"I am focusing most of my cash transfers on buying animals that can reproduce and increase in number, allowing me to sell them and raise funds to cover any needs that arise in future. I have already added two goats to the three I had before, and I plan to expand my herd further. I appreciate goats because they are resistant to drought and can thrive in areas like ours that are prone to it. To achieve this goal, I will continue using my monthly transfers, along with the income from my carpentry work. My spouse and I also burn and sell charcoal to support our children’s school fees and other basic needs. In addition to goat keeping, I am committed to focusing on my children’s education because I believe that with an education, they will be able to take care of their own families when they grow up."

"In the coming year and beyond, my aim is to keep investing in livestock, particularly goats, by using a portion of the transfers I receive. Goats provide a safety net for my family, especially during times of financial hardship. I have discovered that goats thrive in our environment and offer valuable support in many ways. Their adaptability and resilience make me confident that they will be a long-term asset. I believe the goats will multiply, increasing both in number and value. This will ensure that when the program concludes, I will have a dependable source of support to take care of my family and fund my children’s education as they progress to higher levels of schooling. Additionally, I will continue to prioritize providing food for my family and ensuring I can pay the school fees for my children with great ease."

"In addition to being a fisherman and a mason, I also practice farming when the weather permits. My wife works as a full-time farmer, and together, we are cultivating our small plot of land with the rest of our family. I have plans to expand our farming activities in the coming years. Earlier this year, we didn’t need to buy maize flour because we had a great harvest from our farm. I am eager to grow more crops, both for selling and personal use, and I’ve been thinking about planting banana stems and maize. Additionally, I plan to increase the number of goats we have to ensure future financial security. Besides the small plot of land my parents gave us, I am saving part of my regular income to purchase an additional piece of land around one acre that my wife and I can call our own. I’ve already added two goats to our herd, which now totals 18. I plan to sell some of the goats to raise money for this. One acre costs about $50, and my goal is to buy two acres."

"Looking ahead to the coming year and beyond, I plan to expand my livestock business. I will continue using my transfers to buy more goats, hoping they will multiply and increase in both number and value. Eventually, I aim to trade some of these goats for cows. My goal is for these cows to grow and appreciate in value, helping me secure the financial means to support my children's education as they move on to higher levels of schooling. I am truly excited and grateful for the opportunity that Give Directly has provided. I believe that by the time this program ends, I will have built a sustainable source of income that will allow me to support my family and ensure our future."

"As a mother of two, I was able to purchase a bed and mattress to improve our living conditions, which was my main goal over the past three months. We didn’t have a good mattress, so saving through my merry-go-round group was essential. Despite my husband's job as a transporter, saving from his salary was difficult, which led me to save through our merry-go-round instead. Acquiring the bed and mattress has greatly improved our living standards. Now, I can focus on starting an income-generating activity to support my family once these transfers come to an end. I am saving $20 every month for this purpose. Since it will soon be my turn to receive the funds, I plan to use them to start a dried fish business, and part of the money will go toward paying school fees for my two school going children. I am truly grateful to Give Directly for the financial support."

"I am about to complete a short course in electrical installation that I started a few months ago, and I am happy to be nearing its completion. Although I enrolled in this course, I didn’t have a strong passion for it; my goal was to gain knowledge and develop a broad range of skills. I am grateful to GiveDirectly, as most of my transfers have been used to pay my fees and support my time in school. Looking ahead, I plan to enroll in a course that I am truly passionate about, orthopedic and trauma. I have always wanted to work in a hospital setting since I was young. I will use part of my transfer to pay for the new course, with additional support from my parents. I have already applied for this course and am excited to have received an acceptance letter. I will be starting in May next year."

"I am currently working in a shop, though I am employed by someone else. With the experience I’ve gained from working there, I am hopeful about opening my own shop in the coming year. I am very grateful to Give Directly for their financial support, it has brought real hope into my life. I joined a merry-go-round savings group, where we pool our money to achieve goals that might have been difficult to reach on our own. I don’t want to work for others forever; I want to use this opportunity to create a job for myself. I believe Give Directly’s support is all about empowering people financially. Every month, I save $20 with the goal of opening my own shop soon. Running my own business will help me earn a better income, as I already have the knowledge and experience needed to make it successful. Once I have my shop, I will be very happy, as it will allow me to support myself and my family. With this financial security, I will even be able to start a family, knowing I can provide for them without worry. I am truly thankful to Give Directly for making this possible."

"I currently run my tailoring business from home. The support I’ve received through these transfers has helped me gain valuable skills to manage my business more efficiently. Now that I’ve successfully started my tailoring business, I’m looking to expand it. In the coming year and beyond, I plan to use part of my transfer to purchase more vitenges (African fabric) for my customers. With Christmas approaching, I see an opportunity to make good profits, so I want to kick off this expansion with this month’s transfer. Once I’ve built up a solid stock, I aim to start working on constructing a business premise in an open space to attract more customers and increase my earnings. I am dedicated to building a stable business that will help support my spouse and take care of our children. Relying on his job is risky, as it is not dependable."

"Now that the rains have started, I am deeply worried about the state of my house. The walls are quite weak and may collapse over time. Because of this, I have set a clear goal: to renovate the house before anything disastrous happens. I have already made a small start by acquiring three bags of cement, but I will need more to complete the renovations. My plan is to use the transfers I am expecting to fund this project, as I currently have no job or other source of financial support, aside from my husband. I am hopeful that once the house is fully repaired, I will no longer have to live in constant fear, especially during this rainy season. It will bring me peace of mind and relieve me of the worry of becoming homeless."

"In the coming years, my goal is to grow my herd into a large and thriving one. This dream has been on my mind for a long time, but finding the funds to buy goats has always been a challenge. However, with the incoming transfers, I am confident that I can achieve this dream more easily, as I am deeply committed to it. Once I accomplish this, I plan to trade some of the goats for a cow. I hope the cow will breed, enabling me to eventually sell some of the animals to support my children's education in the future. Having livestock at home will also help me address any unexpected household needs. In essence, these animals will provide security and stability for my family."