I did not have a house at the time I was enrolled in GiveDirectly's program. However, I was only employed as a caretaker from a nearby village. Unfortunately, my wages were insufficient to assist me in completing my goal of building a new house. As a result, when I received my transfer this month, I was able to purchase the additional building materials I required. I am relieved that I have started building my house. As a result, my wife will no longer suffer in the same way that she did previously. In addition, unlike before, when they had to spend time in the neighborhood, my four young children will have a comfortable place to spend time. Indeed, my life is improving.

Give directly has done very well in coming up with this project that will help in eradicating poverty in my community. There is nowhere they do not do well.

I used to work as a cattleman. When the droughts struck last year, people stopped contracting me as most cattle died from it. It was not profitable to venture into farming too. So, to provide for my family, I would cut down coconut trees and sell them to earn a living. Making a sale is often quite difficult and it resulted to me being behind on my bills. I incurred a school fees arrears of ksh770. When I started receiving funds from give directly, I paid the school ksh700 and the remaining ksh470 I spent it on food. In my second transfer of ksh3000, I spent ksh1500 for purchasing timber that I will use to add a room to my house. As for the ksh1400 and ksh100, I spent it on food and school essentials respectively.

I remember that day clearly as it was one of the best days of my life. It was November 11th at exactly 9 am when the message came in as I was up a palm tree collecting palm wine. I was so happy as I had been stressing the whole morning about where to earn some money as we desperately needed it. I am thankful that Give directly stepped in as it did.

The biggest difference in my day-to-day life is that there is a burden lifted from my shoulders. That no matter how my day goes, I know that my family will be well-fed and my children will get the best and most out of their education as they will not be thrown out of class to school fees balance. I can't express my gratitude enough.

Thanks to Give directly my life has become less of a burden as I can now support my family as I should. During this drought, it has been difficult to earn some money or even get many jobs. Thanks to this money I was able to use KES.700 to pay for my three children's school fees as they have been constantly being sent home due to the balance. I would sometimes feel their sadness and embarrassment of being sent home. The rest of the money, KES.500 was used to buy food so that they could go to school with a full stomach.