My goal in the coming year and beyond is to save enough money to purchase more livestock. Despite the huge responsibilities I have in financing my children's education, I am hopeful that I will be able to purchase more livestock with my savings. Even after the financial aid comes to an end, I will look back and be proud that I invested well. I will have an avenue to raise some income by selling some of the livestock and using the money to take care of my family. I am very happy and grateful for the financial support so far in helping me live a better life.

I am a widow and the sole breadwinner of four children. I make a living by selling charcoal. With the financial support from Give Directly, my life has improved significantly, easing many of my struggles. I used to sell charcoal in Mariakani town, which is very far from my village. Every day, I had to walk to Mariakani to sell a sack of charcoal for $7. The money I earned was used to take care of my family's needs. Now, I no longer go to Mariakani to sell charcoal. I plan very well for the money and have always found a way to cater to my family's needs. I spent $30 to finance the education of my four children: the eldest in college, another in Form Three in secondary school, and the remaining two in primary school. I am glad that my children are in school and continuing with their respective education. I saved $30 in a savings group with the goal of purchasing some goats at the end of the year. I currently have six goats and aim to grow the herd by purchasing more. I also purchased food worth $42 for my family. At the beginning of this year, I planted maize on my farm, but the lack of rains wilted all the crops, forcing us to buy food from the shop. I am glad that we had enough to eat together as a family. I am happy that my life is better than it was before the financial support, and I am very grateful for that.

My primary goal at the moment is to ensure that my four children can continue their education without interruptions due to school fees. Currently, I rely on subsistence farming as my sole source of income, while my co-wife works as a nanny. With the monthly transfers, my plan is to promptly pay my children's school fees and support their educational aspirations. Recently, I joined a savings group where I contribute $10 monthly, aiming to accumulate funds to purchase goats when my turn comes. With six goats already in my possession, I am confident that when the time comes for my children to further their studies, raising the necessary fees won't be a challenge. I can sell the goats as they multiply, using the proceeds to cover their educational expenses. With these strategies in place, I am confident that my children will have the support they need to achieve their educational goals without financial constraints holding them back.

After my husband passed away, my co-wife and I were left with the responsibility of taking care of our six children. He had been the main provider, and since then, I have been making ends meet by burning and selling charcoal, while my co-wife works as a nanny in town. Though our combined incomes have helped, they have not been sufficient to fully support our family. Receiving these transfers has brought immense relief to our household, allowing me to stop selling charcoal due to health concerns. With one son in college and the others attending high school and primary school, I am grateful that the transfers have ensured their education continues smoothly. I used a portion of the recent transfers to settle an outstanding school fees debt of $55, and also joined a monthly merry-go-round, contributing $10, aiming to use the accrued savings for my children's fees and to invest in goat farming. Additionally, I allocated $30 of the transfers received towards medical expenses for my grandfather, who unfortunately passed away after being hospitalized. The remainder of the funds went towards purchasing food and essential household items, ensuring my family's well-being. These transfers have eased our financial burden and provided stability, allowing us to focus on the well-being of our family during this difficult time.

After successfully achieving my previous goal of constructing a granary, my next aim is to acquire goats. This strategic investment in goats is geared towards the future. Upon their multiplication, I will have the opportunity to generate income by selling some. This will provide me with a sustainable source of income even after the period of receiving the transfers comes to an end. I am deeply grateful for the transfers, as they have empowered me in my life.

Since September of last year, I have been dedicated to constructing a granary that also serves as a cooking area. I am delighted that, through diligent saving, I managed to amass $370. This allowed me to procure the necessary construction materials and remunerate the mason responsible for erecting the structure. It brings me immense joy to have a spacious facility to store the maize harvested from my farm. Unlike the past, when cooking took place in the open, I now have a proper area for food preparation. I am extremely grateful for the financial assistance received through the transfers; it has been instrumental in realizing my goal, a feat I wouldn't have accomplished without the support.

In the upcoming year and beyond, my main objective is to make significant investments in livestock, with a primary focus on goats. By doing so, I anticipate that the livestock will multiply, leading to a substantial increase in my initial investment. Additionally, I plan to capitalize on the growth of the goat population by selling some of them and using the proceeds to purchase a bull. This bull will serve multiple purposes, including assisting with tilling my land and generating income by offering tilling services to others for a fee. I am delighted that since I began receiving the transfers, I no longer have to engage in strenuous manual labor jobs. The financial support I have received has played a vital role in meeting my daily needs and has provided me with the opportunity to explore more sustainable and profitable avenues, such as investing in livestock. This shift has brought about positive changes in my life, allowing me to focus on activities that have the potential for long-term growth and stability.

Several months ago, my cooking area collapsed, and due to the prevailing poverty in my household, I have been unable to rebuild it. As a widow without any dependable support, I must work diligently to generate income. In August, I utilized $30 from my transfers, along with additional funds from our savings group, to acquire the necessary materials for constructing a new cooking space. This structure will serve a dual purpose: as a storage facility for the maize I recently harvested from my two-acre plot and as a shelter for my goats. The savings group, comprising six members, played a crucial role in contributing the majority of the funds required for this construction project. I am grateful that through their assistance, I will soon have a dedicated cooking area, a storage facility for my maize, and a shelter for my goats. This development will greatly improve our living conditions. To address immediate food needs, I allocated the remaining $4 to purchase a packet of wheat flour, salt, sugar, and tea leaves for my family. Ensuring that we have these essential food items brings me relief and satisfaction, knowing that my loved ones will be well-nourished.

