As a recipient of GiveDirectly, I am filled with hope and determination for the coming year and beyond. My biggest goal is to build a second house for my family. Right now, I live with my six children in a cramped two-room mud wall house, and we have no privacy. This situation is not ideal, especially as my children grow older and need their own space. To make this dream a reality, I plan to save $20 monthly from now. I know it will take time, but I am committed to accumulating enough money to build a comfortable and secure home. With this new house, my children will have the space they need to study, grow, and thrive.

I do casual jobs of burning charcoal to provide for my family of seven. My husband is also hustling with casual work in town to ensure that we are comfortable at home. To sustain my family, I had to make careful decisions about using the last three transfers I received. First, I spent $34 on medication when my young son was bitten by a snake. It was a frightening moment, and I rushed him to the hospital for treatment. Thankfully, he recovered well and could return to school, which relieved me immensely. As I aim to invest in the future, I bought a goat for $40, adding to the two I already had. This investment will help us in the long run, providing offspring and possibly more goats. With my children preparing for their examinations, I paid $20 in examination fees to ensure they could sit for their exams. The remaining $8 was used to buy some food for my family, ensuring that no one went hungry. These transfers have been crucial in helping us manage immediate needs while also planning for a better future

My goal for this year is to ensure that all my children receive a consistent education without interruptions. Recognizing the importance of education as a pathway to success, I am committed to saving all future transfers to support this goal. Enrolling all my children in school not only brings me a sense of accomplishment but also fills me with joy, knowing that their future is bright thanks to the assistance provided by these transfers.

As a housewife, my daily responsibilities include tending to our livestock, preparing meals for my six children, and maintaining our household, while my husband works in Mombasa to support our family. Previously, we faced significant challenges in covering school fees, often relying on my husband's income, which led to delays and uncertainties. However, with the assistance of these transfers, I have been able to make substantial improvements in our lives. These funds have empowered me to make crucial investments, including purchasing a water storage tank and installing electricity in our home. Additionally, I've utilized a portion of the transfers to ensure that all our children receive an education and even expanded our livestock holdings by acquiring three goats. From the transfers received, I allocated $20 towards paying school fees and another $14 for buying food supplies as we were running low. Furthermore, I saved $20 in our local savings club to be used in case of an emergency. Another $14 was used to purchase new uniforms for the children. The remaining $34 was invested in acquiring a bed for myself, replacing the discomfort of sleeping on the floor. Witnessing these positive transformations in my life brings me immense happiness and gratitude.

I plan to continue buying goats. I already have three goats from previous cash transfers. Accumulating wealth through goat keeping will ensure that my six children's school fees are covered even after the cash transfers have ended. Additionally, even in my absence, my wish is to have built enough wealth for my children to help them with their future needs, especially their school fees. Whenever I get an opportunity, I intend to use some of the future cash transfers to expand my livestock herd.

I have six children in school, and their school fees need to be paid every month to ensure they aren't sent home from school. My husband works as a security guard, and his income typically comes at the end of the month. Even when he gets paid, it's often not enough to cover all our family's needs. I'm grateful that the cash transfers have allowed me to actively contribute to our family's needs. From the three recent cash transfers, I used $20 to plow my farm before planting. The rains had just started, and it was time to plant maize crops. I also saved $30 through a self-help group, and I used $10 to top up some savings I had accumulated earlier to buy a goat. I currently have three goats, all of which I obtained through the cash transfers. My goal is to rear them so that I can sell them to cover some of my family's needs in the future. I also bought two chickens for $5 with the same purpose. The remaining amount from all three cash transfers was spent on purchasing food for my family to ensure that we never went hungry.

I am confident that the ongoing planting season will yield a bountiful harvest, providing enough food for my family in the upcoming months, possibly until the end of the year. This prospect gives me the opportunity to utilize the cash transfers to invest in livestock, specifically goats. With the previous cash transfers, I was able to acquire seven goats, and my goal is to continue expanding my herd. In the future, I plan to sell these animals to contribute to my family's needs, such as school fees for my children. Considering the current economic conditions, I anticipate that each of my five children will require at least $50 per academic term, and I aim to be financially prepared for these expenses.

The cash transfers have made a significant difference in my life, especially considering the limited income my husband earns as a house help. With previous cash transfers, I was able to install a solar lighting system, providing ample light for my children's studies. They no longer have to use battery-powered torches, which provided them with dim lighting. Additionally, I acquired a decent water storage tank, ensuring that our household doesn't run out of water frequently. Through the recent funds received, I allocated $20 to reduce the school fee debts of my five children, who were at risk of being sent home as their father had not received his salary to settle these balances. With the remaining $14, I purchased food, which sustained my family until my husband received his wage. I am incredibly grateful to Give Directly, and I wish I could personally shake everyone’s hand to express my gratitude to every person involved.

I want to buy goats, let them breed, and expand the herd so that I can sell them anytime to pay the school fees for my children and keep them in school. Having livestock will relieve me of the stress I get when my students miss classes due to unpaid balances. I will be happy if I bought at least ten goats by the end of the year. 

I spent $20 from the recent cash to buy my children a solar lamp, which they could use when studying at night. All along, they had been using a globe connected to dry cells for studying that provided extremely dim light. They are now happy about their new lamp and this has motivated them to read. Next, I used $10 to buy them new books for their new classes. My husband, who mostly finances their education, was yet to earn that month’s salary from his security guard job and I was obliged to support him. I spent the remaining $4 on food as there was none left in stock. In January, I bought five chickens worth $20 for rearing and in December a bought a goat worth $24 for the same purpose. I am confident that these animals will help fund the education of my six children in the future. The remaining $14 and $10 went toward a tank for storing water and my savings at the merry-go-round club respectively. 

My favorite aspect of GiveDirectly is the way their staff conducts themselves. They had very courteous and respectful staff who were in charge of enrollment and registration. This made it easier for us to put our faith in them and provide them with crucial information. I implore the organization to continue the good work of training its employees to offer the villagers excellent service.

Since the beginning of the drought three years ago, life in the village has been a living hell. In order to use this water for my own home, I am required to walk more than 60 kilometers over rough terrain. Some of the water pans we used to get our water are drying up, which is bad news for the future. I spent $10 on a 110-liter water tank when I got my transfer so I could store water. Along with the water tank, I also bought food for my family. I take care of my own livestock while my husband works as a watchman and makes a pitiful living. Finally, I used the last $10 to purchase six hens. Due to my previous experience with raising goats, I made a wise investment in hens. Purchasing the hens will increase the number of animals I have; once they multiply, this will result in a doubling of my livestock.

I got my phone from the charging shop at 4 pm and went directly to my home. I got an instant message when I switched on the phone. I was astounded to discover that I had accepted my most memorable transfer. I bounced around in rapture as I ululated as loud as possible. Bittersweet tears of bliss moved down my plump cheeks as I called my significant other and shared the uplifting news.

The transfer has had an immense effect on my life and that of my loved ones. I had no means of taking care of my family when I was exceptionally poor financially. The exchange empowered me to purchase food in mass as we anticipated where to get cash for our next dinner. Were it not for the transfer, my youngsters would have died of hunger.

My family's food purchases accounted for a sizable chunk of my first transfer. My husband supports our family alone through his work as a gardener in a private home in Mombasa town. He only makes KES 4,000 a month from his employment, which is insufficient to adequately support the family's requirements (paying school fees, buying food and clothing). We ran out of food three days before to getting my first transfer, and my spouse was cashless as well. We prayed and hoped for the best for the following day as we went to bed without eating. In addition to purchasing meals, I covered the exam costs for my five children, who were sent back home due to exam costs.