"Because of the meager income my wife and I realize from burning and selling charcoal, we have been thinking about other alternative income sources. Therefore, as I continue to receive my transfer this year, my primary goal is to raise a herd of cattle. This goal comes second to supporting my children's education. I have five goats that I have bought with the previous transfers. However, I aim to buy more before the current ones begin to reproduce. I would wish to build a new house. The current one is old, and one side is falling off. It will shield my family from extreme weather conditions due to unpredictable weather patterns."

"My husband is a teacher and I currently sell things in a small kiosk. We really work hard with my husband to provide for our four children a better life they deserve. We had desired to build a hardware store but it was difficult for us. All the cement we bought, we kept it in our little kiosk together with the food stuff which seemed so unhealthy. The moment I received my transfers, we built a hardware using $300 so that we would keep our cement where it belonged. We used $200 to buy stock for our little kiosks. We believe that the more things we sell, the more profit we make. The remaining amount was $50 that I spent it to run my household."

"First off am grateful for the cash transfers as they played a huge role in keeping all my children in school throughout the entire period last year. Unfortunately, there was no more cash to fund their school fees this year, which sadly hindered two of them from resuming classes earlier this year. To date, they are required to pay a total tuition fee of $580, which I cannot afford. Seeing them remain behind as their siblings and peers attend school breaks my heart; I wish I would do something about it, but I cannot. My greatest accomplishment would be to return these two children to school by clearing the balances. I mostly wish that Give Directly would support me a little longer till I was stable enough to fund all my children’s school fees. "

"Through the first transfer, I started building a new two-room house made of mud walls and a tin roof to accommodate my two grandchildren and me. The previous one-room structure that we occupied was becoming tiny, and there was a need for more space. So I directed $355 towards the completion of the house. Am glad that we recently moved into the new shelter, where there is plenty of space and most importantly privacy between my grandchildren and me. Also, since we had been sharing a bed, I spent $100 on a new bed and mattress for my grandchildren, for when they moved into their new room. I used $50 to clear a tuition balance for my son, who is currently in his second year of studies at college. This was a balance that had remained after I used part of the initial transfer to pay his fees. At least, this kept him in school and ensured that he took his end-of-year examinations without interruptions. I spent the remaining amount on a bale of maize flour as the household had run out of food. By that time my elder son, whom I mostly depend on, was yet to receive his monthly salary to buy more food. I was happy that not only did the cash transfer ensure that my family never went hungry, but it also relieved the burden on my son’s shoulders.  "

"I used $70 from the cash transfer to buy two goats. Considering that I have no source of income, rearing these goats will increase my wealth over time as they reproduce. As we speak, one of the goats delivered a kid and the other one is expectant; am happy. Am so excited because as the herd grows, I could sell some of them to raise money to support my family’s needs such as food, and relieve the weight my son bears to provide for the family (his wife, four children, and I). Also, I spent $207 on 23 pieces of iron sheets that I used to build a new two-room and mud-walled house, where I can comfortably stay with my four grandchildren. We currently shelter under a one-room structure that was constructed by my son after my house collapsed, which barely provides enough space for the five of us. After the new house is done and we move into it, we will use our current shelter for cooking purposes. Also, I bought an extra bed for $65 and a mattress for $75 to use in the new house, as the five of us have been sharing a sisal-twined bed. Am happy because, not only did I get a new house from the cash transfers, but I also obtained a decent wooden bed, which gives a more comfortable sleeping space than the sisal-twined one. Lastly, the household was frequently running out of food, and I spent the remaining funds on securing food so that we would not go hungry. "

"First off, I am grateful for the cash program. It enabled my family to meet our most pressing demands at the time, such as school fees for my two secondary school children. Their outstanding tuition cost for that term was $150. I also spent $40 on a decent hardwood bed for my three children who were sharing a bed at the time and could barely fit in it.  I then spent $200 on four goats. I'm happy that two of these goats have given birth, bringing the herd to six.Am certain that these goats will help generate funds in the future to meet the needs of my family. The remaining cash went towards purchasing food for my children. This ensured that my household never ran out of food and we constantly enjoyed regular meals, particularly on the days that my husband’s kiosk business failed to yield enough food. "

"Courtesy of Give Directly’s cash transfers, my five children have a separate house, where they enjoy plenty of space and privacy. They have also never missed a day of school since I started receiving the cash transfers, something that fueled their improved academic performance last year. This is enough proof of how great the job of giving cash to vulnerable communities is. There is nothing that Give Directly could improve on, according to me. "

"Before the cash transfers, I used to burn charcoal to meet the needs of both of us, which include food and her school fees. The money could barely cover all these expenses, which made my child frequently miss classes due to unpaid fees. When I received the cash, I made it a priority to set aside an amount that would particularly cater to her school needs, which summed up to at least $60 per academic year. Am glad this has kept her in school ever since and has never missed on her learning; she is currently in grade eight. Next, I bought two cows with the remaining amount. Owning these animals is a crucial investment for the future, since as they reproduce and expand the herd, so as my wealth increases. Honestly, words are not enough to express my gratitude to Give Directly for the great support it offered my daughter and me. It has been almost a year since I received my last cash transfer and am grateful I have never set foot in a field to make charcoal for money. "

"Honestly, the list of the things I wish to accomplish is too comprehensive to give details on. I feel like as my life progresses and transforms, the list of things I desire expands as well. Right now, am thinking of a possible future, when I will own a brick-walled house rather than the mud-walled one that I have. At the same time, I envision a future, probably in the next year, where I will be operating a small vegetable-selling business to raise money for needs like food and school fees for my children. Also, I wish to own livestock, as I could sell these animals to generate funds for my children’s education. Unfortunately, lack of cash is the only barrier between me and these ambitions. I wish I had enough from the cash transfers to accomplish even one of them, but I do not, since every penny was consumed by the hardships at the time. "

"Giving cash transfers is the most significant job that Give Directly does. Through the money, I supported the education of my son and secured goats. These, alongside the house that I built, are vivid proof of how incredibly my family was transformed by the transfers. From where I stand, there is nothing that the organization could improve on. "