"I currently live in a one-room house that is in poor condition, with a leaking roof. My main goal for the upcoming year and beyond is to build a new, more durable house using bricks. There are six of us living in the house - my spouse, myself, and our four children. As my children are growing up, I am working hard to move from a one-room to a two-room house to provide more privacy and space for them. My husband is currently unemployed, so I have joined a merry-go-round to save enough for our house construction project. I plan to build a stone house, which will boost our self-esteem. Additionally, I sell beans, sugar, and tea leaves in my house, and I want to expand my small shop to serve our customers' needs better. I believe the profit I earn will be enough to gradually add more items to the shop."

"I am pleased to announce that I have completed the construction of my son's house. This means I am now ready to pursue a new project. In the upcoming year and beyond, I plan to invest in purchasing goats. My second priority is to ensure that my children receive a quality education. Therefore, I am determined to pay their school fees on time to prevent them from being sent home due to outstanding balances. At this point, I have acquired four goats. These goats will provide me with a source of income to cover my children's school fees once my current source of income ends. What excites me about investing in goats is their ability to adapt to our climate. I have observed my neighbors' goats thriving even during drought seasons, which is very promising. Once I have established this project to my desired standard, I intend to begin saving to expand my one-room house to a two-room house. The current space is too small, and I believe that adding an extra room will provide me with a more spacious living area that can comfortably accommodate all my belongings without feeling cramped."

"The GiveDirectly cash transfer has made a huge difference in my life. Previously, I used to rent a sewing machine and life was tough. I struggled to make enough money to support my family. However, with the funds I received, I was able to buy my own sewing machine. Now, I can work without the stress of rental fees, and my earnings have increased significantly. I can now provide for my family better than ever, ensuring we have enough food and that my children can stay in school. The financial pressure has reduced, and we are living more comfortably. Owning my sewing machine has given me a sense of independence and stability that I didn’t have before, and now I can start dreaming of expanding my business."

"I went to the hospital and left my phone to charge. When I returned, I turned on my phone to check whether I had missed a call or any messages while I was away. To my surprise, the first message that popped up was an M-Pesa message. I was curious about who could have sent me money, and I was overjoyed when I learned it was my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I thanked them since the transfer would improve my business because I was planning to add more products, especially vegetables, to increase profitability."

"I have always dreamed of having a place I can truly call my own, where my family can have some security and live without the fear of eviction. Currently, we are living and farming on land that has been given to us, and this situation doesn’t sit well with me as I know one day we will have to move out and find a place of our own. To change this, I have been saving a portion of my transfers with the goal of purchasing the land we currently occupy so that we can live at peace without the fear of being evicted. My plan is to continue saving in our local savings group until I accumulate enough funds to buy this piece of land. Once I own it, I will finally have peace of mind. Another important goal for me is to ensure that my children can continue their education. To achieve this, I plan to use a portion of my transfers along with the earnings I make from my job as a cook at a school. This way, I can support both our dream of homeownership and my children’s studies."

"My dream has always been to own rental houses, providing me with a reliable source of monthly income, especially once this program comes to an end. This would help me support my family. As a fisherman, my work has allowed me to take care of my loved ones, but I wanted to create something more sustainable. To pursue this dream, I took out a loan of $70, which enabled me to purchase a piece of land. My plan is to use part of my transfers to pay off the loan. Once I have cleared the loan, I intend to save more from my fishing earnings and the transfers I receive. I will then gradually buy building materials and start to construct the houses. These houses will serve as valuable assets, allowing me to provide for my family and support my children's education. I also ventured into poultry farming, but I've faced challenges due to a coccidiosis outbreak that has resulted in significant losses. I hope that once this outbreak is over, I will be left with enough chickens to continue breeding them. In the future, I aim to sell some of them to help support my family during tough times."

"I started a business selling groceries over a year ago. I have been working hard on this business, and now it can generate $100 per month when I have a good flow of customers. If I had taken a house help job instead, I would have earned only $5 per month. Since my mother is a peasant farmer and I have three younger siblings to take care of, I decided to support her with part of my earnings. This allows me to cover their school fees and provide for the family. I plan to further develop this business to increase my income. I have completed my secondary school education and intend to save part of my business profits and monthly income to pursue a degree in Early Childhood Education. I am passionate about this course and believe that completing it will lead to employment opportunities, enabling me to support my family and ease my mother's burden of caring for my younger siblings."

"After receiving the unconditional cash transfer, the biggest change in our lives has been the sense of security it brought, especially regarding food. Before, we struggled to make ends meet and often worried about where our next meal would come from. We used to eat only one meal a day; however, now, we can enjoy three meals a day. This abundance of food has eased my mind and allowed me to focus on other important aspects of our lives.Lastly, we can enjoy basic comforts, like new clothing. My husband and I had put this off for so long, always prioritizing food. We feel more presentable and confident. We can welcome visitors without embarrassment and have a renewed sense of hope for the future. Overall, this transfer has transformed our lives, giving us stability and the ability to provide for our children without constant worry."

"I am a mother of eleven children. Five of them are married, but I still take care of the six who are in school. My husband supports our family by tapping palm wine, but it has not always been enough. When I received my first transfer of $550, I knew I had to use it wisely to improve our living situation. My priority was to construct a house for my children. I bought 20 pieces of iron sheets for $220 and building poles for $110. I made this decision because I used to sleep with my children in the same house. I’m happy to say that the house is now under construction! After securing materials for the house, I used $25 to repair a bed for my children. A good bed is important for their rest and health. I also spent $115 on food, ensuring we had enough supplies to keep us going during this busy time. Finally, I bought a thermos for $20, which will help us store food and keep it warm. With the remaining $60, I decided to save for future needs. This transfer has given me hope and the opportunity to create a better life for my family, and I am grateful for every step we are taking toward stability and comfort."

"The absence of a steady income to provide for my family's essential needs is my current major challenge. I previously relied on the honey business, but since it is seasonal in my area, life becomes increasingly difficult during the dry season, making survival even more unbearable"