I used to make a living by selling charcoal and earning $4 per sale. In the process of burning and selling charcoal, I developed an eye problem. The situation worsened and I had to undergo surgery at Kaloleni Hospital, in December last year. Luckily, I am currently doing very well but I cannot go back to the job that I used to do, with the fear that the condition will rise again. I am planning to just stay at home for six months so that I can fully recover and when I am well, I have a plan of purchasing two goats and start my investment. I will invest in the goats and when they give birth, I will have many to invest in. To start the investment, I will go get my starting amount from my savings so that I will have cash to purchase the goats.Although I am facing challenges, I am determined to work hard and achieve my goals in life.

Ever since my husband passed away last year in July, life has been challenging for me as a widow. It is difficult for me to see my neighbors thriving while I struggle to make ends meet. I rely on the financial support I receive from GiveDirectly, but I have to spend most of it on my children's education. I have four children; two in primary school, one in college and the other in secondary school. I really struggle hard and at times the situation becomes even tougher, but I am doing my best to provide for my family not forgetting I am doing that as a single parent. The moment I received my transfer, the first thing that came to my mind was the school balance I had. I took $10 and paid for my two children who are in primary school their fees and $14 I bought them food so that they can eat when they come from school. This really brought a smile on their faces. Thank you so much GiveDirectly. The remaining amount of $10 I was able to save in my merry-go-round with the hope that this habit of saving will bring a bigger difference in my family and my life.

The transfers have ensured that I do not lack food in my household since I was enrolled. I have been depending on subsistence farming which has not been doing well due to the drought that has severely affected us. The transfers are my only hope since I do not have anyone to provide for me. Despite the financial difficulties, I have been saving Ksh.1000 every month in our local merry-go-round and my plan is to buy goats. I currently have two goats which I acquired through the transfers. My goal is to buy more goats once my turn to receive the money comes, since these are the only assets that I can own, in my lowly financial status.

When the transfers began, a group of ten of us got together with the intention of setting aside money each month. Every time we get a transfer since then, we have been saving $10. I have been saving money for the past three months; however, I have not yet received my shares for December, which I intend to use to buy goats to raise. Given that our weather favors them, they make good investments. In addition, once they have procreated, I will sell some of the young ones to help pay for our family's needs, notably our kids' school expenses. Since my spouse passed away more than five years ago, I am the only source of income. Since I have children in both primary and high school, I spent $30 on their tuition. I'm relieved that their large school fee arrears have now been paid them. I bought food for my family members for $34. I am really appreciative that GiveDirectly thought of this wonderful way to help us. Without their assistance, it would not have been simple because the meager income I receive from the selling of charcoal was insufficient to meet all of our demands.

My main source of income is burning and selling charcoal. However, the charcoal production process consumes a lot of time, nearly two weeks, and even after selling, the much I can make is KES 1,000. This amount of cash barely meets all the needs of my family of five, considering the high cost of living. One week before Give Directly sent the money, my household had run out of food which forced us to go hungry on most nights. Also, my sister’s three children had missed school for two weeks due to a lack of money to settle school fees balances. Therefore, I gave them KES 1,000 to clear the tuition cost and they resumed classes. I used another KES 1,000 to obtain food for the family. Finally, I saved KES 1,000 through a self-help group in my community. The idea is to obtain a lump sum of approximately KES 5,000 from the savings to support the education of the children and relieve the burden off my sister’s shoulders. 

I would like to pass my sincere gratitude to Give Directly for the warm gesture of awarding us the unconditional transfers. Through the transfers, I will live a good and better life away from poverty. I would recommend the organization employ more staff for the enrollment exercise to avoid locking out potential recipients who really need the help.

After the death of my husband, who was the sole breadwinner of my family, my life took a turn for the worst. Because of my low level of education, I could not attract White-Collar jobs, so I did manual jobs selling charcoal to earn a living. I am very little from selling charcoal (350 per bag) and, as a result, I cannot cater fully to my family's needs (food, clothing, and school fees). Often (3 days a week) when I do not have money to buy food, we sleep on empty stomachs and just survive on water and some wild fruits. Therefore, when I received my transfer, I spent KES 2000 to buy food for my family. After having a few days of surviving one meal a day. Besides buying food, I saved the remaining KES 1000 in a “Chama’. Saving the money in “Chama” earns me enormous interest and later in the year, I can use the money to buy livestock or start a business.

It was in the morning and I was at home when I heard a message tone from my phone .I tried to look at the phone but am unable to read or write.I waited anxiously for my daughter who had gone to fetch water to help me understand the message. All of sudden when she looked at the message she smiled at me and told me of the received cash ,I was excited and instructed her to prepare herself and withdraw the cash.

The biggest difference in my daily life is achieving my goal of building a new house .At the moment am starting a group which we can start a weekly or monthly savings plan which can help us achieve our small goals atleast with the lumpsum contribution. I usually set goals if I have assurance of some cash. I believe that my dream to have a home is valid but allow me not to predict of the future in reference of the monthly funds because have been using it to cover my basic need which is food.

My biggest problem is food insecurity. Life as a widow and working as a charcoal burner has its challenges and one of them is most of the times due to the inconsistent income my family oftenly sleeps hungry.The night before receiving my transfer had slept hungry with my family.I spent KES 1000 on food and some essentials like soap for washing our clothes. I also used the KES 100 to pay back a friend who had borrowed the previous day and the KES 50 for charging my phone and buying airtime. I was grateful because the food I bought would last for a week for my family of four members.