Before receiving the funds from GiveDirectly my children were literally on the verge of being kicked out of school were it not for me receiving the transfers the day I did. Upon receiving the funds I decided that catering their tuition fee was the most top priority because school was about to close and so I gave them KES 1,000 that was split among the five of them equally, finally finishing my debt. After that I went ahead and bought eights packets of maize flour which cost me KES 960 and used KES 40 to purchase sardines because we barely had any food left in the house especially since the drought started. Lastly I used the remaining KES 1,000 and contributed it to the savings committee I belong too because I hope to renovate my house eventually.

The month of December was a difficult month for me following the demise of my uncle, a very close family member who had been so supportive to me. Since every family member was required to make contributions towards his funeral arrangement, I spent part of GiveDirectly's transfers, KES 600 towards funeral contribution. I also spent the rest of the transfers, KES 2,400 to on buying maize flour. Following our crop failure as a result of insufficient rainfall, my family hardly had some food to depend on. I am so grateful to GiveDirectly's program.

Most times even with my cooking business it was mostly money in and money out but with the financial help I have received I have managed to grow my business and even added to my stock thus making profit and I even have enough money to save so I am very happy and thankful.

When the money arrived I took KES 1,000 and put it in my cooking business where I bought material like wheat flour and beans and cooked then sold to people around the village which earned me some little money. Then I took KES 1,000 and put it away so that it could come in handy on a rainy day and also because I knew if I kept cash laying around I would eventually get tempted to use it and I may need it later on. I happen to have five children and when I received the money I gave the school they were in KES 500 to be split among them equally which cleared all the fe balance they had. Then I bought five packets of maize flour which was KES 500 so that nutrition longer be an issue in my home and so that I could concentrate on the business and save more money.

Actually the message came when I had gone to fetch water from the well and when I arrived since I am not literate I informed one of my kids to read out the message for me. I was more that elated to find out it was concerning the money from GiveDirectly because I could finally pay the debts that were piling from the school fees I was required to pay for my children, and I could afford a meal for a couple of days for my family.

Being the breadwinner of my family at times gets very stressful especially when there is no money and everyone is looking at me to provide. I personally run a small business where I cook but most times the money is not enough to cater for the needs of the entire family, so this program has enabled me to have support in providing for my family, both nutrition wise and also in affairs of education.

Well at home we had actually ran out of food so when the money came in I decided to buy six bags of maize flour that went for KES 600 . On top of that my five children had pending arrears from their tuition fee at school that had carried over from the previous term so I paid a total of KES 100 for each one of them which in general was KES 500 so as to avoid the school administration from sending them back home due to unfinished debts and so that my children would continue with their education.