"The biggest difference in my life after receiving the cash transfer is having enough food at home. I am very happy because I no longer have to stand in the hot sun to find casual jobs just to eat. Sometimes, I would go out to work even when I was sick because I had nothing to eat. Now, I thank God that I can enjoy my meals comfortably three times a day. Before, I only ate once a day, which made my health worse. Now that I have enough food, my health has also improved significantly."

"Farming has always been my main source of income, especially since I don’t have any formal job, and it’s something I truly love. With $80, I decided to lease a piece of land to plant green grams because it’s affordable to grow, requires less water, and matures quickly in two months. Given that our area is dry, green grams are a perfect crop for me. I felt confident that this investment would bring in income soon and help me support my family.I also used $50 to pay for my daughter’s school fees at a private school. Normally, I rely on farming to cover her fees, but this year was tough as I didn’t harvest any maize due to floods that destroyed my crops. Education is important to me, so making sure she stays in school was a priority. I felt a sense of relief knowing that her fees were taken care of and she wouldn’t miss out on learning. With another $50, I bought jailing wire and wire mesh to fence my farm. The goats in our area have been a constant problem, destroying my crops and making farming difficult. Fencing my land gives me peace of mind, knowing my farm is secure. The remaining $20 went towards buying food, as I sometimes depend on casual jobs to provide for my family. My wife helps with these jobs while I focus on farming. Together, we are making sure our two children are well taken care of."

"After receiving the cash transfer, I felt a wave of relief, knowing I could finally tackle some of the challenges my family was facing. The first thing I did was use $50 to purchase wire mesh. My farm had been vulnerable to damage from livestock, and with the wire mesh, I knew I could protect my crops. This gave me peace of mind, as I no longer had to constantly guard my farm against goats that often ruined my hard work. Next, I used another $50 to clear my child’s school fees. He had accumulated many arrears, and it had become a burden on our family. Along with clearing the fees, I bought him a tracksuit for school. Now, I no longer have to worry about the school calling me about unpaid fees, and my son can attend school without any disruptions. It feels like a weight has been lifted, knowing he can focus on his education.The remaining $80 went toward purchasing food for my family of three children. We had been struggling for a while, as I mostly rely on casual jobs, and we didn’t have enough food at home. Being the second wife in a polygamous marriage, I often manage things on my own, as my husband is a police officer and has to support another family as well. But since receiving the cash, our lives have improved. I’m no longer depending so heavily on my husband, and for that, I am truly grateful."

"The biggest difference I have seen after receiving the unconditional cash from GiveDirectly is that I was able to plant my beans on time, just before the best planting window closed. I was running out of time, and any delays would have meant that the beans could be affected by red mites, ruining the entire crop. I was on the verge of giving up because I didn’t have the finances to cover the farm costs, and I knew that if I missed the season, I would later struggle to find money for my son's school fees. But thanks to GiveDirectly, all this has changed for the better, and I now feel more hopeful for the future."

"Before I joined the program, I didn't have any livestock in my compound. This was mainly due to my financial constraints, even though I always wanted to own some animals. Thanks to the support from GiveDirectly, I was able to acquire two goats. My plan is to raise them and let them multiply, eventually forming a herd. Since I currently don't have a source of income, I can rely on selling the offspring to meet my financial needs."

"Poultry farming has always been a passion for me, but for the longest time, I had the chicken coops without any chickens to fill them. When I received the cash from GiveDirectly, everything changed. With that money, I was able to buy roosters, and now they are growing fast. It's such a relief to finally have something that I know will bring me profits in the next few months. Every morning when I walk into the yard, seeing the roosters thriving makes me so hopeful for the future. It’s comforting to know that soon, the income from selling the chickens will help ease some of the financial burdens. When I receive the second transfer from GiveDirectly, I plan to expand my poultry farming by buying more roosters. With each step, I’m getting closer to building a sustainable source of income, and I can't thank GiveDirectly enough for giving me this opportunity."

"When I received the unconditional cash transfer, the first thing I did was use $30 to pay school fees for my son, who is in Grade 5. I didn't want him to be sent home because he would miss valuable lessons. I then set aside $70 for my daughter, who is in Form 3, to cover this term’s fees. Ensuring both of my children stayed in school was my top priority because, at the time, I had no other source of income to rely on. I also needed to handle the harvesting of my maize, so I used $60 to pay for labor and transport. Bringing the maize home promptly was important to avoid any post-harvest losses. With the remaining $40, I bought food for my household. I had just retired from my teaching job, and without a regular salary, providing for my family had become a challenge. The cash transfer allowed me to ensure there was enough to eat while I figured out the next steps for my family’s financial stability. It came at just the right time, and I’m grateful for how it helped us manage through the transition."

"With two children in secondary school, my current goal is to ensure they complete their education. God willing, by the end of this year, they will have finished their final exams. Once they do, I will have some relief and can redirect the transfers I've been using to pay their school fees toward building a house for my family. We currently live in a small one-roomed house, which is not comfortable for all of us as we lack privacy. As a single parent, my ambition is to provide my children with good living arrangements that they deserve. My plan is to build a three-room house where we can all live comfortably and have the privacy we need. To achieve this, I plan to use a portion of the transfers I've been using to pay school fees for my secondary school children, along with some money I will be making from my other casual hustles. I will gradually buy building materials and start building the house I've always desired. I am hopeful that I will be able to achieve this, and once complete, I will be very happy. I am grateful for the support that GiveDirectly has been giving us. This assistance has been instrumental in helping me pursue my goals of educating my children and giving me hopes of improving our living conditions."

"Now that I have completed my house, my focus now is on securing our future and improving our lives, which I aim for it to be free from the financial struggles we faced before. I envision achieving financial security by establishing a livestock base, particularly goats. To achieve this, I plan to use a portion of my future transfers to purchase goats, hoping they will multiply and increase in number and value so that in the future they can become a valuable asset I can rely on, especially when this program comes to an end. I am truly grateful for the support that GiveDirectly has provided us, and I look forward to a future where I can educate my children and care for my family with the help of the livestock asset base I am planning to create."

"My goal in the coming year and beyond is to complete my two-year tailoring course successfully. The course will equip me with the necessary skills to run my own tailoring business in the future. With my subsequent transfers, I plan to continue using the money to pay for my tuition fees and accommodation to ensure I complete the course without interruptions. Once I am done with the course, I aim to seek employment in the tailoring field, gain experience, and save a portion of my income to purchase a sewing machine. This will allow me to establish my own tailoring business and work towards financial independence. I am very happy and optimistic about the future, thanks to the financial support from GiveDirectly, which has helped me get closer to achieving my goal."