"I am struggling to put food on the table for my family of nine. We do not have a stable source of family income, it is also difficult to get a casual job in my community. We are keeping and rearing goats to support our family. This area is arid and semi arid area and it does not support crop farming. We were displaced by cattle rustlers in March 2024 and this has made our life unbearable. We’re concerned that the homeowner might ask us to leave. My daughter Purity is studying at Kipcherere Secondary School, while Abel attends Sibilo Secondary School. I am glad they are doing well in their studies, although I am struggling to pay their school fee arrears on my limited income."

"In the coming year and beyond, I plan to open a shop selling colorful African fabric to help cover my school fees. With my mom selling charcoal and my dad supporting her, finances have been tight. I intend to buy African fabric in bulk and have my mother sell it for me, using the profits to fund my education. Additionally, I’m raising two goats and waiting for them to breed so I can sell the offspring and save for my future, as I aim to attend college. Next year, I also want to start buying pigs with part of my monthly transfers. I’m interested in pig rearing because they produce many piglets at once, and with proper care, they can provide a good income. I see this as an extra source of income to enhance my savings, which I plan to use to support my college education after finishing secondary school."

"I have always dreamed of owning female cows that can reproduce, increase in number, and provide us with milk to improve my family's nutrition. To achieve this goal, I have been saving a portion of my transfers, and I plan to continue doing so until I can make this dream a reality. This venture presents a valuable opportunity for me to generate income, which will help support various needs within my family, such as covering school fees, buying food, and acquiring essential household items. I also plan to sell some of the livestock in the future to further support my family. Currently, my husband struggles to generate sufficient income by selling locally sourced toothbrushes made from medicinal tree twigs. With this new initiative of raising cows, I hope to contribute positively to our household finances as well. Additionally, I have a daughter who will be joining junior secondary school next year. My plan is to prepare early by gradually purchasing her school supplies using another portion of the transfers I will receive, so I won’t feel overwhelmed when the time comes for her to start school. Once I achieve my goal of owning cows and my child successfully joining school, I hope to save more of my transfers in our local savings group so that I can eventually start a food-selling kiosk. This will help me meet our daily family needs and provide additional support for us all."

"As I mentioned before, our family goal has been to get my husband a brand new motorcycle so he can become self-employed. I’m thrilled to share that we have finally gathered the necessary funds, and he will be getting his motorcycle very soon, which will help increase our income. In addition to this, we currently live in a dilapidated house and are in the process of building a new three-room home for our family. My plan for this year is to complete the construction of the house. To achieve this, I intend to use a portion of my transfers along with the income my husband generates from his motorcycle hustle to ensure we finish building our new home. I am also enrolled in a tailoring college, and once I complete my studies, I aspire to own my own store where I can run my own tailoring business. After the house is finished, I plan to continue saving a portion of my transfers to buy my own sewing machine. This will allow me to create clothes for people and earn a living, enabling me to support my husband in taking care of our family."

"My lifelong goal has always been to improve my family’s living standards. To work towards this, I started a business where I sell fast-moving household consumables like sugar, maize flour, etc., and I have plans to expand it into a larger store offering a variety of products. To achieve this vision, I intend to allocate a portion of my transfers each month to reinvest in the business. Additionally, I am saving another portion through our merry-go-round group, so when it’s my turn to receive the pooled funds, I can invest a larger amount into my shop. My hope is that by the time this program concludes, my shop will be stable enough to support itself and provide for my family and children’s education. I am optimistic that these investments will pay off, giving my family something reliable to depend on in the future. Related"

"My husband passed away some years ago, leaving behind four children who are now in school. Three of them are in primary school, and one is in secondary school. Since I’ve been relying on selling small fish for a living, it has been difficult for me to pay their school fees on time. That’s why I now have a goal to invest in buying goats. I believe this venture will provide a sustainable source of income for my family in the long run, especially when it comes to paying the children's fees. I can sell some goats and use the money to settle the fees. I plan to save a portion of the monthly cash transfers to buy the goats. My priority remains providing for my children’s education and well-being, as I see education as the key to their future success and empowerment."

"Currently, what's been weighing on my mind is the issue of my house. I have a plan to build a new one since the current one can't handle much due to its age and weakness. I've already gathered some of the necessary materials using the cash transfers I've received, and I'm pleased with the progress. I'm looking forward to starting construction in the coming months. Once complete, the new house will ensure the safety and well-being of my family, as our current home is no longer safe, especially with the rains expected to start soon. It will also bring me peace of mind as I continue to face the daily challe"

"Now that I have completed the construction of my son’s house, I have a new goal of starting a business selling small fish and vegetables like tomatoes, kale, onions, and cabbage. Previously, I was selling cassava in a nearby town, but I found that business to be tedious and seasonal. For now, I want to focus on this new venture, especially since vegetables are in high demand due to the prolonged droughts we are experiencing. I plan to use the upcoming transfers and my small savings from the cassava business to kickstart this new endeavor. Once it succeeds, I won’t have to trek long distances anymore, and I believe that as this business grows, it will be easier for me to provide for my family, as it has great potential for profitability."

"Two years ago, an accident left my legs paralyzed, and I became unable to support my family of five. Since then, we’ve relied entirely on my wife, who takes on casual jobs to keep us going. When I received my second transfer from GiveDirectly, I saw an opportunity to change this by venturing into crop farming to ease her burden. I began by purchasing a generator to support irrigation, as droughts are frequent in our area and reliable water access is essential for a successful harvest. I also bought four bags of fertilizer, each costing $35, to ensure the crops would thrive. Given that my own land is only half an acre, I rented an additional acre for $120. For the past two years, I had been leasing out my land due to my inability to farm, but with these new resources, I’m planning to plant vegetables on both the leased and owned land this October, using my final transfer. My goal is to help my wife step away from casual jobs and focus on our farm, so that together, we can generate enough income to sustain our family. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"Before I received my first transfer from GiveDirectly, I was dealing with significant medical expenses that needed to be paid so I could continue my treatment. My health had been deteriorating due to an illness, and I had been trying to raise the necessary funds to cover the medical costs. When I received my first transfer, it was a huge relief because I was able to pay the $100 medical bill. I am grateful because I received treatment and I am now recovering well. I also used $135 to buy three goats, adding to my existing animals, bringing the total number of goats to 13. Along with owning goats, I also have some cows, which are my most significant investment. These animals serve as a safety net in case of financial need since I can readily sell them, and they also multiply, growing into a herd. Additionally, a part of my roof was leaking during the rains and needed immediate renovation. I spent $60 on buying three iron sheets, timber, and nails to fix the roof, which no longer leaks. I also paid $50 in school fees for my grandsons, reducing their fee arrears and allowing them to continue their studies. The remaining amount was used to buy foodstuffs, including a bag of maize and other essential items that were lacking in my household. My family can now have three meals a day without struggle, as I bought enough foodstuffs to last us a month."