall. As a result, farming is difficult, and we must set aside money for food. Being in a drought-prone environment restricts one's economic activity, making it difficult to purchase a healthy diet. We appreciate the transfers since they have literally saved our lives. My mother and I have been paying $15 each per month since we were accepted into the program, which covers the cost of a month's worth of dry food like maize, beans, and rice. I used $10 to buy more stock for my small firm, which sells "Chapati." In addition, I spent an additional $49 on clothing and school supplies for my two children.

After receiving the support from GiveDirectly, my family no longer misses any meals during the day, and my children attend school every day. Many people were skeptical that we would receive a free cash transfer that would be deposited into our accounts. The promise made and kept by GiveDirectly rekindled our hope of seeing our livelihood thrive again, even though we are still suffering from droughts that have killed our reliance on agriculture. Everything GiveDirectly did in our village was excellent and met all of our expectations as outlined in the training we received when we enrolled in the program.

I have been relying on a small baking business I am been running in my neighborhood for the past few months. Even though it was small, I am glad that it could support our larger family with the help of my mother and the elder brothers with whom we live. I was relieved when GiveDirectly extended a helping hand that resulted in other bills being paid. The most recent transfer resulted in a $2 tuition fee for my child, a new pair of shoes and clothes worth $5, and food worth $11.5 for my family of seven. My children and other family members are relieved that there will be enough food in the house, unlike before when we could go for days without eating. I also spent $6 on supplies for my baking business, purchasing two sachets of wheat flour and baking oil. In addition, I saved the remaining $5 in the weekly informal savings group that we had been funding.

I was thrilled when I received the first transfer. Most of my friends had received their transfers the previous day which left me worried thinking I was not successful. I kept checking my phone every time hoping for some good news. We had nothing in the house and had not eaten since morning which got tired and I decided to take a nap in the afternoon. At around 3 PM I was awakened by a message notification and upon checking, it was a confirmation message that I had received the cash transfer. I have never been that excited. I thanked God and immediately went to the market center to purchase foodstuffs.

The biggest difference in my daily is having been able to buy food for my family. It has been a struggle to raise money for meeting the most basic needs of our household. My small business of selling chapati has not been doing well of late and my mother does not have a reliable source of income too. The money came in handy, and I am glad we still have enough food stocked to sustain my family for a period as I work towards getting more.

I bought foodstuffs for my family at KES 970. We had nothing in the house and raising money for food has been a challenge because we do not have a reliable source of income. I live with my mother, and she is unable to help in providing for the household needs because she is jobless. I sell chapatis in the streets and the business has been slow of late, especially with the current hike in the prices of cooking oil and wheat flour. Besides buying the foodstuff, I used the remaining KES 200 to pay for my child's tuition fee so that I could reduce the balance she owed the school.