My goal for the coming year and beyond is to continue investing in livestock. My strong drive to purchase livestock comes from their appreciating value over time and their ability to multiply, offering a quick route to wealth. Additionally, owning livestock holds cultural significance. Having previously struggled financially, this investment will provide an alternative source of income and help me achieve financial stability. I am grateful for the financial support and optimistic about becoming financially stable with the help of these transfers.

I joined a savings group called "Chama," which comprises five members. Every month, we each contribute $20, and the total is given to one member for development projects. Recently, I received my share of $100. I used $109 to purchase two goats, bringing my total to three goats, all bought with money from the transfers. My goal is to buy more goats and care for them, ensuring they increase in number. As the herd grows, I will be able to sell some in the future to meet my needs or handle emergencies. As a casual laborer earning a living mainly through the sale of charcoal, I have faced many financial struggles due to the low income from this work. Investing in livestock will alleviate these struggles once my herd grows and is ready for sale. I also spent $25 on food, ensuring I had plenty to eat without missing any meals. I am very grateful for the financial transfers, which are helping me live a better life and escape the jaws of poverty. Without this support, my life would be very difficult and filled with unbearable struggles.

I've been participating in a merry-go-round since last year, where I contribute $10 every month with the aim of investing it in livestock. My goal is to buy goats and poultry, which are the most valuable assets I can comfortably own. In the coming years, I plan to continue saving my transfers with the intention of buying more goats. Goats are easy to manage, and I can easily sell them to generate some cash when in need. So far, I have acquired three goats, which I hope will multiply and relieve me from the stress of relying on charcoal burning, which is not only tiresome but also does not pay well.

The financial support has greatly empowered me to save, which was a challenge for me prior to joining the program. In my community, the primary means of earning a living was through the laborious process of burning and selling charcoal, a venture that yielded very little income, sometimes as low as $5 after weeks of hard work. This income barely covered our basic food needs, leaving me unable to adequately provide for my family. My son, who is also engaged in the same activity, supports his own family. The positive impact of these transfers has allowed me to carefully plan for my household expenses, enabling me to save and invest. Over the past few months, I have diligently saved part of the transfers, allowing me to acquire two goats for $90. With these new additions, my total goat ownership has grown to three, and I have high hopes that they will multiply, eventually forming a valuable herd. These goats serve as tangible assets that I can leverage in times of financial need by selling them, particularly as the charcoal business has become less viable due to the adverse effects of climate change. I also spent the remaining portion of the transfer to purchase essential food supplies for my family, especially during the festive season, and to purchase household items such as toiletries that I lacked in my household.

In the upcoming year and beyond, my plan is to buy more livestock, particularly goats and chickens. This endeavour was somewhat challenging in recent times due to a severe drought that afflicted our region. As a result, a significant portion of my financial resources had to be allocated exclusively to securing food. However, I'm delighted that my household now enjoys an ample food supply following a successful harvest, which has given me the confidence to invest in additional goats. To facilitate my goal of acquiring more livestock, I've joined a merry-go-round savings group, where I contribute $10 every month. My objective is to use these savings to purchase the goats when it's my turn to receive the funds. Currently, I'm the proud owner of two goats and a small flock of chickens. These are the only assets I can proudly claim in my old age, and they serve as a form of financial security for my future needs.

I spent a significant portion of my recent financial transfers on purchasing essential food items, including maize flour and various cereals. This year has presented significant financial challenges for me, particularly in terms of affording basic necessities like food. Consequently, the majority of my funds were dedicated to securing an adequate food supply, and this allocation has been crucial in sustaining me during these trying times. I am immensely thankful for the invaluable assistance provided by GiveDirectly, as I can hardly imagine how I would have managed without their support. Thanks to their monthly aid, my family has been consistently well-fed. Additionally, I used a portion of the funds to acquire a goat, which cost $45. I am currently raising this goat along with other livestock, such as chickens. I am proud to say that I now own two goats, and my objective is to nurture them and allow them to multiply. When the need arises, I plan to sell their offspring to meet financial obligations. Furthermore, I have been actively saving $10 each month through our local merry-go-round savings group for several months. My aim is to use these savings to purchase more goats when my turn to receive my share arrives. I also spent $20 on medical expenses after a recent illness. This financial flexibility allowed me to receive the necessary medical treatment and recover comfortably.

