"Lack of reliable sources of income is the challenge I am currently facing in life. I do casual jobs earning little income that caters for food and school fees. The income is low such that my children sometimes miss classes due to lack of school fees. This has affected their performances."

"Housing is the challenge I am currently facing in life. I live in a one room house which also serves as the kitchen together with my wife. Children have a separate structure though it is not spacious. It has one room. I cannot even accommodate my visitors. Most of the time I seek shelter from neighbors so as to accommodate my visitors whenever they come."

"Life at home has become so tough due to financial constraints. This has made us live a miserable life that has lowered our social status. Looking at our house, it is very small and it can not accommodate us. In addition, getting our meals also has a challenge and sometimes, me might be forced to survive on two or one in a day. For this reason, I usually feel stressed and it is because of this challenge that makes my life harder."

"In the past 1 year, my life has never been the same because of stomach complications. In February 2024, the situation worsened and I was rushed to hospital where I was diagnosed with appendix problem. This forced me to undergo an operation that has made me inactive at work. Since I am a family man, I feel so much depressed to desperately watch my family at home. In addition, I am not supposed to actively engage myself in any activity for a period of eight months. What a stressful life! For this period, I have been depending on well-wishers and this makes my life so tough."

"I plan to continue saving with the savings group, aiming to accumulate enough funds by the end of the year to purchase a bull. This investment will not only aid me in plowing my farm but also potentially generate income by providing plowing services to others. I am immensely pleased with the progress I have achieved with the financial assistance from Give Directly. My quality of life has significantly improved since receiving the transfers."

"With the abundant rainfall, I am eager to expand my farming endeavors, particularly focusing on maize and other short-season crops for quicker returns. Leveraging our herd of over 50 goats, I plan to sell some and utilize the proceeds to rent additional land, thereby doubling our agricultural output in a single season. As a family, our goal is to produce enough food and surplus to cover the school fees for our three children. The empowerment we have experienced over the past three months has been transformative, fueling our belief in our ability to achieve more with adequate capital to support our ideas."

"I am not well, which hinders me from doing any work. So, the only option for me is to rear livestock such as goats. For me, goats are easier to handle in my situation because they do not need much physical energy, and it is easy to graze them around the field, something that I can manage. Rearing goats is the surest source of wealth that I believe will solidify my financial stability even after the cash transfers have ended. Right now, I already have three goats from the transfers. I have been saving $20 every month through a savings group in my community. At the end of the year, I wish to receive a lump sum to acquire as many goats as the funds can afford me to grow my herd."

"My goal is to accumulate wealth through rearing livestock by the time the transfers end. Right now, I have two ducks and three goats, all bought with the transfers. I have six grandchildren in school, and their father relies on casual jobs to support them. Sometimes it can be challenging to cover their school fees because his jobs are so unreliable. Rearing livestock would ensure that I can also contribute to their education in the future, especially when my son is stuck. I hope to be able to do this using the livestock I will have bought with the cash transfers."

"Being a single mother and the sole provider for my family has been incredibly challenging, especially with the added burden of health issues. However, I am grateful for the progress I have made in my recovery journey, thanks to the medical treatment I have received. With my health gradually improving and the ability to undertake heavy tasks, I am determined to explore new opportunities to secure a better future for my family. Looking ahead to the coming year and beyond, I plan to utilize a portion of my transfer to start a vegetable business. This venture will not only provide me with an additional source of income but also complement the monthly support I receive from Give Directly. By combining the profits from this business with the financial assistance from Give Directly, I will be better equipped to meet the needs of my family, including purchasing food and paying for my children's education. This initiative represents a significant step towards financial independence and stability for us, and I am optimistic about the positive impact it will have on our lives."

"Living in a cramped one-room house with five children has been quite challenging, prompting me to take action to improve our living conditions. My immediate goal is to construct a two-roomed house, with plans to expand it further in the future. With the necessary iron sheets already obtained, my focus now shifts to acquiring additional materials like building poles, timber, nails, ropes, and other essentials for construction. Once I have everything I need, I'll be ready to start building our new home, which will provide much-needed space and comfort for my family. The prospect of having a new house brings me immense relief, especially after enduring cramped living conditions for over a decade. I'm proud of the progress I've made so far, utilizing the monthly stipends from Give Directly to invest in improving our quality of life. This endeavor signifies a significant step towards a better future for my family, and I'm grateful for the support that has enabled me to embark on this journey towards better living conditions."