I plan to buy and keep more goats in the coming year and beyond because they are a reliable investment. It has always been my dream to own goats, which is a significant investment for me given that I am elderly and do not have assets on which to fall back in the event of a financial emergency. I currently have two goats that I obtained through the program. I've also joined a merry-go-round, where I save $10 every month, and my main goal is to use the money to buy more goats. I don't have a reliable source of income, and my age prevents me from doing casual or manual labor that requires a lot of physical strength. My brother, who occasionally helps me, also has a large family to care for. Thus, owning the goats will protect me from any financial crisis that may arise.

I have been saving at least $10 per month in our merry-go-round group of five people. My plan was to use the money when it was my turn to buy and keep more goats. I had none at first because I couldn't afford to buy them on my own. So far, my monthly savings have allowed me to purchase two goats. I'm glad I have some assets to fall back on in the event of a financial emergency. My expectation is to let them multiply and increase in number. Aside from the goats, I used the money to buy foods like maize flour and cereals, which cost $14 over the last few months. My family had enough food, so they never went to bed hungry. We could now afford three meals a day, as opposed to when I had to skip some meals due to a lack of funds.

Getting all the materials I need to set up my house is my main priority for the rest of this year and the future. I intend to buy 14 pieces of iron sheets, pieces of wood, nails, sand cement, and building stones with the savings I have at the end of the year. These supplies will enable me to construct a sturdy, roomy home for myself. In addition, I intend to invest in livestock and start a business related to it now that the farm is no longer productive due to the difficult economic times.

I bought food for my family with a sizable portion of my January transfer. I sell charcoal as a part-time laborer and am a widow. The little money I make from the charcoal sales causes me a lot of difficulty in making ends meet. As a result, I spent $20 on food purchases that were sufficient to feed us for roughly two weeks. I also spent $4 on medication. The money from the transfer was crucial in enabling me to purchase the medication that helped me recover from a severe cold. And finally, I put $10 into my savings group. I put the money away with the idea of saving enough and constructing a house with it. I do not own a home of my own because I currently reside in my younger brother's home while he is away. It will be a major accomplishment for me to build my own home.

I am really appreciative of Give Directly's unconditional transfers. The transfers will go a long way toward assisting me in getting back on my feet and establishing a reliable revenue stream. As a result, I will make a complete turn in my life and escape the clutches of poverty.

My sole source of income three years ago was agriculture, which I relied significantly on. When the drought first appeared, it compelled me to burn down woods and sell charcoal. I'm now jobless and have a much less source of income due to the lack of rain. The money made from the sale of charcoal is not much, just enough to cover a day's worth of food. My son (Charo) has occasionally worked on odd jobs in Mombasa city (selling water and snacks) to aid me with my financial need. So when I got the second transfer, I made a special effort to purchase six chickens at a cost of $5 each. By investing money in chickens, I will soon have a solid alternative source of income. The number of chicks doubles over the next three months. I want to sell some and spend the money on valuable animals like goats.

I received the mobile money alert on my phone while I was cleaning utensils at my son’s place in Mombasa.  To say I was excited would be an understatement. There are no words to explain how grateful I am to Give Directly for the cash transfer.

Before the cash transfer, my dream was to own poultry and livestock as an investment. When these animals reproduce, I could sell them to earn money for my household’s needs. However, I did not have enough money to start this venture. The transfer presented an ideal source of funds to buy my first chickens. I am now in a position to buy two chickens from the first transfer and I could not be happier.

I received the cash transfer when I had gone to visit my son in Mombasa where he works as a hawker. By that time, the household had run out of food and he had not earned enough money to replenish the same. Therefore, I used KES 500 to buy maize flour to last a couple of days as he raised funds to restock food for the household. I saved the rest of the money. My plan is to buy at least two chickens when I return to the village next month. This is something I had wished to accomplish for a long time but financial constraints barred me. I believe when the chickens breed and grow the flock, I will sell them in the future to generate money for my needs.